She’s Changing, Again

Something I’ve been repeatedly amazed by, is how much Xena can change without me knowing it. Tonight we had another one of those surprising moments.

It was a sunny day, but when I arrive at the barn there are only 20 minutes of daylight remaining. I quickly decide to take Xena outdoors, so that we can play in the shoot that runs along the east side of the arena.

We’ve played in the shoot many times, but usually as we move away from the barn and the other horses, Xena will become more hesitant and nervous. I monitor her fear thresholds, and we’ll often retreat back towards the barn at least 2 or 3 times, before moving forward again.

Tonight for the first time, we walked the entire 160 feet without Xena needing to stop or retreat. She just plodded along in a very relaxed manner. I was so surprised that I actually said to her, “Xena, this isn’t like you!”

I’m extremely proud of this new Xena.

What We Did Tonight
4:40 to 5:30 p.m. = 50 minutes  Counting the Minutes

• Sideways Game℠, Squeeze Game℠, traveling circle game, and falling leaf game in the shoot.

• Undemanding time at her stall.

• Brief gooming – just the dandy brush and her wash cloth.

Sideways Game℠ and Squeeze Game℠ are service marks of Parelli Natural Horsemanship, Inc.