Happy Natural New Year!!

As we moved into 2012 - it was a natural time to reflect on the previous year and look forward to all that the newness of another year will bring.  A few of us on Parelli Connect and my local playgroup took the time to come up with a list entitled "10 Things" - 10 things we are most proud of accomplished in 2011 and 10 things we are setting as goals for 2012.   While I did post this list on PC on January 1st - I am going to post it again - one would maybe wonder why I find this exercise important enough to post twice ... but my reason is this.  I discovered last year that stating your goals and putting them out into the world for others to see, makes them easier to achieve.  If you have a goal and only you know about it - if it doesn't get accomplished, you can slide it under the rug as if it never existed in the first place!  Stating goals aloud makes me more accountable!   So here it is:

10 Accomplishments from 2011

1.    I can't remember what fear feels like!
2.    I strengthened my existing Parelli friendships and made lots of new friends!
3.    I connected with instructors and a doorway to unlimited opportunities for learning.
4.    I got better with the 45' line and learned how to use it safely.
5.    I rode with Walter Zettl.
6.    I have ridden Tido enough without a bridle that if seems "normal".
7.    I played more at Liberty than ever - not enough to be truly passionate about it, but enough to respect
          why it is an important savvy.
8.    My relationship with my horse was stronger at the end of the year than at the beginning.
9.    I learned I am an RBI (axis point) and that my Humanality isn't a negative condition.
10.  I am right where I should be.

10 Goals for 2012

1.   Work to get proper facilities at home so that my Tido can be just outside my door!
2.   Physical Fitness - improve my balance, flexibility and endurance by being savvy with myself.
3.   Learn from Walter Zettl again!
4.   Ride a flying lead change.
5.   Trailer load, at liberty, while sitting on the roof of the trailer.
6.   Ride an experienced dressage horse to gain a better understanding of how some of these more
        advance movements feel when performed correctly.
7.   Renew my old passion for jumping.
8.   Trail ride regularly with a confident Tido and a confident me.
9.   Start my young Jessie while always having her stay calm and confident.
10. Take advantage of every learning opportunity that comes my way!

Sending out all my best wishes and hopes to everyone for a peaceful, successful and fun filled 2012!

Breaking Down My Preconceptions & Assumptions

I've made it no secret that I have dealt with my weight for many, many years.  It has been the #1 thorn in my side for the last decade or so.  I know that I originally gained the weight for two main reasons ...
#1 I gave birth to a set of twins in 1999 and my life unequivocally changed forever - from being an active, working out of the house newly wed to a homebound, stay-at-home mom of two tiny babies - a drastic life change that caused me to head straight to the fridge and my exercise level to drop to almost nothing!
#2 I started dealing with some major medical issues with my reproductive system that left me in chronic pain and suffering from exhaustion 80% of the time.
So today I am in a place where the reasons that caused me to gain weight all those years ago are no longer a factor - my kids are old enough to not even require a babysitter any longer and I had a hysterectomy in 2008.  The time is right and I am ready to start pursuing the thinner, fitter body I once had.

So how to go about it.  Weight Watchers has worked for me .. somewhat.  But my reality is that certain foods, the foods that I really love, cause me digestive upset and increased cravings for unhealthy foods.  These foods, any foods are perfectly acceptable on Weight Watchers as long as they are accounted for.  But I know that they do me harm.  So for the last few months I have been searching for a weight loss program that will not only cause me to lose weight but help me identify what foods are best for my body.  Last year, the Parelli world watched as Pat & Linda slimmed to shadows of themselves on a diet Pat talked about as the "HcG Diet".   Several weeks ago, I decided that I would look into this HcG diet.   Going straight to the source,  I called the Body Shop in Pagosa Springs, Colorado for the details.   Needless to say, after some research and concluding that I wasn't going to harm myself on a 500 calorie per day diet - I signed on with Linda at the Body Shop to give it a go.  First, my inbox filled with document after document that I needed to read (the food lists by blood type is amazing and spot on for me!!).  Then just this morning a shipment arrived filled with bottle after bottle of supplements, tea, soap, toothpaste - even deodorant!!  Everything I need to get going ... and ...... I am petrified!

Why am I so nervous of this??  I am nervous of anything referred to as "all natural".  My vision of anything produced naturally is that someone went out in the field, picked something that looked like weeds, ground it up, put it in pill form and expects it to be the next cure of the century.  All right - I am sceptical of the homeopathic/natureopathic movement.  My impression is that the products work "o.k" - not really very well but the consumer mentally feels better in the knowledge that they are natural.  Alternative therapies and medicines make me think that they are second best, a choice when you don't have access to the best option - that from the medical community.  So where did this mindset come from?  Why am I so sceptical of something that comes in a plain brown packaging?  I don't really know.  But I need to open my mind to the possibilities and accept that what I have done so far really hasn't worked that well - so why not?

