She can run!

Thursday night off seems to have helped BG's mood. She also had Friday night off too. It was tipping it down and she was sliding in the mud when I just led her out of her shelter, so any attempt at work would have been a waste.

So she has had a couple of days off and seems to be happier, so I guess she was just having a bad day on the Wednesday. She is still being a pain to catch though, she does not seem tempted by food so trying to get her in her shelter to eat is hard work. I guess the nice grass is far more tempting. This morning she just stood by her shelter door looking in and did not seem at all inclined to enter and eat her tea.

I have actually increased her meals a little, they weren't even covering the bottom of her bowl so she wasn't really getting any sort of reason to come in. Shes still enjoying her Happy Hoof though when she does come in as she licks the bowl clean every time and then tries to chew on the handle and throw it across the shelter.

She is getting better about the head collar again too, and has had it on in the shelter a few times at the first attempt recently. I am expecting her to pull back as I put it on her nose each night but that is now just me being silly and not her as she has been perfectly, time for me to get over it too now.

I lunged her tonight. She went beautifully, really striding out. She is now better on her 'bad' rein at standing when asked than on her 'good' rein, on her good rein she takes longer to respond.

We then put the saddle on her. BG wasn't happy to see it but had it put on with no issues, even with me adjusting it and playing with the stirrups and saddle flaps. She planted herself when we asked her to lead out so I just walked into the shelter with the lunge whip and she went straight out.

She did not want to walk anywhere, just swing her hind quarters round when asked to move. If I tried to move behind with the whip to encourage her forward she would swing round more so she could see me. Once my husband had led her away from the shelter she did walk along slightly better.

I thought I would try lunging her with the saddle on as I have managed it before and thought BG might respond better to it. No. She planted herself and would not move at all despite the whip behind her and voice commands, even with my husband walking near her head she wouldn't have it. She just planted herself and would not move.

Then she suddenly started moving! Unfortunately something had set her off and she charged forward. The lunge rope gave me rope burn, I thought she would stop before she got to the end of the lunge rope length but she kept going so I had to let go.

Off she went! She can run! She did a lap and a bit of the field and then stood there heaving. She didn't actually seem too upset by the saddle, which had stayed in place and she hadn't tried to buck at all, but she was eyeing the lunge line on the ground.

Luckily, once she stands still she does let me approach her and sort her out. So I unclipped the lunge rope, removed the saddle and then she got lead around until she calmed down.

I won't be trying to lunge her with the saddle on for a while. Just leading her with it I guess, although my husband believes it was something else that upset her.

Just a gentle lunge for her tomorrow morning I think. Luckily she doesn't seem to be holding this against us as she was perfectly keen to be fussed over afterwards.