Of course I know this. I know less is more. And today totally proved it! When I played with Spy a couple days ago I got a little greedy, a little goal oriented, and before I knew it we'd been playing for over 2 hours...Which was certainly a bit much for her and soon I realized she was looking more and more fried and fluctuating between going introverted and wanting to leave me emotionally/mentally and feeling too much pressure and wanting to get extroverted and leave physically. I felt like a huge failure! She's a young horse, our relationship is slowly blossoming, report is everything, and here I am pushing her because I got too excited. Argh. So, I gave her a couple days "off" where we just hung out together, undemanding time, and I made my apology to her.
Today, she was excited to see me, met me at the gate, and wanted to be with me. I haltered her (she offered to put her head in!) and played a little friendly, a little porcupine, played with picking up her feet, a yo-yo or two, and then decided to do some driving game. That seemed to be our troubled area last time, and like I already knew, she's a horse I can scream at with phase one. So today, I decided to redefine phase one - and wow! Such a tiny suggestion and she was picking up driving her forequarters and hindquarters. Awesome! I think we only played for about 20 minutes and before I got greedy I made myself take off her halter and call it quits for the day. She's even lowering her head so I can kneel and take off her halter - very nice.
She does seem to get that sleepy look on her face that the gray RBI horse in one of the SC DVDs from last spring did - the DVD with the 4 horseanality types. She doesn't seem to be going catatonic, and she doesn't get the sleepy eyes under pressure, it seems to be when she's processing information and getting ready to 'digest' what she's learned... Will have to watch this and see if there's a pattern to it.
Anyway - super pleased with myself for not getting direct-line and delighted with her for being forgiving and trying to be a partner!
It is going to be fun to follow your new blog! I am excited for your new filly, what are your future plans with her.. what discipline are you hoping to accomplish with her?? I love reading blogs and cant wait to see where this road takes you and her :) Piper
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