Loopy

Lindsay K came over and we rode around the loop on Gracie and Demi.  I was explaining the piaffe lesson Thursday and reached back to tap Gracie's right hind --- and over it came, right to the whip, just like she learned on Thursday.  So amazing.  

We chatted about how horses learn and how they learn how to learn.  Gracie, who I thought would be tense and easily upset forever has figured it out.  She sometimes doesn't want to work at an exercise, but she no longer gets worried when she doesn't get it right.  (Pissy yes, panicked no).  That's a far cry from Demi who just shuts down if you try something new that she can't do and thinks is too difficult.  She never learned how to learn.

I only hope Pico makes it into the first category of horses.  

(Side note - Filled the stall with hay again Thursday. In theory that will carry them through February and into March.  March 7 should be the last day - 53 days - if they ate a perfect 25 lbs of hay each every day.)