Tuesday 1st January 2008

Well today it didn't stop raining, what a great start to the new year!

I decided the rain was going to stop me as I was desperate to load Blossom again to find out if last night was just a one off or not.. So I went and got her from the field and she was actually looked happy to see me, I didn't think she would have wanted to come in and play as she had only been out for a couple of hours.

Even though I was desperate to see if she would load again, I thought I should really try and set myself up for success and play for a bit first instead of making it all about the lorry.. So we went out to the field in the pouring rain and started playing the seven games with obstacles (I watched that dvd last night) We started with a tyre, then a gazebo side (tarp) and finished with a pole. Today she was really listening to me and really trying so hard, usually it takes a good 10mins to get her more left brained and thinking but today she was left brained from the start.. Something must be working!!

I then approached the lorry driving her from zone 3, when we got to the bottom of the ramp I just pointed up the ramp and up she went! It felt brilliant, so I went and played lots of friendly game with her. She seemed really confident so I asked her out and back in several times, so by the end she was getting out turning round and going back in by herself. So I felt she was ready to have the divider closed on her, I only brought it in so it was just in the lorry but so it wasn't tight on her! She got a little unconfident with this so I opened it again, then closed it and when she seemed confident again I closed it over a bit again. I done this several times until she was confident with the divider. One of the ladys at the farm came over to talk to me, so it was great because I took all my focus of Blossom and she seemed to really relax!! Kris then came round so I wanted to show her Blossom loading, so I opened the divider and asked her out and then just pointed for her to go in and in she went and stood happily again! Me and Kris then had a chat, but it was so interesting watching Blossom. Her head really dropped and her eyes where blinking loads, at one point it looked like she was going to go to sleep! She then had a few yawns, then stood and ate her hay while we finished our chat. Once Kris left I done more work with the divider, every time she lost her confidence a bit I would open the divider up again. Until she was standing confident with the divider closed, I then just sat and spent some time with her. I then unloaded her and asked her in again - she was so confident standing in there I felt it would be a good placed to stop for the day.
Tomorrow will be the big test, but I think she is confident enough to travel.