I've been working on trying to be more assertive. I think that's the reason why we're having trouble with things like the circling game. He knows the circling game...I however, don't think I'm that good at it. So we're parcticing it a lot, all at the same time while trying not to bore Pep Boy to death. Sideways is also hard for me. I think I need to slow it down.

So that's all we're up to these days(well ya know, besides moving). And watching lots of videos on the new site :)

I am always trying to figure out Pepper. He is a different horse everyday! Today he changed horsenalities a few times...when I first came into the pasture he was quite LBI. As we started to play I could see him kinda zone out....RBI. So I waited, and let him relax, and he yawned like crazy! Then deffinately went left brain. He tryed to take my ropes and stick in between yawns. And he stayed pretty LB the rest of the time we played.
Then at feeding time, I went down to the pasture to find a leaping, bounding, dancing, race horse! Even after I fed he trotted a couple laps around his stall before eating. Strange horse. Difficult day. So I didn't do too much, it was hard for me to keep up.

BUT I lovvvvve the changes to the savvyclub website! I feel there are more resources for me, and SOOOO much more for me to learn and gain savvy to help my dear PepBoy! Though it looks daunting and complicated, I really think it'll be easier to track progress, how to improve, and what gaps need to be filled in. So cool. Can't wait to see what other changes they will make.

Yesterday was a fun day. I verrrrry rarely have a bad day with my horses anymore. I think for awhile I stopped enjoying them like I did when I first got Pepper. Everyday I find an "Oh Boy!" moment instead of an "Oh noooo..." moment. I truely have fun with my horse over every(well, pretty much) feat and obstacle. I love not getting frustrated or angry at my horse...what a concept eh? I think a lot of people don't enjoy horses as much as they think they do.

SO, something you should know...when I first got Pepper, sometime within that first year, I discovered quick release leadropes. They are designed so that when you have a "right brain" moment(or when your horse does =P ) you can grab the snap so that it automatically releases. Meant for easily tying your horse without having to tie up your horse.
So I had snapped Pepper to our new gadget, and went to grooming. I did something with his face(can't remember what), as he yanked his head back I instinctively grabbed the rope....the quick release rope! He held his head up and looked at me. Looked at the loose snap dangling from my hand. And I could see him think, "Freedom". I reached for the halter as he swung around and took off like a mailman from a dog. Eventually some cowboy man went down the road on his horse, and brought back my pony(I'm sure he watched our cartoon from a distance, and came over when he could stop gigling at the newbies).
Now you can fully appretiate yesterdays triumph. We were out in the field next to our house, no fences, and ages of yummy grass. I asked Pepper to circle, when I had a clumsy moment. I dropped the leadrope! Having a flashback to the quick release incident, and knowing this time there would be no cowboy to help me, I watched the leadrope drag in front of me. And then around me. I looked up............and Pepper was still circling. He casually made several laps around me, rope dragging in the weeds behind him, before coming back in to see if he could viset. Lots of scratches, and we headed back to the house for some jelly beans.

I'm looking forward to the new format Parelli is coming out with tomarrow. I was a bit worried at first about the change, but am thinking it's going to be pretty neat how everything fits together.

Go Get Your Horse and Mosey

Today I decided to mosey with Pepper. We really haven't done much moseying(weird word). Maybe we've been moseying through level 1 and 2...but we don't mosey very often. How many times can I use mosey in a sentence!? haha! Anyways, it was a great was to observe his horsenality, and his thresholds. He's actually a fairly confident explorer. He's cautious, but not totally unconfident. Once he realized that moseying to the stack of hay bales wasn't the only place we would go for the day, he enjoyed exploring every nook and cranny with his nose. He closely examined the different types of ground we walked on, and really liked the asphalt on the road. He even tryed to lay down and roll! I didn't think it a good idea to roll in the middle of the road though, so we moved on. Was a good day...and I'm thinking he may actually be mostly LBI(on the ground, with some extrovert tendencies. That is when he's left brain anyways, and I don't think he actually goes RB very often, but I'm always paying attention to make sure I don't lose him in RBI. Cause I know how fast he can go to RBE! He's fun, and always makes me laugh.

Pepper is coming along slowly but surely. When he is LB and thinking, he learns very quickly. We're doing lots of stuff, like trotting next to me(not behind me), lead by the leg(he likes that one), circling, sideways, games 1,2, and 3 all the time, lots of yoyo, and just hanging out. circling needs some work, especially on the 22'. He likes to stay close, and not use the whole 22'. Lot's to learn. Always learning.

On the circling today he had a RBE moment, but a quick phase 4 brought him back, and I was glad of how quickly he came back to left brain attitude.