How Time Flies

Yesterday was Cricket's birthday. My beautiful girl turned 8 years old. I cannot believe it, I really cannot. I gave her cookies and sang her "Happy Birthday." I don't know that she was impressed with the song but the cookies are always welcome.

I asked her if she got her brain in the mail. She stared at me and blinked. My friend Becky swears that when her Thoroughbred gelding turned 8, he all of a sudden got his brain. I've been long awaiting Cricket's 8th birthday in the hopes that her maturity might kick in and we might finally be able to make better progress. Maybe 8 is only magical for Thoroughbred geldings.

My friend Elizabeth came out and we had a pretty low key play session. I put Cricket back on the 45' line as a neck rope. I am having so much fun playing like this with her! I'm slowly chipping away at the problems I've created in our groundwork. Cricket is showing more life and light in our groundwork. She's tried to leave a couple of times, something she never did on the 22'. Just adding some drag to the rope has caused her to rethink and reconnect. I've gotten some good lick & chew moments after she "bolts" and I stop her. I'm feeling more connection from her and this is a good thing. I'm also getting more positive drive and draw on the figure 8.

During a figure 8 around two lying down barrels, she offered to jump one. I took her offer and asked her to jump one and then the other. The first time through she skirted both barrels but the second time through, she jumped clear over the center of each one. Too cool!

We ended with some easy dwell and rapport time. Just hanging out and finding all her good itchy spots. I hope Cricket enjoyed her birthday as much as I did.