Bluebag monster

Though I did not take any photos of the session today, because honestly, I thought it would be boring, in a nice training kind of way
 of course. So I left the camera home.

It was quite amazing to see how still ( looked to be close to death)my mare could be.

Made myself do arena work again, though a reasonable day out.
I made a half way boundary line with the ground rails and began the session by asking the mare to walk halt, walk trot, halt. Walk trot and trot out to  easy trot ( collected) then back to trot out. We did this both directions and I used the one side rein again, outside, longest setting. I took the side rein off and asked for a easy canter. She is not as collected as I want...but we are just starting. I know she has it in her to almost canter in place, even on line...it will take some conditioning.
She had again- one blow up- that did not last anytime at all...cause I just defused her by not doing anything different-but making the circle smaller and using my connection to her cavesson, circling backward rhythmically so.
Good~
So here is the funniest thing ever....I have done tons of desensitizing with Wa mare in the past...but not lately. I decided to take a training stick  into the arena and walk with it...it has a blue plastic bag on it's end.
HAHAHA!!!
She was so thrown for a loop...she stood "STOCK STILL" barely breathing...while I flipped it here(very slowly) and there.

On the ground, she would barely turn her head to look at it...."um ,
maybe  it really isn't there..or um..if it is, It'll go away if I don't look!!"
I was in complete hysterics, on the inside!

I rubbed her face and shoulders and belly and rear..she would only allow herself to move if I actually put it on the ground. Then, it was slow motion...so as not to disturb the wretched monster-blue bag thing!

I ended up getting on her after this session and walking with the outside rein only . I was quite nervous earlier that day..just thinking on getting on her in the arena. I made my stomach so upset...the bathroom was my friend this day.
Well, she was good. We did long wall serpentines and short wall 10 meter circles, walk only, outside rein only.
 I asked for the directions by turning my torso and using my
inside arm to point. She responded well to my  weight shifts as her guide. I did half halt the outside rein too, right before a change in direction.

I Survived! She survived! And- she  ended up  getting treats-from that same "wretched-bluebag-monster bag"...thought it could be redeemed that way!