Love. Love. LOVE! My monster pony.

Seriously. I don't know if I've ever loved monster pony more. Every day she gets better & better. Ugh, she is just SO AWESOME. Really, she is!

She has a nasty scrape down her back, a good 2 inches by 4 inches, RIGHT where her saddle goes. Needless to say we didn't get any riding in today, but it was a good opportunity to do some ground work with her. First of all, she's usually a PITA when we enter to round pen, because as I'm fidgeting trying to lock the gate, she's trying to run off and eat grass. Well, not today. Today I walked her in, threw her lead line over the fence (didn't tie her or anything) and she stood completely still while I locked the gate. WOW! Then I pulled off her halter and the minute I picked up the lunge whip, she took off right to the rail and started moving. Again, WOW! She usually shoves her head into the ground to root for grass and it takes me running after her with the whip to get her to take a step. Proud moment #2.

Yesterday April worked with her on reversing to the inside. Today she pulled a couple of her "What'll happen if I turn my butt to you" moves, and QUICKLY realized "BAD idea, she'll make me keep moving, and even FASTER!" So after about three failed attempts to reverse butt first, she started turning in and doing perfect reversals (Is that a word? It is now.)

Then I decided to play a little game with her I like to call "Stand over the delicious patch of green grass but DON'T eat it. Don't even THINK about eating it." I walked her to it, threw the lead rope around her neck, and just let her stand. And guess what? SHE STOOD! She didn't move. So I decided to walk further away. She's such an in your pocket pony & has little comprehension of personal space. So of course, she tried to follow me. I took her lead rope, backed her up, and had her stand again. THIS time when I moved away, she stayed put! I walked all over the roundpen and she stood still as a board. Then when I wanted her to move I called her over, and wouldn't you know it? She didn't move. LOL! Go figure. So I grabbed the leadline, called her name, and waved her to me with my hand. It took a few times of doing it with the leadline, but I eventually got her to understand it without using the leadline. In the end she was standing still, and WAITING to be called.

This may not seem like much to some horse owners, but considering three weeks ago I had an ultra disrespectful horse with no regards for personal space, this is an AMAZING feat. She is such a good girl, always aiming to please. I am so happy I could burst! lol

PLUS I oiled my saddle today & completely reorganized my tack locker. What a great feeling! :) There's nothing that makes me happier in the world then a great day at the barn.