A very satisfactory day

Nothing much happened during my time at the barn - 7:45 to 11:45.

I love being at the barn at this time. It's just me and Willy and his teasing, laughing, comforting presence. No one else.

I know what I said, but I'm kind of taking it back. I don't WANT to be at the barn at 8 PM. 8 AM is my thing.

Mornings are tops!

Willy actually came into my stall as I tried to demonstrate to him how I'd learned this "deep bedding method" (which I find repulsive, but he does with all the stalls in the barn). He corrected me little, saying eventually Mag might lay down. Hrmph! Mag has never lain down in the heat of summer on pasture. I hate it, but I've never seen my horse down. And I know about the study that shows the deeper the bedding, the more likely a horse will lay down and stay down. So Willy keeps helping me learn the way: )

***

To the trailer with Mag, and a bucket. Even though I'd taken down the breast bar, he was still insecure in the trailer, even with 1. me and 2. bucket. We'd worked our way up to where only one of those two things would be required to keep him inside. But now, no. Cuz he has it in his head that he might be trapped in there.

So today, he backed out a few times. Nothing violent. I clucked to him and tugged on his line the entire time as he'd back out, and then get him right back in.  He was better than yesterday but not great. Eventually he'd start to back out on his own and I'd say "Don't you do it" and he'd change his mind. I was feeding him, I was comforting him, I hate this setback. I started to get really annoyed at him, thinking what a total brat he is.

Brat, Mag? Hm.

Sitting here typing this 12 hours later I realize Mag does not fit the description of brat, so my annoyance was just human frailty.

We'll keep working in the trailer, as long as we possibly can.

I still have no news whether Christina will trailer us home or not, so ...no idea how we'll get here.

***

After the trailer I took Mag to the odd lunging ring that no one really uses. It's a 15 meter circle sand track with grass and obstacles in the middle. So many obstacles, that trying to lunge in there on the line is impossible, I found. But free lunging, well, that works.

I did that game where I drop my eyes and relax when he drops his head, and peer at his neck when he giraffes around. It's so fun, cuz it works. Eventually Mag was going around, nose to the ground, understanding.

***

I took Mag to the first new Spring grass on the property and for 30 minutes let him graze. He needs to get used to grass again cuz we've got a lot of it here. I'll be doing this every visit the next two weeks. Mag seems to approve: )

***

I'd hoped that Gabi would go out riding with me, because I'd asked, but she was showing someone the barn, perhaps my replacement. OK then. I must say, I can recommend this barn for many things, but the barn owner simply does not respond to text messages.

I saddled up and took Mag to the outdoor and rode him and it was very nice. He was 100% relaxed, and it was contagious. I worked on my goals for the day - forward marching walk, and walk trot transitions. And leg yielding! He did all three just great. I'm so happy. I'd say, "GOOOOOOOOD" and he's slam to a stop, "Are we done, do I get a treat?" Well, no, not EVERY time you're good! *lol*

I'm happy to have had a ride in the outdoor with no one around, completely alone, and that my horse and I were relaxed the entire time. And that he seems to understand my cues, and accept them. What a great feeling.

***

Tomorrow I have my first lesson from a new-to-me trainer, one that many people use here at this barn. I know I said I cannot afford boarding AND lessons, but since we're nearly out of there, I wanted to see if this trainer would meet my standards, since everyone keeps telling me that she would drive to my city to help me, even with no arena. Wow. I've lost 4 trainers in the last 3 years, so I'm happy to test a new one. So far so good, as I observed her teaching, she did not 1. Yell 2. Look at her cell phone 3. Say nothing 4. Have no idea.

We'll see ...tomorrow! I'm really excited.

***

Before I left I led Mag down the trail next to the barn and found a geocache, I think, I'm not sure. It seems to be a station of a multi cache, but it doesn't say anything on it, just a little task, and how to find the coordinates.  It's just lying in plain sight so I need to find out. It's been so long since I've logged into geocaching.com, even though we cache regularly. I need to find out if it's an abandoned cache, or lost piece. I got the name and I'll investigate. I also tucked it away, of course.

***

Yesterday was our 9th anniversary and we went to our favorite Greek restaurant. The first restaurant I'd been in since November. As soon as we entered, the owner saw us and said, "You, American, what's up with Donald Trump?"

No kidding.

In 2007 I'd just moved to Germany and got lots of questions about Bush and the war.

People just don't get how inappropriate it is to circle in on an American and demand answers.

Sorry to end this post like this, but I have to be honest. His Greek food is great. His manner is lacking.

I'm just looking forward to tomorrow.