Liberty

Liberty is something I've never really tried, except for a brief visit with it at Stoneleigh.  Bea has always been totally unimpressed with it, and more likely me, unless food was involved. That only held her attention briefly. 

So a week or so ago after a really nice fluid play session I took the halter off to see if I could yield her hindquarters and invite her to follow me for a few steps.  Hindquarter yield, no problem, did she want to follow, not a chance. Sometimes she'd leave, I would help her, I noted she didn't try to clear the low fence to my round pen so that was something. 

Time after time I had the hindquarter yield but nothing else.  I looked at Bea as she faced me, what was I missing?  I studied harder there had to be something, some little signal.  The penny dropped.  She was trying but didn't understand what I wanted.  She knew she should be doing something more but what was it.  I dropped on my haunches and looked away.  I remember thinking how cold it was along with what on earth will my neighbours think.  But there I stayed. 

Incredibly I felt her energy shift I knew without looking she was coming to me.  Normally that would've been the moment when I jumped up and flung my arms around her neck ruining everything.  Instead I waited and thought of something really boring like Dire Straits music.  Bea stopped a few feet away dropped her head, remained there for another couple of minutes.  Finally she came over and gently touched me her nose resting near my neck.  I felt a cold tear slide down my cheek I felt so honoured that she had decided I was worth the effort.  There we stayed like two grazing buddies until, the cold having got the better of me, I went to open the pen ending the session.  Bea following behind.

Since that little break through we have gone from strength to strength.  We have the figure 8 at walk and trot, she will go and stand on the pedestal or sidepass at the log, generally both. Stick to me gets better each time we try it.  Circling, well she doesn't really see the point of that and will do anything to deflect my attention from it.  Even backing onto the pedestal or perhaps a change of direction thrown in for good measure.  I get the distinct impression she's playing with me and I'm loving every minute!