Funny Story...

Well so far, so good. I was only able to make it out to the barn twice this week because of the thunderstorms, but Cheyenne is coming along nicely. She is still a bit testy in the round pen, but it takes much less time/energy to get her to concede and do what I'm asking. She didn't try to run through or jump the fence like she did the other day, so it's an improvement. She is also showing great progress with her stopping. She's responding well to voice cues so I'm trying to rely heavily on those with minimal cueing from the bit. Just a deep seat, a "whoa", and a teensy tinsy pull then release. She's much quicker to respond but we still have some work to do.

Cheyenne really impressed me with two things this week.

#1 Cheyenne has a new boyfriend, the stud colt. This handsome little gentleman is NOT mom approved, I'm still a bit in denial over the whole thing. She acts rather silly & whorish around him. Obviously they are separated but they do sniff each other through the window in the concrete stall wall dividing them. This week when I walked Cheyenne by his stall she kept right on walking & didn't stop & squirt. She was much more ladylike & made my life a LOT easier by not cementing her hooves to the ground in front of him.

#2 I had the farrier come out for Cheyenne Saturday. First off I was nervous because it has been MONTHS since I've actually held her for the farrier. Someone else had done it for me since the farrier came at the old barn while I was in class. Second this was a new farrier. I decided to use the farrier the rest of the girls at the barn use. Cheyenne did pretty well! She got a little stupid with her front feet, dancing around on her back feet a bit. She also tried to eat the farrier's ponytail, well not EAT... gum... lip at... play with it. She was a perfect angel for her back feet. Everyone was impressed with her behavior... but you know, can't ever please mom. ;) She's still working on it... but I am proud of her!!

So now back to the title of this entry... FUNNY STORY. I decided to ride Cheyenne bareback Saturday since it was 110 degrees outside (didn't want to deal with lugging around tack or making her miserable in the heat), we were only going to work on walk/stop, and I hadn't ridden her bareback at the new barn yet at all. So I was out with Ray's mom & Ray's leaser, and the barn owner was giving us a mini lesson. We were all standing under the tree in the arena when all of a sudden I realize I was quickly become closer to the ground. Cheyenne DROPPED straight to her knees to roll with me on her!!!! I lucked out because she literally dropped straight down & I stayed sitting on top of her, straddling her with two legs on the ground. She let me jump away before she proceeded to try & roll, thankfully! I hollered at her & flailed my arms so much she must've thought she was going to be killed... but I did NOT want her to think that was okay (even though, I admit it... it was REALLY funny!) She's been good about not tossing me, I don't want her to think this is a new way to get out of work. So I brought her right back over to the mounting block & worked her for a while... without resting breaks this time! lol She did do very well, and I didn't fall! Yay! Here's to hoping it was a one time event however.