Training Day 16. Ninja Move 101!

   Blaze has had a pretty easy week this week, only having being worked Tuesday and today (Sunday), partly because iv been busy with the other ponies (Me and Piggles went to our first Horse Agility Event and came first with 85 out of 90!) and my health, having Raynauds Disease makes yard life pretty painful in the cold!

   A bit of a slow one today. We just sat back and enjoyed the scenery. After having a such a manic Weekend (Horse sitting Friday, worked all Friday night, did Horse Agility on 3 hours sleep Saturday, then worked all Saturday night!) I didnt have a very "Go, Go, Go, Go Training" attitude. It was all walk with minimal hill work.

   

   Im sure you have heard me sing and dance about how wonderful Blaze is. How safe, calm, confident, and genuine she is. This is true. But. She also has a little mischievous streak. This little mischievous streak is something I love love LOVE about Blaze because it's what prevents her from being so robotic. It wonderful to have such a safe and genuine pony but I dont want a robot, I want to ride the free thinking, individual, living being Blaze is, with a heart and a mind and idea's and opinions and feelings. Not a robot. Blaze can be mischievous without being dangerous, its a fun and fantastic mix. She has this very distinct and iconic look about her face, she rounds her neck, tucks her nose in and gets a special glint in her eye when she is about to do something naughty, its a side to her that i have seen less and less of over the years, unfortunately. 

Cheeky Pony!

   Well, being back in work seems to have lit that cheeky spark because i saw it Friday when me and Blaze were helping a young girl with her cantering. I asked for the transitions and instead of the nice controlled transition she normally does, she had that look and zipped into it, unseating the young rider. Again not dangerous, she didnt lower her head or drop a shoulder or run off, and when i asked for her to come back to a trot she responded immediately. She just had a little sass about it!

   On the way home we had fallen a way behind and so i asked Blaze to trot and catch up. The cheeky little monster stirred and we had a very zippy walk to canter transition which would have been lovely if it meant i didnt have to deploy ninja move 101 and lean forward and slide to the side (Im riding bareback) at the canter so as to avoid the low hanging tree! Once i had composed myself i asked her to stop and she did so we did that bit again, only a little more controlled! Cheeky Pone!!!