Sunday, August 8, 2010

Quite the Contrary

Cold snap! It was only 102° today.

I hit the ground running this morning and was unloading tack at
Iron Ridge by 7:30. I had decided I would only ride Poco today. Lest you think Jaz was off the hook, Kris arrived as I was tacking up Poco and asked if she could ride Jaz. Why, sure! Our new friend Sarah arrived next. She showed Kris the finer points of English tack, since I didn't bring both saddles, and Heather's western saddle doesn't fit Jaz.

Meanwhile, Pokey and I were already doing laps in the arena. As soon as he realized something was going on with his buddy, the crap started. He called out and got the whole damn barn started. Every time we passed the gate, he'd veer and stop. He tried to convince me he had no idea what I wanted and made me steer every step we took. Dude, we're walking and trotting in circles. It ain't rocket science. It got better when Jaz and Kris joined us in the arena, but he acted up whenever I tried to do anything that took his nose out of Jaz's butt.
I had no choice but to be in/on his face the entire time.

By this time, Sarah joined us on Nita's mare, Keeley, and Heather rode her dad's horse, the ever-dependable Doodles. I set up barrels, thinking that perhaps if I engaged Poco enough, I could actually get some real work done, as if matching wills with him somehow isn't
real work. Yeah, it is. At one point, Kris left the arena for something, leaving Jaz just outside the arena grazing. We've been doing this with all the horses — they won't go anywhere. Poco decided that if Jaz got to stop and eat, he should, too. He was a complete turd. We did lots of yo-yos, lots of backing. There was even a moment where he set his body in a way that teased, "I could rear if I wanted to." I jumped off and made him back the entire length of the arena. I rode him for a lot longer than I normally would have just to make sure I cemented my win in that walnut of a brain.

Both Boyz got hosed down and grazed themselves as we yakked. Then I pulled Daltrey out of his stall and hand-grazed him. He's still in the stage where he's learning that people are allowed to touch him anywhere they want, and kicking is not a wise option. He also doesn't yet know where his feet are, or that it's not acceptable to mow past people. Part of the problem is that he's growing so quickly that about the time he figures out how much space his body takes up and where his feet are, it changes. I'm desensitizing him to clippers; he got his first bridle path today. He's learning to yield to pressure — "over" and "back". One of these days, we need to start walking in and out of the trailer in preparation for the ride here.


I've had better days, but I've also had worse. My barn buddies are just as much fun, and the beer tastes pretty good either way.

10 comments:

AareneX said...

Sounds like a fine time to me, nothing so invigorating as winning a "conversation" with a stubborn horse...oooooh, except for the 102 degrees part! Ick. We've got 67 degrees and 68% humidity today here in the Swamp!

Jeni said...

Sounds to me like a winning day!

Beth said...

I have had many a ride on Corrie like this. When she starts to get a crupper up her butt, she tend to over compensate for every cue, especially when being ridden. She goes from fading into the center of the ring to ramming into the arena wall. Just as slight over exaggeration of my cue, trust me. Corrie is happy as long as she can win 1 out of 10 conversations. Sounds like over all you have had great ride though!

Sherry Sikstrom said...

Sounds like a pretty good day all in all ,Poco got a lesson he needed , and you got rewarded with a cold beer and time with an adorable colt!

Laughing Orca Ranch said...

What a pill! But you won and he didn't get his way, and you didn't ge hurt doing so.....and that's a good day, for sure.

It's funny to think about it, but you're right, growing young horses grow so fast that they are constantly having to re-learn where their feet and bodies are. Kind of reminds me of how teenage boys are so clumsy and awkward. hehe!

102 degrees??? Cold? eeek!

This afternoon a nice breeze kicked in and I was outside peeling and slicing peaches to make jam. It was so nice outside, probably about 75 degrees. And with the breeze,it may have even gotten down to the high 60's!
Now THAT's as cold snap. lol!

~Lisa

City girl turned Country Girl said...

Gotta love when they want to be brats...NOT!! Makes for so much unnecessary work!! Silly horses! Glad you go to work with the colt and have a good beer LOL!!

Sarah said...

I totally missed you hopping off and backing up Poco.

And OW, I am sooo sore this morning...

morningbrayfarm said...

102 degrees?! Cold? Oh, Poco, Poco, Poco... what a brat! ;)

Unknown said...

It's pretty impressive how far you've come with Poco. I know he was being obnoxious, but you really worked through it.

Good day, cold sna[ notwithstanding.

Leah Fry said...

Sarah, it was when you and Heather were tacking up Doodles and Keeley.

The only thing I feel bad about is that I realized today that I did not give him a release. Every time I tried, he'd do something stupid. Next time...

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