It is the same thing with me and the red light therapy - for horses and humans.  I am sceptical maybe because it seems so easy.  And because I can't for the life of me figure out how what looks like a red Christmas tree light mounted in a flashlight can possibly make a difference to a 1200 lb animal.  But you know, I was once sceptical of Parelli too.  But I went to that first Level 1 clinic with an open mind .. and now look where I am!!  Time for me to drop the preconceptions and assumptions that block my vision and try.  Maybe while I am busy sorting supplements and getting underway with the HcG diet,  I should take the course and learn more about the red light therapy too.  Who knows maybe the outcome will be like that of my first Level 1 Parelli course and my life will be forever changed.

Wish me luck!! I don't think I'll be eating organic granola and wearing hemp clothing anytime soon, but I just might learn more about my body and what it really needs (instead of what I think it needs!).   I'll update 45 days from now and revisit this topic again!  Stay tuned!

107 Days to a Dream

April 18, 2011
    In preparation for the 5-Day Parelli Experience Camp that I was attending in May - a request from Parelli Professional Todd Owens, to list 7 things we hoped to accomplish at the event.  This was #2 on the list that I emailed to Todd:
#2. I have a very BIG goal to be able to ride in a Walter Zettl clinic. I would like to find out where we need to be in order to get the most from a WAZ clinic. I would like to be assessed as to where I am currently and have some assistance in putting together a plan (aka - a list of tasks to accomplish) to allow me to reach this goal.
This was the first time that I had actually stated my Walter dream out-loud!

June 26, 2011

    The rumour was confirmed today!  After the search for a facility to host Walter's summer clinic, it was decided that it be held at the barn where I keep my horse, QuarDream Equestrian Centre in Mt. Forest! Walter Zettl in our own barn?? Could fate be playing a hand in this?

July 11, 2011
    Today I got one of the best phone calls ever!  Parelli Professional Todd Owens, called to tell me, in person, that he had a rider spot for me in the upcoming Walter Zettl lesson days!  WOW. wow.  I've been smiling ear to ear ever since.  How did this happen??  In all honesty however, when Todd told me several weeks ago that he felt I was ready to ride with Walter - I didn't believe him.  How could this 38 yr old mother of 3 be anywhere near ready to ride with such a master??   But Walter is looking for students who are well into Level 3 and ... get this ... are enthusiastic learners!   So I may not be destined for the world dressage stage any time soon - but I am, if nothing else, enthusiastic.  With a short list of preparatory tasks in place, I have left my anxiety behind and am just excited to have Walter Zettl help me with my horsemanship. 

July 23, 2011
    Only 14 days until my first lesson with Walter Zettl!! I can't believe how quickly this dream has come about.   The preparation is going forward on many levels.  I continue to increase the physical activity level for both Tido and I - this lesson will challenge us like nothing we have experienced before.  WAZ's video library that I ordered arrived last week and I take any spare moments to watch him teach and listen to his lilting voice.  Trying to let his accent wash over me so that I can hear his terminology.  I have pulled every Savvy Times since 2008 and read every article that mentions Walter!  My support system has been wonderful with many emails arriving from Parelli friends who plan to be in the audience watching.  I am sure that some would find an audience cause for anxiety, but the positive energy from our group helps me immensely, in both the preparation and the actual ride   I went through a phase of being extremely self critical of my riding abilities, my body image - even my pants!  But I am now in a place where I combat negative thoughts immediately with positive ones about Walter's only intention being to help me become a better horseman.  
   
July 26, 2011
    Today I had a private "Finesse" lesson with 4* Parelli Professional, Don Halladay as a preparatory preview of what I can expect in my lesson with Walter Zettl (yes -  I had a lesson, before a lesson).  In all regards in went very well.  Don reviewed all the tracks and paths involved in the precision pen with is much more difficult to ride than it looks. Those intersections come up very quickly, and that was only at the walk!  Don also reviewed the various lateral movements - leg yield, half pass, shoulder-in, haunches-in among others.  Quite an intense hour but I feel as though I have a bit better mental grasp on what to expect next weekend.      10 days and counting!

