Refining the "Sit" command.

Well this is a new one. Winnie sure has settled into the new house nicely, finding all her favorite comfortable places to hang out outside. Life is rough. The more I think of it - all this lounging around outdoors enjoying the weather and scenery - the more I think she takes after me!

I'd bet money if I put a hammock in the yard she'd be in it within a week.

BUCK!

Well, after months of waiting for Buck to get healthy, then his training, then my lessons, then moving, then Sandy riding him to make sure he's quiet enough for me, then putting the last bits of his tack together, the day finally came. I rode my horse today!

The western saddle weighs a ton compared to what he's used to. So you can imagine his surprise and dismay when I added my fat ass to the equation. Sandy said he splayed his legs out in a bit of a 'holy crap!' stance, but he gathered himself and didn't audibly grunt under the strain, so we can add 'polite' to his many positive qualities.

He's not as easy to steer as the horse I took lessons on, but he does understand the two speeds I need him to operate in (slow and stop) and he does generally go where I tell him. We mostly just walked, but we trotted a little also. Practice is needed for both of us, but this was a huge, successful first step.

I'm so glad Sandy got this shot of us heading back to the barn. House, river, me and my horse. Life is good.

Thanks for taking care of me, buddy!

Birds spotted at the new house...

Even though we moved less than two miles, the terrain at this house is different enough - woods, the river, barn, open pasture - that we are seeing a lot of birds we either have never seen or only spotted rarely at the old house.

I don't have a big telephoto lens but this Tree Swallow let me get close enough to take his picture. This same day we saw a stunning pair of Orioles and a huge Pileated Woodpecker.

I had never seen an Eastern Towhee before (had to look it up) but saw one the other day. Residents on the property include Eastern Wood Peewees, Barn Swallows, Coopers and Red-tail Hawks, Bluebirds and a variety of ducks and other waterfowl down by the river.

I don't think a day has gone by when I haven't seen something new and interesting that makes me think how lucky we are to have found this place.

Obedience time...

Maybe it's her age (9 1/2 months), maybe it's that while I was concentrating on moving I have done very little training, probably it's both of these things. But Winnie is testing me regularly on her basic commands. Stay and Here are all but ignored unless I first prove that they will be enforced.

So this weekend we will start going back to basics with some obedience work. Praise, treats, a little bit of everything. I'll try to get her excited about the work and see if we can make some progress and snap us both out of the current pattern: her ignoring, me repeating, her ignoring, me yelling.

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