A tool-using mare
I had a great ride on Kasane Monday afternoon. Only about 20 minutes, but it was her first ride in the bit. We rode in the round pen instead of the big ring. Think of the roundpen as a containment field in case something had happened.
Kasane was fantastic. Figured out how to give to the pressure on the bit immediately. As soon as I picked up very light contact with the reins, she dropped her head and relaxed. Such a good girl.
Kasane had decided she really didn’t want to trot when asked during Sunday’s ride. We worked through it and she trotted off very well by the end of our ride. This time we didn’t have any problem trotting. She picked up the gait immediately and stayed in it until I asked for a downward transition.
She figured out what the cues were for each signal. She initially wasn’t sure what the whoa signal meant, but quickly figured it out when the new cue (light pressure on both reins) was associated with the regular cue (word “whoa” and sitting down and back). Really pleased with her.
The barn owner, Chris, told me a neat story. Monday morning she was tying bright strips of plastic on the electric fence so it will be visible when the new boarder is introduced to the pastures. When Chris was in Kasane’s field, Kasane followed Chris along the fence line, occassionally coming up and closely watching what Chris was doing. Kasane swatted flies with her mouth off of her legs and belly. Chris said that Kasane picked up an 18 inch stick and used it to swat flies under her belly and then dropped the stick and went back to grazing. When the flies bugged her again, Kasane picked up the stick and swatted at the flies again.
The next phase in Arabian horse evolution: tool users. 🙂 She is one brilliant little girl.
Chris said she was very glad to see me at the barn because Kasane was bored. You don’t want a mare who is that smart bored.