Friday August 5, 2011
    I arrived at the barn at 12:30 today to meet Walter and watch him teach 5 lessons throughout the afternoon.  My nerves started jangling as I parked the truck, but the moment I met Walter, they vanished!  He is such a calming presence!  He motioned me to sit beside him and there I was for the next 4 hours.  Immediately upon the first horse & rider entering the arena, I learned why Walter is considered a master.  From the first several footfalls the horse takes - he knows what instruction the horse and rider need.  Nothing short of amazing to watch the transformations in each 45 minutes lesson.   His sense of humour is infectious and although he "saved" me many times from flies with his swatter, there were several instances I got a good swat when there was no fly present.  Although I was glued to his teaching, I am sure it was a "pay attention - this is important" reminder!   I left the barn feeling as though I had been at the spa - relaxed and peaceful.

Saturday August 6th, 2011 - 11:15am
    My first lesson with Walter Zettl.  Although I didn't feel nervous, in hindsight, I wasn't as relaxed as I usually am (imagine that!).   Of course, Tido picked up on that immediately and he slipped every so slightly into the RB quadrant.  Walter immediately picked up on Tido's difficulties going to the right and our ongoing challenges with straightness.  Something as simple as a slight shoulder-in to the right when asking for a halt left me shaking my head at the wonderful simplicity!  Being my first time riding with Walter - I would be lying if I didn't mention that I found this learning platform very difficult.  I wasn't at all prepared for the rapid fire instructions that came through my earpiece and the high degree of accuracy that is the goal of precision riding - my confidence took a bit of a hit.  I found myself very cautious about using a trial and error method of figuring out what Walter was asking of us.  As we left the arena I was not pleased with how things went.  Although from the outpouring of support from spectators and Walter himself, it appeared we had no outward reason to feel disappointed - I felt that the harmony between Tido and I was less than I knew we were capable of.   My day continued watching the other riders and then finished with a student dinner with Walter, his wife and the other riders/instructors. 

Sunday August 7th, 2011
    I was scheduled to ride in the afternoon, I took some extra time at home that morning to rest and collect my thoughts.  The learning over the previous two days was large in volume and I felt as though my brain was reaching the breaking point.  Being an RBI myself, the days of meeting new people and riding before a large group of spectators added to the stress of being out of my comfort zone.  Even after taking a little extra time, I was still in my seat watching lessons by 9:30am.
   As I got Tido saddled and warmed up in the afternoon, I focused on staying relaxed and riding in harmony with Tido during our second lesson.  As we entered the arena, I attempted to clear my mind and just let Walter's voice guide me.  Wow.  Right away I could feel the difference.  The challenges we faced in the previous lesson were virtually gone and Walter was able to take us into new territory - trying out some of our lateral work at the trot and continued practice with our ever challenging downward transitions.  I was more confident in puzzling out some of Walter's instructions and achieving the proper response from Tido came much quicker!  The intersections didn't seem to come up quite as quickly as they had the day before and I was much more able to think my turns before I made them.  Our attempt at a collected trot drew a loud exclamation of "he's a Grand Prix horse!" from Walter and we finished with an "almost" perfect straight ride down centre line and a pretty good halt! Phew! But as we prepared to leave the arena, my best moment of the entire weekend occurred.  Tido wouldn't leave.  He kept looking over at Walter and all the spectators with a calm, confident expression that said, "hey that was great. Now where are my pats and treats?" After a spray bath and some undemanding time grazing and fussing over him, Tido hung around the pasture gate when I finally put him away.   All the positive comments from Walter, spectators and other riders paled in comparison to my horse tellling me that he enjoyed our ride together. 
    Walter caught me in the barn at the end of the day and gave me a hug and the comforting words, "vunderful, my dear, vunderful.".   I did it.  I rode with Walter Zettl.

107 days ago, I dared to state my dream out loud.  107 days later, I am filled with the joy of having achieved that dream.  But it was more than just riding and learning with Walter.  It was meeting new people, rekindling with old friends and enjoying time spent immersed in a world of horses that I love.  It brought talk of plans and opportunities for the future and stories told of the past.  It was learning that sometimes, having your dream become a reality isn't as hard as you might think!   And it was knowing that riding with a master is addictive and I look forward to my next opportunity to learn from Walter Zettl!

