Newsworthy Willig

Last Saturday, unexpectedly, Willig had a great day, so pursuant to the Conrad Schumacher instructions, I took our "comfort circle" and kept expanding it.
Willig was so good we did five stretch goals:
- cantered a course (instead of trotted it - he got hot, but at least we did it without mishap);
- jumped the big "brick" wall (a refusal and then a spook looking at it, but then the second try he did it fine, well "fine" for him);
- jumped my fake ditch (which he has been getting better and better at, and next time Tom comes down, I am going to try to jump the real ditch);
- walked around in the huge pasture on a "trail" ride; and
- and then went out in a pasture and let him loose to eat grass (according to Shannon, the owner, he is afraid of the pastures) for 15 minutes!!

Tonight we did another pasture turnout which was a bit more sketchy, but not too traumatic.

By the way, a couple weeks ago on a Monday, I set up two lunge "jumps" (one at 3 and 9 if I'm the center of a clock). First they were just poles on blocks (so a high step up, but by high, I mean like 3"), then one became a jump (less than 2') then the other became a jump. I had to set up the fly poles to keep him from darting out to the side each lap, and I noticed he kept his years pretty much pointed away from me the entire time. Then I did Merc over them too, and I did not need the no-run-away poles AND his floppy ol' ears stayed looking at me most of the time. Hmmm. So clearly there is something missing in my communication with Willig.