Maverick, another Liberty lover!

All Barrels Come with Cookies Don't They?

Just a quick note, I did not have much time the other night to play with Maverick, so I decided an online and Liberty session would do nicely. He was in a very LBI mood to start, so we started out pretty slowly with the touch it game on the 22 ft. line. With cookies on the barrels I set up, he had no problem figuring that game out. 

I sent him over barrels again, which he had no problem with from both directions. Then I asked him up on the pedestal from the 22 ft. and again, after a try or two, he had no problem getting two feet on it. He wasn't quite as confident about four feet, so I decided we would play with that some more on another day. He felt very connected to me, so it was time to take the halter and lead rope off. 

Again, I sent him to the barrels from zone 5, and again, with the help of cookies, he got it right away. Smart boy! Then I laid a couple of barrels down and asked him for the figure eight at a longer distance than we had played before. He was a bit right brained doing this task. I know this because he sped up without being asked and circled going around the right barrel instead of turning and facing so I could send him around the other barrel. 

So I slowed the whole process down, being as soft and as small with my directions as I could and still communicate effectively. After a couple of tries, he walked the figure eight beautifully at which point I asked him up to the trot. Again he did the figure eight beautifully, and I made sure he gave me semaphore ears as he came around the barrels before asking him to change direction back to the middle of the barrels. 

I asked him in, again waiting for those focused, questioning ears, then fed him cookies, stroked his neck and told him what an amazing horse he is. He licked my hand for awhile, I am not sure how long, but it was nice to just be with him, letting him relax. After a bit, he took a deep breath, and laid his head on my forehead, resting his lips on my hands. 

Then he gave me a small nibble on my knuckles, so I thought we would end our session with some liberty circles. I sent him off at a trot, and he had lots of energy, offering a canter at the near side of the arena. He did his own change of direction a couple of times while at the trot. so I thought, "What will happen if I ask him to change direction at the canter?" 

I asked him up to the canter (right lead), and while he was along the rail, I simply turned and stepped back. As he faced me, I stepped towards him, he turned back to the rail and just like that, he did a flying lead change. And he was enjoying it! He controlled his speed as he moved back to the rail. 

I repeated the process, waiting for him to be rhythmic in the canter, turned, backed up, moved forward as he faced me, and, again! a flying lead change. Wow, what a thrill. I asked him in, and he started to come with a lot of energy. I asked him to slow down, give me happy ears, then I asked him all the way in, fed him cookies and stroked his neck. He gave a big blow, then licked and licked and licked my hand. I told him what a smart, brave, athletic horse he is. 

I thought he might want to roll in the dirt, but instead he just hung out with me for about 15 more minutes. Most days, I hate having to leave the barn, but this day was one of those I especially hated to leave. Those moments of partnership were so precious, I wanted the feeling to last forever . . .