Friday left me kinda sorta pissed off. I know he can be a really great uncomplicated horse. I also know that he can have a stick shoved up his abundant derrière and on those days I wish I could ride with a 2×4 in my hand to smack him upside the head with.
That was Friday.
Typically I give a day off after a ride. I don’t know why. I’ve always done that even with Gem. The more I stewed about his obnoxious behavior the more annoyed I became though. He can’t be like that. There isn’t any pain. There isn’t any fear. I’m riding the same as I always do. It’s a decision on his part to not participate and I’m not playing that game any longer.
Saturday afternoon after I finished mowing pasture #2, I decided to ride. If he was going to be an a-hole he could work more. Simple.
All the conditions stayed the same. It was hot and sunny. The ground pole box remained in the center of the arena. The horses were still out across the driveway. Same tack. Same rider.
Not the same horse.
He was like butter in my hands. Seriously the best horse I’ve ever ridden. He flowed like a gentle river. He halted square and immediately with barely a change in my posture. He trotted in the same rhythm through my entire exercise with only a few needed half halts here and leg there.
When I asked him to canter, for the first time in my life I felt a horse under me who was relaxed and balanced on all four legs instead of leaning and rushing. I could have cantered him like that for days.
He was so good that I exited the arena and tempted fate in the big pasture. He wasn’t nearly as good out there as in the arena and had a very strong pull towards the side closest the other horses but he didn’t protest, he didn’t ignore me and didn’t put a foot out of line.
We only walked. Baby steps and all that but we made it up and down the big hill several times before I called it a day. Some day it will be a great conditioning hill once we can safely and sanely trot and canter our there.
When he is like that I’m invincible on him. We could conquer anything. No 2×4 needed.
The Roaming Rider 
That pollen tho…
And I hear you on the pull towards other horse when in a field. Q STILL does that even after nearly 7 years with me riding in our back field. She and I both know she knows better, but she still tries. Horses…
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The pollen is awful. Our first spring here we left the windows open and went to work. Nosy neighbor was all “you shouldn’t leave your windows open” and I was like “mind your damn business neighbor” until I walked inside and there was 1/4” of neon green pollen on every surface inside the house. Ugh
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Duke does that pull toward other horses, too. Usually it’s the worst during dressage day at horse shows lol. It’s SO ANNOYING. I call it the magnetic force because he’s like a magnet being pulled toward the barn.
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It’s very annoying. As long as he leaves all four in the ground then I can deal with the magnetic pull. He is just naughty enough to try to pull some dumb crap though.
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He is a smart smart pony.
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He is which makes him more frustrating since he knows better
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Ha ha. I feel like you’ve gotten breed standard for an Appy. Too smart for their own good sometimes
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Yeah. Some days I question my life choices
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Some horses do better with multiple rides in a row (Dante does, Carlos did too) some horses do better with days off in between (Ramone haha) Maybe H’Appy is one that likes to be ridden a couple days in a row!
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He is very stubborn and when he decides he isn’t in the mood it is like moving mountains to convince him otherwise
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