Parelli Play Day at Rafter XX Ranch

Yesterday Skittles and I took part in a Parelli Play Day at Rafter XX Ranch east of Edmonton. Tamara N has been doing an excellent job of organizing and hosting these events to keep us inspired and focused -- even though the weather is less than desirable. We were actually having a really nice warm spring for most of March -- until yesterday! As I was driving up to the Ranch, I heard on the radio that the temperature was -15C with a -25C wind chill. Thank goodness the arena was heated!!

I took Skittles because of the fact that my tailbone was still hurting significantly enough to avoid riding. So since I wasn't going to ride, I might as well bring one of the fillies. The injured tailbone happened the day I took Skittles to 3D a week and a half ago. I slipped on ice getting out of the truck.

So we started the day by taking our time loading in the trailer (about 45 minutes total). Since Skittles got so sweated up in the trailer the last time I trailered her, I let her come in and out a lot more this time. I started out letting her go in and out at will and then would take her away and walk away from the trailer. After about a half hour of this, I decided she didn't really have any reluctance going in the trailer, she just didn't want to STAY in the trailer. So instead of letting her walk away, I just turned her around and asked her to load again. We did this about 5 or 6 times before she stopped in the trailer and stood still. So I left her alone and gave her lots of scratches. She came out again, so I loaded her up again a few more times until she stood still in the trailer. This time she stayed in long enough to start nosing things and reaching down to chew on my carrot stick. I asked her back out again and scratched her some more outside the trailer, then asked her back into the trailer. This time she stayed in facing the front, nosing the corner and sides, then slowly turned to face me and just stood looking at me. I scratched her and she licked her lips and blew her nose. I let her out one more time, then back in and then shut the door. She moved around a bit inside after the door was shut, but was less fidgity than last time. When we got to the Ranch, she had very little sweat on her compared to last time. Just a bit on her withers. So she was still worried in there, but not nearly as much as before.

Of course this was her first visit to an arena with OTHER HORSES in it. Woooo...scaaaarrrry...

She wasn't paying much attention to me and was pretty agitated with this new location and all the horses in the arena, so I just walked her around (I guess, mirroring her, now that I think of it) until she started to listen to me. Then we started practicing the 7 games. She's fantastic with the porcupine, driving and yoyo games, and getting pretty good with the sideways and squeeze games. Her circling game, however, needs work. This is also reflected in her inability to keep moving when I'm riding her as well. So I figure if we can get good at the circling game, her ability to maintain gait when I'm riding her will also improve. She was better to the left than to the right. We managed 4 circles to the left and only 2 (sort of) to the right by the end of the day. It was a start, and we'll build from there. It was great working with her with all those distractions. We both needed practice maintaining focus! I also did TONS of friendly game with her. She has always had, and continues to have, a phobia about ropes. So between all the other games, I'd do different things with the savvy string, 12' line and 22' line over her head, around her body and around her legs. She would always start by flinching each time (or kicking at the rope if it was by her legs), but would eventually relax. This will take time with her I think.

We stopped at lunch time for quite a spread. Everyone brought something, so we had TONS of food. It was great. I tied Skittles up to a ring on the arena wall and she stood quietly and calmly the whole time. At other times when I've tied her up for any length of time, she would pace back and forth. I attribute her calmness to 2 things: 1. I had just worked with her for the previous 2 hours, so she was left-brained and confident by then, and 2. there were 4 or 5 other horses tied in the arena and they were all calm and relaxed, so I'm sure that helped.

After lunch everyone saddled up and got on. I put the saddle on Skittles, but didn't ride. Saddling was a non-event. Not even a flinch. She trotted a bit once I got her feet moving, but settled down in no time. We proceeded to play a few more games on the ground for about another hour, but then I decided to head home. They were planning on bringing cattle into the arena shortly after that, and I wanted to leave things on a good note. There really wasn't any reason to think she would react badly, and she probably wouldn't have. But I kept telling myself, "don't push it." I'm notoriously bad for trying "just one more thing" while things are going good, only to end badly. So I need practice at quitting while ahead!

It was a good day. She loaded up that afternoon without any hesitation and we headed home. No sweat at all on her when we arrived home.