Observations from the Pool

This morning was the second-to-last, 45 minute, swimming class for my three kids.  For just a day shy of two weeks, we have made the daily trek to the town pool for their lessons.  Each day it has been an untold blessing to have 45 minutes of quiet.  I have enjoyed sitting under the shade tree of the local park reading or watching long awaited Savvy Club DVD's on the portable player.  Bliss!!  Today I was told by my 7 year old son, in no uncertain terms, that I was NOT to watch horse videos and I must watch his entire lesson.  From my vantage point at the top of the bleachers I had the perfect view of my son and all the other swimmers and their parents, grandparents and caregivers. 

In the tot swim group located in the shallow end, one little fellow was having a bit of a rough time.  Throughout his entire 30 minute class he had a long, low wailing, hiccuping type cry.  For whatever the reason, on this day, he just was not enjoying his lesson and playtime with the instructor and other children.  His mother along with the child's grandparents were sitting in front of me and I heard several comments about "how silly he was behaving" and "what is wrong with him - he never behaves like this!".   After the lessons finished and the pool cleared of swimmers, I entered the family dressing room with my son and again heard that long, dry, wailing cry.  The little boy's mother was quickly dressing him in his street clothes while glancing at the other parents with an embarrassed , apologetic look.  Again as we walked through the parking lot and sat in the truck waiting for my older children to surface from the dressing rooms, that long, low cry was close in proximity.  The little boy's mother and grandparents were standing around him starring at him as though he had suddenly turned a different colour, discussing why this normally quiet little fellow was having this meltdown.   Finally, after much rolling of eyes and shrugging of shoulders, the mother got a soft look on her face, bent down and scooped him up.  Immediately, his arms went about her neck, his eyes closed and .... he stopped crying.  She rocked him back and forth and his face brightened and he looked peaceful and calm.   A few minutes later when she set him down, he scampered off after his sister to check out the playground - everything right in his world again. 

This scene hit home with me.  At events with horses, how often do we ourselves witness others or say the words, "he never does this at home" or "why won't he just behave?".   How often do we roll our eyes at each other in sympathy over our horse's behaviour?  How often do we turn our back on a horse who is in distress over the situation or new environment with an attitude of "he'll get over it"?  

Sometimes our horses need a hug.  They need us to slow down and give them some time to gain strength and confidence from us.  They need us to set aside the goal of participating in the event and put our principle of love, language and leadership first.  They need us to not make excuses for them and just "be" in the moment with them to help them through it.  Hugs can be defined in many ways - from simply removing them from the situation to a quieter location to soothing friendly game in all forms.  After a pre-Parelli lifetime of growing up being told that hugs would spoil my horse, it is a relief to have the freedom to give my horse a hug when he needs it.    And I do.  Every so often it is a full out arms around his neck human hug.  But every time, we walk away with my horse's expression just like that of the little boy at the swimming pool - calm and confident and running ahead looking for the next adventure!   So the question remains - have you hugged your horse today??

Step off the Path into Silly

How did I get here?  I don't know the exact moment I arrived ... here.   Three years ago, the thought of just walking into the barn would cause me to vomit.  Yep, I was that scared.   Fast forward three years through starting with Parelli, finding my dream horse and taking-the-time-it-takes.  I am now surprised to find I am riding bridleless, taking the first few tentative tries at Liberty spins and getting Tido measured up for his new cradle bridle as we venture into Finesse !  We are loading up and travelling out, considering clinics and seminars I never dreamed of being able to participate in, meeting the most amazing and wonderful people (and their horsey partners).  But the biggest and most prized accomplishment - we are having fun.  Everyday.  Lots and lots of fun. 




  Living in a time that is fast paced and high-tech, it is so easy to lose the fun - in working life and recreational pursuits.  It is easier to postpone fun to another day when you have more time, and less laundry.  But what if everyone decided to have fun everyday?  Even for just 5 minutes?  Just this morning, as I did my morning ritual of watering the plants, the dogs, the horses ... I suddenly dropped the hose and ran to the kid's trampoline for a 10 minute jump-fest!  You can imagine how surpised my 3 kids were, but they recovered quickly, picked up their jaws, and quickly came running to join in.  So we jumped and laughed and laughed.  And its funny how later (when my post-kids bladder started to stage a revolt to the jumping) picking dirty socks off my son's floor didn't seem quite so mundane. 

