Zelador was hilarious Saturday. Every day I practice Pretty Face (Zelador holds his head “on the bit”). He “poses” in that position. I usually start the day by asking for a few Pretty Faces when I’m grooming him in the stall. He poses, I click the clicker and he gets a treat. We progress to doing them under saddle. He’ll perform a “pretty face” when I ask for it (I’m holding the reins on the buckle) so I decided to attempt them while he was naked and walking around me at liberty. He did it. Click/treat. Then at the trot. After a few circles I decided to up the ante and I asked him for Pretty Face at liberty while he was cantering. The split second he made a move to place the plane of his face on the vertical I clicked. He spun on his hind end and trotted to me. I asked when he travelled to the right and to the left. When he did about six Pretty Faces I waited a few strides before clicking/treating. Well, you should have seen him on stride number two, three…. It was like watching a furiously buzzing bee, at the canter, at liberty, maintaining Pretty Face because he knew if he stopped cantering or abandoned the pose he would not hear that wonderful CLICK! You could almost hear him screeching, “This is a GREAT Pretty Face, Damn It! Click!!!! I deserve a treat!!!” I clicked, he spun and came in and he got a jackpot of treats!
Sunday Bill and I were working with the boys at liberty and Sophie came in to longe Blue. We put Z and Z’s halters on and for the first time in years we played with them attached to a lead line. At one point I asked Zelador for the Spanish Walk. It was incredible! When I got to the house I emailed Lynda Southam and mentioned the huge Spanish Walk Zelador produced and she suggested I get it on film. So, here we go. Bill and I will film both boys at liberty, on a lead line and under saddle, then get the footage to Robb Roberts and he’ll put it on the Winsong Farm YouTube channel. (It’s always nice to have winter projects!)
Next Saturday Bill and I are heading to Toronto’s Panasonic Theatre to watch “Wingfield Lost and Found”. This is the seventh one-man play. Can’t wait! The actor, Rob Beattie is terrific! (Yet another delicious winter treat!)
