Silly pony stories

Wrapping Christmas presents with a puppy dog is an entirely new challenge.  hahaha omg I don't think I've laughed that hard in a long time.  It might've taken several times as long as it should've and the wrapping is of a, shall we say, less than professional quality, but it was highly entertaining *g*

Having a lot of fun with Lexi -- who I'm pretty sure is at least part dog *sigh*  So the first time I discovered this was the day I decided to play with the liverpool.  I wasn't expecting much drama since she's been pretty cool about everything.  I should know better by now.

Lex walks up to it, totally calm and stops.  "I am *NOT* going over that."   Touch it with nose.  Kick it.  All good.  Step over it?   Have you heard recent rumours of ice skating in hell?  No?  Me neither.

She was showing no signs of fear, just plain no.  I was standing on the ground - she's not ready for riding challenges yet.   Tried leading her, just about got kicked in the head for that one.  Tried lunging her, suffice to say that did not work.  Really did not work.  *sigh*

So try a combo of lunging/leading -- ie leading with a lungeline held very short -- just long enough so I can be slightly behind her with lunge whip...   Ummmm yeah.  Pony's fairly athletic *sigh*   That *also* did not work.

So now thinking, these are going to be a part of her life forever.  Can't screw it up now.  Ok back it off a bit - lunge her around it.  Yup, still no fear.  Quite happy to lunge around.  Within a cm of it (legit - I think two of her feet actually went over a corner of it).  Ok fine.

Take pony back in barn and untack her.  But I really didn't want issues with it, so I thought I'd bring her after-ride carrots in the ring and have her free but put them in the liverpool so she'd at least go near it of her own volition.

Uh huh.  She's *really* good about following me when she's loose -- she'll stick right by whatever side I put her on.  Can stop, turn, change direction, etc.  And really, it's an indoor ring.  So I unclip her and she's following me.  All good.  Then she spots the carrot (I don't usually have carrots in the ring).  Wants the carrot.  Following the carrot with 100% attention.  So instead of putting the carrot in the liverpool, I walked it over it.  Pony followed with only the very slightest hesitation.  2 feet actually stepped in it.  Pretty thoroughly proving my "you're not afraid" theory.   Turn around and carrot leads her the other way over it.  Happy pony.  Then go across it lengthwise - so at some point she actually has all four feet in the liverpool (it's only *just* wide enough that that can work).  And she's calmly waiting for her carrot. Omg.

And yet, all that is still very much pony behaviour.  *Smart* pony behaviour, and exceptionally food motivated, but still within the reasonable realm of the equine.  It was later that evening that I met the puppy version.  After I finished teaching (so roughly 12h since our morning activities) I brought her back into the arena.  The plan at this point is just to walk around calmly.  I let her go and instead of sticking with me as she always has, she leaves and goes straight to stand in the liverpool and then looks at me.  The "ok I'm in the liverpool, where are my carrots?" was so very clear.  And very much something Sasha would've done :)

hahaha anyways - she amuses me :)  My coach has informed me he expects to see her in my next ride.   "Ummmm, you realize she's not broke right?"  "You have two weeks."  hahaha sheesh.  So now pony's in boot camp  We walk and trot reasonably well but canter... ummmm not so much.  hahaha ah well.  It'll come.  Hopefully sooner rather than later *g*

So it's Christmas Eve and Norad says Santa's getting near, so I'm off to sleep.  Night!