I warmed him up really good. Went to take a practice run, and he bucked. Warmed him up some more. Practice run. Bucked. Then the jackpot started. I went in for my run hoping he had it out of his system. Made sure I stayed off his face. Bucked.
Second run. Bucked. Nearly took out the timer that time. :x
The jackpot was a double header. Two runs in each jackpot. It was in district 10 (my district is district 1) The only district 1 girls there were Kimfer, myself and Brenda. Kimfer & Brenda said they thought he was just doing it to be a pill (to borrow Pony Girl's word, that's not quite the one K & B used!). They said to really get after him if he does it again. Not to worry about getting a time, or even a run. Just GET AFTER HIM.
This was hard for me. I'm so used to Cessa. You ask, or sometimes just think, and voila its done! (she's not quite that "perfect" but its good).
So in between jackpots I work him outside the arena. Ask for something, if I don't get it I DEMAND it. He's being pretty good. We go in for our first run, buck, I get on his case. Spin circles, hard, then continue the pattern. Second run, buck, same tactic... although this time I lost my place in the arena and it took me a second to gather myself and figure out which way to run! (how do reiner's not get lost when they spin!?) But here's the good thing. His bucks were getting a little half-hearted. Almost like he was rethinking his strategy.
After the jackpot Kimfer took him through his paces. Kind of to double check whether we were right, that he was testing ME. Hoping it wasn't due to soreness or being "out" or something along those lines. She ran him through the barrels twice, slowly. That used to be the trigger. He wanted to go competition speed and when he was asked to go slow he would pull his fit. He was perfect for Kimfer. So the third time she took him through at speed and again it was fine. So it seems that he is testing me, he's giving me attitude, or rather appy-tude. :(
The nice thing was, he does a darn good pattern!
Aftewards Kimfer, Brenda & I took a short ride through the forest to cool off the horses. That's right, the forest! The jackpot was at Jack Pine by Duck Lake, right at the edge of Nesbit Forest. Sorry, no pictures but I plan to make sure I grab a set of horn bags and my camera for next time!
So now this is the plan. I will ride more frequently and really FOCUS when I ride. Do more technical stuff. Pattern work, barrel work. Almost try to push his little Appy-tude button. And if he does misbehave, get on his case. Teach him I am NOT a pushover (I may have to fake part of that! lol)
Below is our arena at "home" as seen from the back door of the barn. Yup that red dot is a car, the highway is about 60-80 feet from the arena. (Dept. of Highways divided up Kimfer's dad's land to build the double lane highway --- BOO!)
Hmmm, seems to be pretty weedy. Must have missed those ones with the sprayer. And there are some strange orange things growing... oh, wait, those are the cones I bought to mark patterns and such! :)
So today I rode Raincloud (yay, no appearance of Applejackass!!) And we both worked our tails off! He did give me a few half-hearted tricks. Stuff like "are you sure you want me to not cut that corner?" But I was firm and he worked out of it. By the end he was moving off very light leg pressure! :)Here is a pic of Raincloud/Applejack after our ride, but before being groomed. Hmm, his tail does seem to be missing! But it is there, just kinda hidden behind his left hind leg.
After giving Applejack a nice rub down with a sponge and some cool water I sprayed him with Refreshmint solution and rubbed down his legs (oooh, tingly hands!). Then he got his "extras" and Cessa and Fat Boy, er Quinn, came in for their "extras".
My horses are currently pastured right next to the arena. When I let him out this is how Applejack showed his gratitude for cooling him out and cleaning him up!
Yup, gotta get both sides! This horse LOVES to roll. Cessa & Quinn will roll occasionally. When I had Rain she'd roll only after a real good work. Applejack rolls almost every single time he is ridden. (oops, cut his legs out but you can see his tail is still there, it didn't get worked off!)
Now what were you saying about a bath?
Man that is one dirty boy! By tomorrow he'll be almost clean. Its pretty nice that no matter how dirty he gets he "self cleans" a lot, after all he's got a lot of white on him now! Hard to believe he was registered as a bay with a white blanket! lol
(for those of you thinking "wtf is with his left foreleg?" I can assure you it was due to camera angle/poor timing of subject's movement, it is a normal leg!)
I laugh only because I know exactly what your talking abouth when you say "appy-tude" I have an appy myself that can be wuite the stinker. I had to figure out how to get in his brain, which is a scary place hehehe and really gain his trust. We used to push each others buttons all the time but now after almost 5 years together we have come to a pretty good understanding. Good luck with the appy, once their on your side totally and trust you they'll do anything for you.
ReplyDeleteLOL, I didn't even notice the weird leg pose, just his cute appy face:-) I wouldn't have even noticed he was mostly white if you hadn't told me, the dirt just looks like his appyness.
ReplyDeleteHe does have a cute face doesn't he? :)
ReplyDeleteI'll have to get him cleaned up and take a picture so you can really see how much white he has now. We've had him almost two years and he gets lighter every year.
He is so cute! :-) He does look alot like Rusty.
ReplyDeleteI haven't met much appy-tude yet - maybe it's because Rusty is 16 and is just too lazy to bother?
I know EXACTLY how you feel when you find out your horse is just testing YOU and does exactly what everyone else wants him to when they ride him. It sucks!! lol. My horse is the same way. Of course my trainer and I are the only ones to have ever ridden her, but she knows when you mean business, and she knows that I can be pushed around a little too easily. She tests me for every little thing that she can. Repeatedly. Until I finally start to get more stern with her when I'm tired of footing around it, then she's fine and cooperates. I'm too nice. My trainer tells me to use my mommy voice like when I'm yelling at my boys (4 and 7 years old). I said heck, they don't even listen to me, why should I expect an 850 lb animal too?? lol
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