Updates for the MONTH!

Ugh, I can't believe its been about a month since I've updated my blog! That's ridiculous! Anyways, I haven't really been doing a WHOLE lot with Woody, seeing how its been freezing, I'm a sissy, and I've been busy with other stuff. But, I have been out to see him at least once a day, throw hay, and check him over and give him a couple carrots. Lately, however, I have been going out and playing with both him and Charlotte at Liberty in the pasture, trying to evoke their play drive. I would go out with a couple pieces of carrot and some cookies, and then either have them do a couple tasks (Squeeze between me and a tree or a fence, walk over the log, Drive back 5 steps, etc.) and get rewarded with a cookie. This soon turned into the make-an-effort-and-then-run-to-Eden-to-mug-her-for-treats game for Charlotte, so I stopped giving her tasks and focused on Woody (he is more polite than Charlotte). Charlotte soon realized she was getting treats any more, so she wandered off. Woody and I then decided to go on the other side of the pasture, playing follow the leader along the way, and it wasn't long after we had come to a resting place on the other side that we both heard thundering hooves of Charlotte coming to be with us.
That gave me an idea.
So, for the rest of that play session and the following days, Woody and I would run somewhere and "hide" (which is kind of hard seeing how Woody's butt has grown quite a bit.. haha), and Charlotte would eventually come after us, and sometimes when she arrived, she got a treat (which she loved). My personal favorite round of this game is when Woody and I went cantering down the hill and stopped behind a huge pine tree, and waited for Charlotte to become curious of where we were. Eventually we heard her come racing down the hill and begin to come up the next hill and when she went by us cantering, she made THE funniest expression I've ever seen. It was alook of surprise, but not fear, that made me laugh SO hard.
Along with playing with them at Liberty, I went out yesterday and played with Woody Online. We did some Stick to Me at the walk and trot, and also some neutral driving from zone 3. He was going well and Mom was riding Charlotte around, so I decided to get his hackamore and his bareback pad and ride around a bit. Once he was tacked up, we went out by the round pen and played a bit at Liberty, doing some Stick to Me and just follow the leader games. I trotted and jumped the log and he was right behind me! We had fun, and I hopped on (not very gracefully... I really should work on mounting more gracefully and more comfortably for him), and after chilling for a bit watching Mom, we rode around and at the end we popped over the log at a trot... our first INTENTIONAL jumping effort!
We've been having fun together just hanging out lately, but I think he's been enjoying the non-demanding/play time in the pasture.