What Happened?

After a glorious ride yesterday today was dreadful. I am sure it was my mood that made Sam so naughty. I slept in this morning so I didn't get out to the paddock until 8.30am instead of 7 - 7.30am. I am normally very good with keeping routine so this would have upset Sam a lot especially when he hasn't got any pasture.

When I got there I let him out for his pick as usual (I let him pick while I pick up his manure in his paddock) Normally I let him out and then go and close all the gates so he can't go down the lane ways and disturb the other horses. This morning he walked out of his gate and then trotted down one on the lane ways which of course set about 10 horses off. He trotted up in between two paddocks and just put his head down and ate which was good and I think this must have started my bad mood. I caught him and let him have a pick for about 5min before leading him back up into the proper area. I let him go and cleaned his paddock. I left him out for about 30min while I got his saddle ready and got myself ready. He led down to the where I tack him up OK, no real fuss. We went through our normal routine of me asking Sam if I can brush him, pick out his hooves, put his boots on, saddle him, bridle him. He didn't reject anything. I decided to hop straight on today instead on lunging first. My plan was to go for a big walk and trot around the 30acres.

I led him down to the gate and he only stopped once. This is common he always stops on the way to any work area. I don't like it but I don't know how to rectify the problem. I led him through the gate and mounted. Off we went at a good walk, past a shallow dam and up onto a large flat area. There was a spring in his step and he was looking at the horses in the distance. I could feel he wanted to move out so I asked him to trot. It was a strong, powerful, extended trot that we did around this large area - about 10 acres. His head was up, he was a bit tense but listened to me when I asked him to come back a bit. We came back to walk and walked over to the far fence line and followed it down at a relaxed walk. We walked past the area we normally work and on the other side of the arena is where he is always a little more forward.

He actually broke into a trot by himself which is NOT NORMAL! I bought him back to walk using my voice and seat which he listened too. I then said OK if you would like to trot I am happy to under my conditions. I wanted a 40m circle, even paces, listening to me. We had none of that, falling in and then out, speed up, speed up, speed up. I asked him back to a walk and walked back up to the area where we normally work. I felt him relax as we walked away from that area and back into his 'work area' I asked back into a trot in our work area and he went well. I was comfortable enough to ask him to canter so we did a huge, probably 80m circle on a very light contact, head was low, even breathing just beautiful. I used my voice to ask him to come back to a walk which he did within 5 strides. This is normal if it means slowing down he is generally happy with that.

We walked around another area that has a lot of logs and tyres and he had a really good look at everything. Then we headed back the way we came, over the to far fence, through the gully into the other large area. He seemed relaxed to me and I wanted to have another trot in this area. I thought he was going to buck!!!!! He was tense, rigid, we walked on until he felt relaxed again, again once I had that feeling I asked for trot and this time the tension that came through his back was too much for me and I jumped off straight away. Growled a bit at him and asked him out on the lunge, trotted out fine. I mounted up again and again he became very anxious. I walked him back to the gate and I was going to work him in then round yard instead but I thought maybe there was pain again.

Why did he get so upset in areas? Was it because I wasn't in the best of moods today and maybe I was a little rougher, not as soft? Was he still really sore? I am sure a lot of the good work Koko did has come undone with the hooning around the paddock and he slips occasionally in the big area when we hit cow pats.

I am not going to ride tomorrow. I think I will take him for a walk and work him in hand in the areas that he seemed to get really tense. Ponies?!!!!! You just have to love them even when they annoy you!