Didn't do too terribly much. Rode Keno who was sound and reasonably polite about the whole business. No spooking despite Rocky + cart coming in and out (we were in the small outdoor arena), or Cari + trailer pulling up next to us. There was some bucking on right lead canter, so I should ask Robert if his feet are due soon or if he just wants to be a jerk in some other fashion. It was a nice sunny day, so being outside was nice.

Hopped up on Niki briefly before feeding started. She was a touch nervy and I guess we'll have to work on standing for the mounting block again, but once I was up she was good. Robert walked with us halfway around the arena and then let us off lead, we walked around another time and a half all by ourselves. She was a little nervous but listened very well to me. She stopped roughly when I asked her to, walked most of the time, and only got to a bit of trot. The benefit to long lining really showed up here. Niki had her head dropped, her back muscles engaged, and took a decent amount of contact without pulling on me.

I've been thinking more about my approach to her. It's possible that she's just totally thrilled not to be a driving horse anymore, but I feel like there's something else. I didn't analyze what I was doing with her because it just felt *right*. But, some ruminations on this...

Niki wants to be the boss. Always. She respects people to a degree but they aren't automatically dominant over her, like they are for Reno and Papillon. And, instead of backing down when people say no, she wants to fight back.

And she doesn't want to give up. Robert took her cantering around the field in a cart for 45 minutes every time, and it doesn't seem like she took anything away from it other than that she hated the cart. I think most horses would've gotten the message that life is easy if you behave.

The same kind of idea comes into lunging. She wants to trot, you want her to walk, and so she starts fighting. As soon as you send her out she thinks that she needs to fight to prove herself. I haven't seen her lunge calmly and obediently in a while. Even when I'd started working with her a year ago, she'd challenge you at least once a session.

What I'm doing, is not fighting with her. I ask her for something, I get it, we quit. Slow steps that I haven't had to push her for. I'm not going to dumb it down too much, because I'm pretty sure I need to keep her thinking. That'll come into play with serpentines, transitions, poles when we get to them, lots of circles. But present each idea to her as if it's OUR idea, not mine, and I think we'll be fine.

Gillian says a tired horse is a thinking horse. I'm pretty sure that Niki devotes all her thinking power into how she can beat the game. She doesn't shut down like Colonel, but she's pretty singleminded.

Anyways. I'm super-pleased with her. She's got a big gorgeous walk that Robert could barely keep up with and just feels very steady. She's not a fan of me getting offbalance but I can wiggle around all I want at a halt and she's fine. I might start looking for a saddle to slap on her. Once we get walk and trot down, and do a hand walk or two, I think we'll go outside on the trails. I really want her to be my trail pony, and I think she could be. I'd love to do 90% of her schooling outside.

EDIT to say: I (+1) have been Luca certified for riding! Robert would like to be aware that we're doing something, and on the property, but as long as someone qualified, like Gillian, is keeping an eye on things, we can take him out whenever. I'm pleased by this.