So I found out yesterday that playing in the same area all the time is B-O-R-I-N-G for Maliki. I went out with the intention to get to the round pen that is a couple blocks down the street. Something I've had drilled into me is try anything new On Line, so I grabbed my 22' line and carrot stick and went to get him. It was harder to get him to come to me than it has been (when striving to further my horsemanship this is something I watch for), but finally got him- with the help of a piece of bailing twine. I brought him over to where I had my tools and haltered him, which, interestingly enough, he partnered in. By that I mean, he put head into the halter and kept it low for me to tie and get in place. We walked over the gate and let him out. It was interesting to see his expression change almost as soon as we were out of the pasture. His ears were pricked, his head up and looking around, he seemed to have more energy, he was just more interested now in what we were going to do. There's a little gully between the pasture and the road that I took him to first in order to make our way down the road. Now, the thing with horses is that the farther they get from their place of safety: barn, stall, pasture, etc, usually the more thresholds they have. "Never say never, don't always say always, usually say usually." I say that because Maliki didn't seem to have a single threshold, or if he did they were very minor and he got over them so quickly I wasn't able to notice. He had alot more energy than usual at first, so we did alot of Change of Directions and Figure 8's with a trash lid and an old bucket (Imagination- 6th Key to Success) and even trotted up the hill. After a bit of that he seemed to click back to his Left Brained self.
*Horse's have "Horsenalities" just like people have "personalities" that are in 4 categories: Right Brain Introvert, Right Brain Extrovert, Left Brain Introvert & Left Brain Extrovert. (Right brain is the reactive side, the survival side, while the Left side is the thinking, learning and partnership side of the brain.) They're based on the horse's innate characteristics, learned behavior, environment & spirit.*
So back to my play date, being in a new area created curiosity and more energy than he normally does. He had no problem trotting several laps on the Circle and constantly seemed to be asking questions. When he finally seemed to want to stay by me and had calmed down some I decided to walk down the road. Being on a corner with cars, trucks and semi's passing he had no problem with vehicles going by. When we finally made it down to the round pen, after several stops for him to graze, I found that it was very muddy. Not muddy like parts of the road was, but all-around muddy with a puddle to one side that was several inches deep. "Oh, well", I thought, "a bit of mud never hurt anybody". I took the line off him since I did not want it getting tracked through all that and sent him out. He walked straight to that puddle and pawed in it, playing. He easily did Figure 8's at Liberty and hardly needed more than a phase 2, there are 4 total and 1 is the lightest possible with 4 being whatever it takes to get the message across, to do anything I asked. I figured that was great for day one and it was time to mosey on back. Almost the entire way back he stayed so close I was able to keep my hand in his mane and he blew several times. When a horse blows or yawns they are releasing adrenalin. When we got close to the gate he took the lead and allowed me to drift back to his back legs and drive him from there.
Now, sure, nothing huge happened that day. No amazing task was accomplished. For us walking down the road is easy. For others it isn't. But this journey isn't about comparing your self, and your horse, to other people. This journey is about seeing where you as a pair want to go and doing your best to get there. The human is charge of the goals, but it's the horse who's in charge of the time line. Dangit! I know, oh so very well, how easy it is to want to pass something quickly. But I'm having to learn and allow myself to go with his time line. Funny, that's kinda the message I've been getting from God- "Don't worry, things'll work out how they're supposed to, but not on your time, mine." It's my job (the human's) to be ok with that.