Brilliant! XC came factory installed

  

You guys!!!!!...... Lyric was perfect!!!!! She loaded, dan first, and hauled nicely. She was a bit nervous when we got to Ashland. She was actually shaking a little in the trailer. Poor girl. But she unloaded well and then she immediately settled. She stood tied to the trailer munching hay while I groomed and then tacked up dan. She met Marvin and was polite. And then we headed out. She hacked all around ashland with us. She just followed along behind Dan. Ha ha.. I can see why she didn't make it as a racehorse! Ha ha... NO competetive drive at all! But, she did seem to keep her neck relaxed most of the walk. And as Kelli pointed out, she was aware and looking around and watching things. She just wasn't nervous or worried or upset. :) So it's not like she was just shut down or on auto pilot. She was just ... good!

We hit the first bridge fairly quickly and she went right over it. I almost wondered if she even realized it, but Kelli said she looked at it, and processed and then carried on. We probably did about 4 bridges total and she wasn't fazed by any of them. We went to the small creek first and she didn't even take as long as Funny to cross it. She literally hesitated a split second and then walked over it. Then we turned around and came back and she slightly hopped over it. And then we went back again and she walked calmly over it. Then later we got to the bigger creek and she just marched right on through... even dipping her toes in. Relaxed as could be! We then hit up the lake. She walked right in after Dan and seemed unconcerned. She is definitely not as big of a water baby as the two heathens. But she didn't mind. She even splashed a little bit at the end. She's a ferocious pawer in the water! And then, I was trying to video her and Dan suddenly decided to go for a swim. He turned and went out, making groany hippopotamus noises! Lyric did get a tiny bit freaked out when he did that but she just kind of startled and then was like "oh.. dude..." and was fine.

 

 

 

So after that we went to the xc field and she walked down the baby bank without even stopping. Then we turned and walked up and then back down again. Then we walked over the two smaller ditches. Again, she didn't even stop and look. Just trekked on through them. She put her feet down in the bigger ditch the first time, but the second time she avoided putting her feet in the middle, but still didn't jump it. Wow! So then we went to the water complex and she walked right in. Then we walked up the ditch out of the water.. then down the ditch into the water.. then back up and back down. The second time down she even improved her technique. Seriously!!! XC was factory installed in this girl!

We finished our day by trotting over a small log, which she did happily. GOOD GIRL!!!

 

I opted to bring them both to the hose together rather than ruin a good day by one of them freaking out (or both). And they were both good and let me hose them both together. I did try to get her to load first though. But she was like no..... not yet. So, since she had been so good, I opted to let Dan on first and then put her on. She did stop 3/4 of the way in and thought about backing out. I had to spank her fairly hard to get her to step back forward and for a split second, I thought I might have lost the battle, but luckily she went forward and then stood. And she was definitely not as stressed hauling the second time.

I'm such a proud momma! I can't believe how good she was!! I'm not entirely sure it'll be the same when I'm on her. Without her emotional support horse Dan. ;) It's oddly weird how he's so calming for so many horses. Despite his... weirdness!

Then later at home did we did 15 minutes of pillar work and yielding the barrel/abducting. She's figuring it out. She's seeming to enjoy it more, but I still haven't gotten a huge yawn release. Oh well, baby steps. She is looking better in her body too!