Pasture Pony!!

Well, I did it. I finally just dug my heels in and worked Tia. I have been making excuses for quite a while now because I have been afraid of falling more in love with the mare. I can now honestly say, there is no longer a worry about that. Evil mare.

Now, I can honestly say, she did well. She has always had an issue with this whole lunging thing. She is much better to the right, and quite horrible at the left, so every time we go left, she balks and plants that shoulder and spins herself around. Today, was the first time I said NO. The past few times I have lunged her have been for about 15 minutes each time, I was worried about her hip/stifle, and when she balks I have always politely asked her to return the way she was going. Today, was different. I have had enough of the "I dont want to's" and "but Moooommmmm's" and I put my foot down. It only took her about 30 minutes to figure out I wasn't playing anymore and she decided to be good.

Of course that was after...

This...

and this...

oh and this...

Look what I can do!!!!

Weeeeeeee!!!!

Yeah. The one I didn't get on camera was the wonderful stop, spin, rear AT ME complete with squeal, and then head toss. Defiant little bugger! We had a wonderful Come To Jesus meeting after that one.

This is where we ended up!

The session ended about an hour after it started. Tia was pretty sweaty and I honestly felt bad about how hard I had worked her....until we got in the barn....

Got in the barn, removed the bit-less bridle, went to put her halter on her, and WHAM! She threw her head in my face..No No #1. When I went to reprimand her, she squealed and swung her butt at me..No No #2. I verbally reprimanded, she refused to give me her head and swung her butt again..No No #3. Three strikes, she's out. I whacked her on the butt, which succeeded in her squealing, jumping over the hay bale for tonight, and then hauling ass out of the barn and down to her pasture. This succeeded in PISSING ME OFF!

Now, my rule is that you have 3 seconds to kill a horse. That rule ends at 3 seconds. It doesn't mean you have 3 seconds to kill them when you catch them, its a immediate deal. That evil mare refused to be caught (remind you that she still has her surcingle, pad and side reins on) for at least 5 minutes. When I finally got her to chill out enough to put her halter on, the 3 second rule was over, Damn it! So, back up to the barn we went. To Stand! On Cross Ties! Forever! Muuaahhhaaaa!

Sorry. So back to the barn we went. She stood on cross ties for about 10 minutes before I took her tack off, brushed her down, did her feet, sprayed her with Healthy Haircare, gave her a treat and then hand walked her back to the pasture like a good little Pasture Pony, which she has decided she likes being way better than a pony that has to work for a living.

Tia Lunging 12/1/12