"No. Maybe. I don't know. Can you repeat the question?"
Go forward, down the street, after my husband and your friend the donkey. They're leaving us. See now they're really far away.
Mara knows I don't like riding on our street, and I would only attempt it in company, but since my man offered to take a walk with donkey and horse, I was ready to try to ride Mara down the street again.
She immediately said no, as soon as her hooves hit our street. She just stood there, refusing to move.
I bumped her with my heels lightly until she moved a step, then refused again, repeat, a step, repeat, and then she gave up and caught up to Bellis, who was quite far by then.
That horse just doesn't care about what other equines are doing, or, not as much as a typical horse does.
I asked J to hand me Bellis' lead because I really want to try ponying the donkey off Mara. I know Bellis would love getting out more, and I thought Mara would appreciate a friend (pfft, maybe not?).
Well it turns out Bellis isn't as light on the lead line as she needs to be - and Bellis, being a donkey, has very strong opinions of right and wrong, for instance when J went up to check a geocache, Bellis just threw her weight into the halter and tried to drag us after him. Mara is no cow horse, so she was pulled off balance, and I was being ripped in half.
I think it was interesting, at least, for Mara, to experience me riding while trying to direct the donkey at the same time. Thankfully my man was right there the whole time, and he admitted he is not comfortable with the situation of me handling two at once from Mara's back.
It would just be so much fun....eventually! I loved ponying Baasha when he was older, and he loved it too. He was so, so easy.
Once in Capitol Forest, I said, "He's not gonna leave us" so I just unclipped the rope. He was fine, for a long while, until the one point where we found ourselves lost and I remember me and my friends were standing in a creek on our horses, pondering our maps, and Baasha realized what was happening and made the decision for us --- and left. I was so freaked out I never let him off line in the woods again.
After Mara's initial argument, she was actually 100% perfect the entire mini trail ride. J took a rest at a little hut (common in Germany, these are octagonal shelters with a bench surrounding the middle support beam) and Bellis was quite upset about that, she really doesn't have any patience for breaks. Mara just stood there like a grown up horse, her red coat shining in the sunlight.
She was not happy about a family of hikers with a tricycle and dog, "You've never seen people before Mara?" and she was worried about a couple teams of mountain bikers, but I believe she was just testing me.
When we got home, we something mean and left the donkey behind and went up to Herr S to work on dressage and some lunging. That poor donkey, she brayed so miserably. To apologize, I took her out for a walk to graze when I got back, as long as she wanted.
It's turned to Summer here, apparently - it's 20 degrees out, (and only 17 in our home!), too hot for my winter breeches, too hot to wear black, I have a tiny bit of red on my arms! OK grass. Grow.
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4 comments:
I was fearful, upon seeing your post title, that Mara had undone all the positives from your lunging session the other day. But really, it sounds like a good ride! Perhaps with Bellis there being naughty, Mara decided to take the high road, and be a good pony! Any practice at that can't be anything but good.
I know you've got a lesson with Mell today, and I can't wait to hear how that goes. I know it seems like your progress is so slow and so frustrating. But how awesome will it be when you finally DO go trotting through the woods with Bellis trotting along behind on a loose line!
Maybe if Bellis got to go with you a few times, she would decide it is more fun to go along and see new things, than staying home. Making it happen though and getting to that point isn't always easy. Even still, they have their moments, just as we have ours.
Cut-N-Jump, that's the plan, and wouldn't it be great if it worked, the donkey's enthusiasm for being out rubbing off on Mara? I'm so tempted to just drop the line and let Bellis go in the woods, I doubt she'd leave us, but she would insist on a very fast pace! That donkey often trots when we're walking her, she is so happy to be out. Her ears straight forward, her eyes sparkling, she is a picture of joy, exploring what's around the next bend. And donkeys are expert at saving energy, so it's something!
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