Backing By The Hairs On Her Tail

I've played with Aspire twice in regards to backing by her tail. I'd gently pick up and tug a pinch of tail hair for a long phase one and gently wiggle the rope with me still standing in zone 5 and she'd step back. Yesterday I picked up her tail hairs and barely tugged and she took a step back - so responsive and soft that I figured it had to be a coincidence...so I did it 3 or 4 more times to make sure! :) She did it every time just as light as she was before!!! WOW! I felt like someone slapped me in the face, I just can't believe how fast she learned, how soft she was, and how sensitive she is.

I also introduced her to yielding towards me by looping the 22 ft' line around her mid section and using the rope to porcupine her off side so, as I said, she yields toward me. She did it, first try, at phase one. It was simply awesome.

I've also got her almost down on her knee to bow as well. It's to the point she sees a carrot and gets as close to bowing as she can so far and then looks at me, like, "Well? Where is it? Don't play with me, where's my carrot?" It's hilarious and really clever of her.

The place where I am keeping her just brought two fillies in today, I think they're either coming three or coming two...I can't remember. I might link a second blog to this one to track their progress together. I am hoping to catch them up to Aspire so I can keep them all on a similar program.

Oh, and Spy is licking and chewing a lot more now and she's really asking me questions and checking in every chance she gets. She makes me laugh because she'll start doing something then quickly look at me "Is this right Mom? Should I keep going or should I come back so you can scratch my neck pleeeeeease??". Today I sent her in a tight squeeze between two barrels, she got part way through before knocking one sideways and partly under herself. She stopped, contemplated her predicament, then looked at me and delicately maneuvered around the barrel, abandoning our squeeze pattern, to stand by me and put her forehead against my chest and sighed. So sweet. :)