Good Work and a Good Roll

We had another warm sunny spring day today.  Lucy and Mufasa were both focused and well behaved.  Brett has been working with Mufasa at the mounting block.  When we first got Mufasa, he was hugely distrustful of mounting blocks.  It took many months before Brett could mount him there without me holding Mufasa still.  Mufasa didn't like Brett climbing up the steps of the mounting block and getting on from up high -- maybe he thought it was too much like a mountain lion jumping on his back.  He has finally reached a place where he stands still for Brett to climb up the steps and mount.  Now, Brett is focusing on having Mufasa remain standing still at the mounting block once Brett is in the saddle.  No walking off the second Brett's butt lands.  Mufasa did a great job with that today.

Kersey followed us up to the dressage court again today and went for another swim.  When she approached the stream, I put Lucy on a 20m circle and we worked on leg yield, at trot, on the circle.  Lucy was so busy concentrating on her work that she didn't notice or care about the dog.  After her swim, Kersey came into the arena and rolled in the sand at X; moaning and groaning in pleasure in the soft warm sand.  Lucy ignored her.

Today, Lucy was spot on -- relaxed and focused and prompt.  I concentrated on effective half halts, especially in the corners -- a still outside hand, a bit of inside leg, and we cruised around with beautiful bend.  We even practiced going from extended to working canter and back numerous times with no silliness.  At one point, she offered a few steps of collected canter which I hadn't realized I was asking for.

Afterwards, Brett took Mufasa up to the top pasture with Flash where he promptly rolled.  Lucy did the same in her pasture.  There's nothing like a good roll in the dirt after good work.