She didn't do it on trail, must have happened with her fly stomping over the last few days. It hasn't caused a problem, so maybe a trim and a rasp will mend it. The weather has been dry all week, but Big Cree managed to find a wet spot and he flung my face, helmet, clothes, and saddle full of stinky old swamp mud. Thankfully I had a bandana over my hair and was able to use it to clean my glasses and at least wipe off my face. She loaded on the second and third attempts tonight. We had about a five mile ride counting the work we did in the front lot prior to trail riding tonight. She was really pretty good going out. Did some balking but I broke off a little tiny switch and tapped her fanny when she wouldn't listen to my other cues, and for the most part was able to get her going. The closer to home we got the more fractious she became, and especially on hills. If I try to slow her down using the rein, she gets upset, jumps around, and even wanted to rear once on an uphill ...NOT GOOD. If I give her a loose rein (which I'd like very much to do) she wants to gallop up hill, and rush down. I WANT HER TO WALK. We'll be running down the trail eventually, but her first summer with all the goofy green horse antics, and young joints isn't the time to go. If she can't behave at the walk, I'm sure not wanting to trot, or gallop, just makes for a more speedy crash when she spooks over her shadow, or a squirrel, or what she perceives as a horse eating threat. Most of her acting up seems to be on the same portions of trail each time. Maybe it is time to change her setting and give her something else to think about. I'm thinking park, and the sooner we can get that done the better. Even if she just spends the day tied to the hitch rail and watches all the goings on....we need to get there.
It has been a rough week. My mom was in the hospital, just got home today. Trying to juggle work, home, animals, and keep up with how my Mom was doing made for a stressful five or six days. I'm hoping the dust can settle and life can be calm for awhile. Yes, I'll settle for calm, calm is good. ~Endurance Granny
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