Hot day - more play

Well what a weekend! Firstly, on Saturday I played with Star in the paddock at dinner time again. I decided that the more we play away from the arena the better. We did driving which he wasn't really too happy about. We went up the driveway and out onto the road that runs down the side of our place. It's a private road so it's quiet. We got to a threshold and then we chilled and then when he was relaxed we went on. We got 100 metres from the gate and then we hit a big threshold and so we stopped and ate grass, for him it's amazing, as he's usually so unconfident that he won't even look down. He's spending more time off adrenalin and I am beginning to really love him off adrenaline...then he becomes a thinker. It's like he really has a thinking cap on! We turned and I drove him home from zone 3. This is big for him as he's so used to being led, and led close. As a race horse he had no choices, now he has choices and it's blowing him away. With his thinking cap on he then did the softest ever yo yo through the gate into his paddock! Past his feed bucket without looking, very interesting, with me only wiggling my finger! He really offered it to me! I was so impressed but wondered if this was a fluke so I brought him back and we did it again. This time I barely wiggled my finger and took him past the point he stopped last time....the same response, ears forward thinking cap squarely on and he yo yo'ed all the way down the 22" line without even stopping! WOW and double wow I was so thrilled and I think he thought he was pretty hot stuff too! Yesterday Danny arrived.....is it bad....I have given him another name......I call him Scout...he looks more of a Scout to me.....we shall see. He arrived and was busy looking around and calling and then he found the food and he settled nicely. I played with him yesterday afternoon and he did a few things that were, how interesting, moments, He tried to crowd me on the circling game, that didn't work, he then tried to sniff manure as if I didn't exist...that didn't work. Then he offered heaps and I thought, wow this horse can teach me heaps and then I can practice on Star. See I am trying to get better at serpentines and falling leaf exercises.......Star will take the lead with falling leaf, when I ask for a change of direction he's already doing it with a rear to match as he pivots on his inside hind! Very speccy to watch but he's taking over. So we have to stop and break it up cause he's going "Oh yeah I know this one it goes like this" He's very sensitive to my energy too now so I have to be careful that I am not prjecting onto him too much, whereas Scout (aka Danny) needs to have my energy at times...well that's what my gut tells me I need to do. I've decided to play with Scout first and then with Star second and then I can practice and then teach! Star is getting so cocky but still won't squeeze over a jump...so tonight we are going to practice that. Oh yes and long range sideways...... It's changed a bit at home, having 3 horses feels lovely....gives me plenty of work but plenty of joy. The adage 2's company and 3's a crowd doesn't ring true here though, 3 is just right! I hope I can do my best for Scout and be the leader he needs cause I think he will help me more than I can help him. This morning was lovely to get up and go out and tend to all 3 of them, I forgot to mention that a friend, Jan who was at the clinic, came over yesterday and watched as we played. She also brought the horses a great big bag of apples and they adore them! So this morning the horses got a treat of carrots and apples and a cool crisp morning and they all looked very happy and peaceful. Then I had to leave to come to work! Drat!!! Oh well got to get some $$$ so I can go to a 6 week camp!