PLAYING WITH THE LITTLE KAHUNA

Every day is a surprise, when it comes to my horses. I never know what's going to happen. Some days I go out for early morning chores and they're all waiting at the gate, "Oooohhhh whoo whoooooooing!" and ready to go. Other days they're standing in the sun, under the eaves of the barn, catching some rays. "Hey Ma. How's in hanging?" and then they go back to sleep.

I love that kind of uncertainty. It keeps me on my toes, focused and ready to laugh, ready to move, ready for anything at all! Ever so often I have a day like yesterday...one for the books.

I went out in the middle of the afternoon because I knew the weather was going to be so nice. It was sunny, not much wind and in the forties. That's positively balmy for Kansas in January. Didn't want to miss the opportunity to work with Lucky without having to bundle up or wear gloves. (I work much better when I can feel the ropes without gloves on.)

I set the arena up and the area outside, along the drive. This was going to be fun! All we've had time for the past few weeks is Small Games in between chores and having a cold. I loaded my pockets with broken Winnie's Cookies, Lucky's new addiction, and walked out into their field to whistle him in. It wasn't our usual time, so he was out munching on acorns or grass at the back of his meadow instead of waiting at the gate. And we fell out of the habit of working while the Holidays took over.

But look at who came in first!  Apache, my Left Brain Extrovert was happy to see me and ready to go! He offered. And I never turn that down no matter what my plan was. It's such a gift, especially from my rascal.

I didn't have my halter with me, or my carrot stick. I usually go out as just myself. It's such a nice opportunity to walk in together at Liberty. Our connections are getting stronger every day, so I like to encourage their participation as a partner, not as an animal that has to work.

He came to me with such a soft look in his eye! And he was ready too. He came to me head on, no shyness at all. Looked me square in the eye, flicked his ears at me and said " I'm ready. Let's play!" Oh my. Gives me chills every time. It's such a tribute from a thousand pounds of scary smart horse when they want to be with you.

I started with Friendly Game, giving him a quick massage, especially on his haunches. It's a game we've played together since he was a colt. He loves to relax into having all of those muscles rubbed. But I kept it short. His capacity to begin to take over and get into an ornery state of mind is HUGE!

After we played our Friendly Game, I suggested we walk together. We were in perfect sync! Magic. Now I know Apache pretty well by now, so I also know that I have to "keep ahead" of his ideas. So I made my little click with my tongue and took us up to a trot after only 7 steps of walk. I vary that too, by the way. He counts and will begin to do things very quickly when I'm not suggesting them. I want the 51% of the partnership...and so does he. It's always challenging to keep it under control and still let him think he's teaching me. I love that! It's so complicated with him.

I brought us down to a walk in ten steps, then stopped and backed up four steps. He already had the pattern! He was ready to repeat it, so repeat it we did. Then I threw him a "Nancy style fast ball". I lifted my front left leg ( I sometimes identify so deeply with them, I begin to think in terms of having four legs too. Kind of wacky doodle, I know.) and I held it there, waiting. So did he! The tension was almost too much, and that's EXACTLY what Apache loves.

I put my leg down and tapped the ground. He put his leg down and tapped the ground! Then I did something I've seen in the videos on Youtube, but I've never tried. I figured there was nothing to loose. The worst that could happen was that he wouldn't try it too. I put my leg straight out in front of me and started a Spanish Walk (I think that's what it's called.). First one leg out straight, then the other one. AND HE DID IT! We did that for six paces, then I stopped and gave him some Winnie's Cookies. It was so over the top amazing, I had to let him know how happy I was.

I don't usually give him any treats when we're working. He loves the games so much the treats are irrelevant to him. He ate it, but his focus was still on me. I was right. It isn't goodies he plays for. He just flat out loves to play! We started off again  at a walk, then transitioned up to a trot, back down, then back up. By then his energy was so high it was electric! That air was fairly crackling with excitement. So I decided to send him out away from me in a big Circle. If he started his "Up and down like a pogo stick" bucking, I wanted him a bit further away. He's never hit me, but no sense taking any chances.

"Circle? You want Circle? I'll give you Circle!" and off he went in this lovely, light canter. WOW! Leaving him alone and just hanging out with him for three weeks was giving me all kinds of pay back. He was so beautiful and so hooked on, one ear on me like a radar dish. After he had Circled for four times around,  I stepped back and he changed direction...JUST LIKE THAT!

I was having a hard time seeing at this point because I was crying. Silly me. I just couldn't help it though. Here it was...THE DREAM!...and I hadn't been expecting it at all, much less from Apache. I disengaged him after about six times around and stood there with his head on my chest, rubbing his neck and ears. I'd had nearly fifteen minutes of THE DREAM with him. It was perfect, and time to stop. I wanted to leave him wanting more...to remember how much fun we'd just had the next time we played together.

He was still so hooked on that he followed me back into the paddock, a happy, peaceful "floating head" right next to me, matching me step for step. We went up under the eaves of the barn and staid there for a while, catching some rays. It was all so NATURAL, like we were just good pasture buddies who'd spent a few minutes playing before stopping to take an afternoon fiesta.

I played with Lucky too, on line. He stood quietly under one of his trees, waiting until Apache and I were finished. Sometimes I think they have this stuff planned out!

This time we were practicing some of the Eight Principals of Horse-Man-Ship. # 1 Horsemanship is natural (did that one in spades!)  #3 Communication is two or more individuals sharing and understanding an idea (and it was his idea this time!) #6 Body language is the universal language (I never spoke a word while we played) and last but never least #7 Horses teach humans and humans teach horses. I'd dub him Professor Apache this time around! Yesterday was a true gift that I'm STILL thinking about.

I know I say this all the time. But it just doesn't get any better than that, at least until the next time when it DOES get better.

I am, ever yours, Nancy, smiling and shaking my head in wonder!