opposite

I spoke too soon (in my last riding blog). My last ride was the polar opposite of uneventful! To sum up:

illegal motorcycles
crazy horse
bucking
sliding and then bucking
head-tossing
cantering in place
hill charging
prancing, oh so much prancing.

green grass yummy (it is a swamp underneath)

OK, a few more details: After calling the lake patrol on the illegal motorcycles (not only do they tear up the trails, just so dangerous on all the blind-turns!) we turned right to do a short loop, and come back through the forest. I asked for a trot, and got surging silly horse. Circles, etc, brain please? A bit of brain returned. We walked on.

see that left ear cock, that is a sign

that is the I'm not really listening ear cock!

But that was not fast enough. And I understand he wants to move, so small trot please? Yeah, no, so the bucking was because he was pissed off that he couldn't go as fast as he wanted. Well not if he is not listening is my policy! The sliding and bucking happened after I let him trot, he didn't listen to my slow down cue, slid in the mud, pissed himself off, and had a fit.

Sigh. We did not go back through the forest, as it is more slippery. We stayed on the sandy lake trail, plenty of room for circles, backing, etc there! And just standing, dealing with life, it's just so hard being Major he thinks!

yes, you have to go through the whole puddle

The last mile home is next to the road on a gravel trail. I'm sure the drivers were seriously impressed by my lovely prancing horse. I was not. I did manage to get a four-beat walk as we were almost home. Circles, side pass, and that was after eight miles. True, not that far, but surely something for an out-of-work horse? I guess not.

oh so sparkly

But know what? It still boiled down to the fact I like being with my idiot (many more names were said during the ride) of a horse on a beautifully sunny winter day. And my next ride had considerably more for him to think about…

a moment of stillness (though not zen!)