Someone needs to learn patience

Friday the weather was finally nice enough to hook up the trailer, AND I had time, so I hauled Voodoo and Applejack to an indoor arena about 10 minutes from where I board.
Hansons has potential to be a really nice place. She doesn't have a lot of boarders right now, but that's nice too because she has the arena available for haul-ins like me. For $20/rider you have use of the arena for up to 2 hours and can bring up to 2 horses.
The arena has windows, and it was bright enough that I didn't have to turn the lights on. Its also heated but I didn't turn the heat on. I rode in a hoody and was warm enough. I know that lights and heat get expensive to I don't turn them on unless I need them.
There is also a holding area in the arena. It is separated by a half wall so I tied the boys there while I signed in and put my money in the drop box. There were two ladies there at the time, an equine therapist and the owner with two horses having work done. They seemed nice and a little later I was grateful they were there.
I decided to ride Applejack first because he tends to work up a sweat quicker than Voodoo. And this is where the patience part comes in... Voodoo needs it.
The whole time I was riding Applejack Voodoo was misbehaving. First it was pawing. And pawing and pawing. That got boring so he decided to stretch. Which I have to admit was kinda funny.
He would stretch and lower himself until his head dipped lower than the arena wall. Then he would stand back up and peek at Applejack & I. He did that a few times. Then pawed a time or two for good measure.
Obviously that wasn't doing the job, he needed to get more creative. So he started rearing. He must've seen a dressage video somewhere because the next thing you know he's doing a pesade. Which is kind of like the levade but has a larger degree of angle.
His next trick was to try his version of the capriole. He would stand and paw then stop, look around and kick out with both back feet. He went back and forth through his new routine for a bit. Paw, stretch, rear, kick. Repeat in a new order.
At that point a lightbulb seemed to go off. I swear he looked so mischievous... he started to buck in place. He never strayed from where he was, never even put tension in the lead. He would just buck.
I start to cool Applejack down and Voodoo is going through his circus routine.
The ladies I mentioned earlier where getting ready to go when they asked if I was going to ride the black horse. I told them I was planning on it. They said they would be around for a bit because they had to water horses so they would come and check on me. I have to say I was glad. I was a bit nervous to get on my freakshow horse! lol
I tied Applejack up and loosened his saddle. When I took Voodoo's halter off and raised his bridle he practically put it on himself! He dove his face through with his mouth open looking for the bit. I tightened his saddle and got on.
What do you know... he was perfect! That little stinker was having a temper tantrum because he was impatient. Our ride was good, nothing went even a teeny bit wrong. When the ladies came to check on me they were shocked... and of course Voodoo has new fans! lol
Oh, and I have a new training goal... he needs to learn patience!

(almost) Wordless Wednesday

bench by our front door

closeup of sign
oops too much glare from flash

Super Bowl is about football??

I love the Super Bowl... for the ads. And of course my favourites are the Bud Clydesdale ads. Here are a few of my fav's from years past:

*obviously these videos are not by me! lol*

So true

*photo is not mine*

A thought on the WW video

I'm glad you all enjoyed that Wordless Wednesday video (see post below)
I saw it on a friend's FB wall and thought I should share it with all y'all.
One of the comments on FB kinda ticked me off. A guy said something along the lines of 'well that's no big deal. TB and his horse have made that run thousands of times. Of course they should be able to do it bridleless.'
Now my opinion is that is BS. Texaco is an awesome rope horse. He knows his job and does it well. But how many ropers do you see that you think could have their horse stand that calm and cool in the box yet still rip out there and do the job? It seems that *most* horses are pretty darn eager in that box and the ones that are calm lack a little 'zing' in gettin' out and running. Not Texaco in that video though.
A performance horse that acts up a bit before it goes in isn't always bad. Sometimes its just nerves and adrenaline because those horses know what's coming up. Most of them love to work. That doesn't mean that most of them would be able to do it bridleless though!

(sorta) Wordless Wednesday

Who says that bridleless stuff is just for reiners and dressage ponies?

*not my video, found it on Youtube after seeing it on Facebook*

Maybe we shoulda named him Earl

Do any of you remember the tv show "My Name Is Earl"? C'mon now it wasn't that long ago!
Well the title character Earl Hickey, played charmingly by Jason Lee, had a quirk that certainly seems to fit our dear Applejack... whenever he got his photo taken his eyes were closed.
I was going through a bunch of photos when I noticed that a lot of the time our silly Appy's eyes were closed or squinty. Makes getting a nice photo that much more challenging! lol
Some photographic proof, Voodoo with Applejack in the background:
Trying to get a nice early winter shot:

Even during the Santa Hat photo shoot:

If only we had known about this we might have named him Earl!