It is amazing what we can accomplish when we open the door and invite fun into our lives.  In my younger days - my time spent with horses was always fun.  As I venture further down the natural horsemanship path, it becomes easier and easier to recapture some of that silly fun with horses. 
~ its steamy hot out, fill some barn buckets and launch a full out water gun war.  
~ you are sitting on your horse bareback, relaxed and enjoying the day - lay back and put your head on his hindquarter and appreciate at the beautiful blue sky above you.  
~ practice dismounting off the right side, a clumsy landing will have you giggling for sure. 
~ take your horse swimming.  Or canter through the snow bareback!  
~ spectate a clinic, workshop or competition that you have never heard of before. 
~ maybe you have a secret wish to ride with cows - find a way to do it!! 
Whether a big fun goal or just a little bit of silly, how can you add fun into your horse time? For most of us, horses are a hobby.  Any hobby that you devote time, effort and money to - should be fun.  Sometimes all it takes is to step off  the path and just have some plain, old fashioned silly!

The sister to silly fun is the "fun" of acheiving your goals and realizing your dreams! Having goals is necessary to keeping us focused and progressing, but the journey and the acheivement should still be fun!! The other day, I slipped Tido's bridle off for our third official bridle-less ride.  I have gotten over the "holy crap" novelty of seeing my horse's naked face from a mounted perspective but this is still so new to us - I am constantly amazed!  After a short ride that included a considerable amount of trot segments - we headed to the big ball for Tido's favourite playtime.  For the next few minutes we trotted around playing ball - digging it out of corners, swinging his hindquarters around to line up behind it .... and forgot everything else in the exhuberance and enthusiasm of our game.  Like a lightening bolt, that tingly realization hit me - "he doesn't have a bridle on!!!!"   Wow. wow.   And I started to laugh.  How fun was that?!!!

I wish everyone the joy of finding your "fun" in your life and most especially, with your horses!  With it comes a deep satisfaction and a quiet peace that could only be defined as ... happiness.

Road to Walter Update: I have been making positive steps towards my future ride with Walter Zettl. Since arriving home from Parelli Experience camp on May 15th - I have lost 10 lb and am starting to see improvement in my fitness level. I have been focused on acheiving balance in the 4 savvys by improving our Freestyle riding and have tackled some of the early Finesse tasks taught to me by Don Halladay, with regular consistency.   In early August, I will have the opportunity to sit with Walter for one of his teaching days to become accustomed to his teaching style and learn to "hear" his instructions (mental preparedness).

When An Accident Happens .... are You Ready??

Last week my 2 year old filly suffered an injury in the pasture.  The injury was serious enough to require sedation, stitching, bandage changes and a host of other medical procedures.   I approached this situation with as much savvy as I have and maintained that our relationship was first and had to be balanced with the medical procedures she required.  However, during those first days post-injury, I quickly became frustrated at our lack of prior and proper preparation in the area of emergency preparedness.  While in many regards, Jess was a trouper and handled much of it calmly and confidently, but several times the pain caused a real change in her horsenality and I was left feeling overwhelmed.
So live and learn, this situation caused me to think about all the tasks that are important for responsible horse owners to do with EVERY horse in their care (the pasture potatoes have emergencies too!).   The more prepared you are, the more successful you will be when illness or injury adds that extra element to a situation ... pain. 

Physical Preparedness
Think about all the horses in your care and then honestly consider the following questions ....
Can your horse stand still and calm during needling? What about repeated needling?  Often during illness or injury, horses require more than one needling session! 
Can you hose down your horses legs, chest and belly with cold water? Often necessary for reducing swelling and keeping wounds clean.
Can you calmly and confidently load your horse in the trailer in the dark, wind, rain, snow or other common weather conditions for your area? If you had to evacuate or transport an injured or sick horse to a remote equine clinic - your horses need to be able to load in any weather or time of day, not just when the sun is shining!
Can you put your horse in a stall and have them be relaxed and calm for a length of time? Confinement is often necessary during injury.  Do you have a stall or small area to confine an injured/ill horse? Is there a "buddy" to stay with the patient to help them stay calm and quiet?
Can you spray aerosols on all parts of your horse's body?  Some injuries require antiseptic sprays to keep them clean and help them heal.
Can you operate the clippers over all of your horse's body including legs, head, neck, ears and muzzle? Some surgical procedures require the effected areas to be shaved.
Can you pick up all four of your horse's feet and confidently handle all four legs?
Are you physically fit enough to handle an injured or sick horse? These situations can sometimes require lengths of time without sleep and assisting veterinarians with medical procedures can be physically taxing.

Emotional Preparedness
Be very honest with yourself and think about how you handle emergency situations.  It's normal to find these challenging, but understanding yourself and taking steps to cover your shortcomings will help both you and your horses!
Can you act calmly, think logically and make well informed decisions in an emergency situation?
Can you call in some support to help you through especially trying times?
Can you keep safety as a priority in order to help your horse without putting yourself in danger?

