Been a while since I've been able to play. Went to Vancouver, then got a cold, then headed to Kimberly to surprise Matthew for his course completion dinner. I was finally able to take Maya out yesterday and play with her. We were puttering around the place, fixing things and whatnot and every time I came into view, Maya would whinney or nicker at me. I swear she was saying - "come and PLAY with me!"

We played a little catching game and she was then easily caught and haltered. We walked up to the round pen at Tommy's with a few snorts and starts in between - dogs and other things in the bushes. Jumped the ditch at Hermosa but from a different angle and she wasn't having any of it for a while. Built her confidence up (but forgot to walk her by it a few times, first- silly me.) And we eventually got a few soft jumps and continued on our way.

Once in the round pen, I released her and she rolled ( of course ) then we played catching game until she was really WITH me and we put the halter back on and played driving, porcupine, sideways and circling. I tried the methods that Pat displayed with George in L&HB and it seemed to work pretty well. It's a fine balance between "don't be afraid, but do what I say" but I think we worked it out pretty well by the end. Her bring back is amazing - mainly because that's all she wants to do. I don't think she's all that confident out there on the circle. We played close range and medium then the full 22 feet. We'll see if it made a difference NEXT time we play. Today it's too snowy.

With sideways we worked on getting her to go sideways further away from me. Till now it's mostly been very close range stuff - and I want her way out on the end of the line. We'll get there, we got some good stuff at about 10 feet, which is the best we've done, so quit on that note then tried some liberty. Driving game, yo-yo, catching game again.. (heheh) and tried circling - like I said, her bring back rocks. Just bend over and she's coming in! Lots of draw. She left me during driving game, not yo-yo as one might expect. She almost backed out the round pen gate (I didn't latch it as it's quite stiff). We often back out of and into the round pen so she's quite good at lining her own butt up - I hardly have to be particular at all and we can do it from a full 22'. Fun!

After the round pen I tied her at my neighbours while I tried to play catching game with a mare that needs to have her halter put on so they can separate her from the other horses. Got some good looks from her, but the field is quite big and it was feeding time, so tough to keep her attention. I'd like to be able to catch her and then play in the round pen, but with a foal at her side, it's not something I'm savvy for, yet.