Saturday, April 6, 2013

My Four-legged Personal Trainer

Her Highness has decided she *likes* going for runs and meets me at the gate with a hopeful look every time I drive in.  Or maybe she just thinks she's going to get some oats.

I can't really chalk it up to the oats, because I just started her on them.  So it is definitely that she likes running.  I now have to lock the gate when I go into her pen, because she thinks once I'm there it's time to go.  The crazy thing is that we've only been out running three times.

Late this morning, I went over, fed her, scooped her poop and told her I'd be back for our run.  She looked at me like I was betraying her.  It didn't matter that I spent an hour in her pen, cleaning up after her and loving on her - I was leaving without taking her for her run.  You think a dog can make you feel guilty?  Try those big beautiful eyes.

Not a current picture, but I got the same cranky look.

She looked at me like I was lying to her when I said I'd be back later to take her running.  I didn't want to take her right after she'd finished eating, so I went home and took a nap.

When I got back, I grabbed her halter and curry comb.  I threw her halter on the ground in front of her so I could work on her nasty shedding with the curry and that little brat tried to halter herself.  She pushed and pushed the halter around with her nose until she had her nose in the nose band.  She wouldn't leave it alone until I haltered her.  Once I haltered her, she stood ground tied while I finished currying her.  It's like she didn't believe that we were actually going running until she was "dressed".  I have curried her recently without her halter on and then left, so maybe in her little mind, the halter was sealing the deal that we really were going to leave the pen.

She's so good when we go out on our "runs", which currently are intervals that are more walking than running.  She stays right at my shoulder and has quit swerving into me and lets me set the pace.  I was in a flat-out run on a couple of our intervals and she just trotted along happily, later in our program, when I was tired, I slowed down to a job and she just followed suit.

I'm trying to figure out how to get pics of us running together, but it's all I can do to breathe when we're running - I'm not sure I can breathe, run, AND take a picture.

We are having a good time, though, and I have a much harder time bailing on her, so this running thing might actually take this time around.

7 comments:

Unknown said...

Haha! That is too funny!
It's great that she loves the runs and spending that time with you. I can't get over her trying to halter herself, that is the best!

Allenspark Lodge said...

Y'all have a Go-Pro, right? Duct tape it to her butt aiming forward?

Bill

GunDiva said...

I do have a GoPro, yes. But I'm afraid the duct tape wouldn't stick what with all the hair she's losing.

I'll see what I can do about hooking the GoPro to her halter or something.

Allie, I wish I'd had video of her and the halter. It was so obvious what she was doing - she even tried flipping it up.

Rachel said...

Yes - you definitely need to film her haltering herself! I love that!

She is such a smartie. And it is so easy to see how she tries to communicate.

Horse Guilt... the worst!

AmberRose- Girl With a Dream said...

She's so funny love how she tried to halter herself. Clever girl.

Momma Fargo said...

So glad you are enjoying her! The weather is actually 70 here today! Bring her out for a jog this way. LOL

Shirley said...

There used to be a fad with Ride and Tie, a team effort of runners and horses. Haven't heard of it lately though.