Mental Preparedness
There is no doubt we love our horses. Anyone who has owned horses knows that sometime you will have to deal with the natural situations that arise during a horse's life. While not pleasant, these trying times are a reality and deserve some advanced consideration. Sometimes planning for the unexpected means thinking of potential emergency situations and thinking through how you would handle them.  Kind of like preparing your will and buying insurance for ourselves!
Have you analyzed your finances and have a realistic price you are willing, and able to pay, should illness or injury arise?
Are you able to make the decision to humanely end your horse's life if the situation warrants?
If you were to lose your horse suddenly, have you thought about how you would dispose of his/her body?
If you live in an area where natural forces can require evacuation - do you have a plan in place?

My goal for young Jess was to have her come through this injury without any lasting negative responses that will affect her future.  So even though an injury isn't the best time, I was focused on taking the time it takes and putting our relationship first throughout the whole ordeal.  Today at her follow up 5-day veterinary appointment, Jess let me know that she appreciated my efforts by standing perfectly still for her fourth round of needles.  You couldn't erase the smile from my face!  Jess is on the road to a full recover and hopefully only a minor scar as a reminder. 

 

P.I.T.'s and Rattle Snakes

What a week!! Lots of horse activity going on and lots of positives.  First I wanted to comment on the Humanality/Match report.  Mine arrived on a rare day when I was down and out with the flu and ironically, it was one of the best afternoons I have ever spent!! Having a sick day (rare, I can assure you), gave me some undemanding time with myself to really read and absorb the reports.  I was floored ... no... astonished to find out I am a RBI!  But not just any old RBI - a RBI Axis Point!  What this means is that although RBI is my main quadrant, it is very, very mild and my dot is very close to the centre.  The result is that I can easily shift into LBI and RBE and occasionally LBE (possible but only occasionally).  So, speaking in positive terms, I have the potential to be very adaptable to the horse I am playing with.   The reports are very, very interesting and very reflective of what I have been facing with myself and my horse.  Since reading them, I feel I have a real understanding of the positives and the challenges that Tido and I face as a partnership.  What also hit home, again, was John Baar's discussion regarding labelling.  He advised that we not think of LB and RB as "good" and "bad" and certainly now that I find myself an RBI, this is never more true!!
    
     As things finally started drying up here in south western Ontario in the last week, I got a chance to start playing with my filly. I currently have her identified as a P.I.T. (partner-in-training) because she flip-flops so easily between acting like a partner and behaving very instinctively. Since passing her second birthday on April 9th, I am starting to see more consistent partner-like behaviour as she gains in size and maturity.  But she is still very young, and those prey behaviours surface regularly.

     Throughout the winter I took advantage of every opportunity to play with any of the games that I could - in the confines of the barn.  But as the good weather has moved in, I have begun advancing those games outside!  In one of our first official plays of the year, I was busy placing barrels, flipping cavaletti, setting cones and generally getting things arranged in the outdoor arena.  I was casually dragging the 22' behind me and allowing Jess to trail around after me at Liberty (she's great at that - I call her my pocket horse).  Using my periferal vision to keep a close eye on her whereabouts, her sudden movement caught my eye.  The leather popper on the end of the 22' suddenly came up out of the grass and caught her attention.  After following it with concern for a few moments, she made a small hop into the air with both front feet and came down on the ends - finishing her display with a short tap dance.  Then in a brisk walk with a look of concern on her face she came within 3 feet of me and turned crosswise so her zone 3 was between me and the end of the 22.  She looked back at me over her shoulder with a confident expression that said, "it's okay, I've got this under control."  How can you not laugh??!!   While initially I thought this behaviour was quite instinctual, with some "hhmm .. how interesting" pondering, I have concluded that in many regards, she was actually behaving very much like a partner.   I know in her mind, the leather popper was a rattle snake (which is quite instinctual).  But instead of taking flight, she took as much calm confidence as a two year old can muster, and "killed' the snake to protect her herd of two.  While in the future I will need to watch carefully that she doesn't become dominantly protective of our herd, it was deeply reaffirming that our playtime has some very real meaning for her.   And if we ever ride through the wilderness, I'll be safe from rattle snakes! 


     I leave you with two recent photos of Jess.  The first in her new designer, gold mesh with lynx trim, fly mask. If you can't have fun dressing up your little girl - who can you have fun with??  The second shot was taken at sundown last night.  While I rarely consider her "angelic" - doesn't this photo give her a certain glow??


New designer flywear!




I always knew she was an angel!