Here's something Bridget and I are working on. I don't bother about our mutual position when on the leadrope. We saunter along, Bridget moving from one side of me to the other, sometimes taking the lead, sometimes not. But every now and then she takes it into her head to haul me off to some particularly choice patch of greenery. I take exception to being hauled. So, I am endeavouring to convey to her, by stopping and refusing to move, that hauling is not the solution. I would like to be gently suggested to. I think she's getting it. The key is to use my newly-learned technique of finding my own center (oh that just sounds so cliched) and refusing to be yanked about -- I convey this by means of mind vibes. Oh yes, that's what I'm talking about. And reciprocally, I realize that I mustn't haul or yank on her. When I wish us to move, I convey extremely meaningful thoughts down the rope. I pull with direction. She gets it.
My desire to move faster must have been timely, because today Bridget and I had quite a good trot. She got ahead of me, but, hey, we were moving. And Chloe! Today, after Bridget had been turned out in the pasture, Chloe again hung back and led me off away from the barn for some Chloe time. We had a brisk jog as we set off, and then another one on the way back to the barn. Before, if she would run while on the leadrope, she would forge way ahead, and I would have quite a hard time keeping up. But today she kept me on a loose rope, about level with her shoulder. She had a very intense look on her face - almost as if she were annoyed - but I think it was just that she was very focused on keeping an eye on my position.
George and my daughter joined
us on the grazing walk today
Sometimes Bridget is a little too intrepid
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