Brought Grace in this morning. Easy as usual, but she looked so miserable. She does this some days, looks really really sad. I don't know why, but I am guessing that something somewhere is hurting. She was very quiet when I put her in the stable and didn't rush over to her hay as usual. (Didn't do her usual enormous dropping either). It is possible that she was mildly colicky, but there were no other signs and at lunchtime all her hay was gone and she was much perkier.
We practised 'feet', targetting and touching the syringe and having lips and ears fussed. She was very good and even picked up her back feet, although she is quite worried by that. I am teaching her that when I touch them with the blunt end of the lunge whip she has to lift them up. Just a lift is enough for now, even if they go straight back down. Then I will ask her to lift for longer and longer periods and gradually work my way towards them, just as I did for the fronts.
Grace now quite likes the touch the syringe game, although she finds it much harder than the tabbard as it is of course smaller. Success does mean a lot of treats though, so I think she finds it worth her while. It was good to see her happy and enjoying the work.
Tea time she goes out for the night. Very quietly, I partly open the door and slip in to put her headcollar on. She used to stress about this, but no more. Now she stands like a rock - even when she pushes the door wide open with her nose, her feet don't move and she doesn't show any anxiety. Then when I am ready, we quietly walk out to the field and her friends. No towing or messing about involved. Bliss!
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