Sage Brush Bucky Lilly.....

Harumph...When she's feeling stubborn: She bucks.

She's back in heat, and a bit cranky the past couple days. Of course I understand, and do my best to explain to Steven: he might have 'cramps' or perhaps frustrated that she is surrounded by Boyz....who will have nothing to do with her: that way. Nonetheless: she must learn to deal, and behave.

He barely caught the first one.....but was quick to correct the second wave, and the third was the last. Apparently his correction must have made an impression. I heard the verbal parts, but missed the actual corrections, and he stayed on and made her do what he'd asked: every time. That would include splitting her off from Dazzle and Caly to an adjacent trail, trotting when they were walking, leading the group, and walking when they were trotting. She would verbally protest when separated, same as before: whin nn nnn nnn nnn eeee, which makes her sound like some sort of wierd Sunday morning cartoon horse, trotting along. Ryan remarked that she sounded a bit like the end of a bad western....and she did!

Sage has some odd ideas. I forgot to tell about her water concerns during the previous ride. We'd approached a few ponds. Sage was having nothing to do with entering the water with her feet. With nose outstretched, she would sip, but no classic western pose of horse drinking standing knee deep, Uh Uh, no way baby. She stood her ground, reaching out her neck for just a sip.

At one stretch of beach, Steven dismounted, and handed me her lead rope, removing the reins. I was on Caly, who had quite some time ago, given in and learned to enter a pond.....but it involved about a half hour and spurs. This time, I have the spurs for him.....and just a rope for her.

She ponies, not well, but it's not really necessary at this point. I eased Caly into the edge of the pond, thankfully without much effort. In a matter of seconds, she joined him. They splashed along and she appeared to get over the 'Oh my God that is just a big black hole' kinda phobia....or so we thought.

Steven remounted: nope. She has decided that is just not safe, ok alone but no way: with a rider, and she again refused....will work on that....but another day.