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| Horton... |
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| hears a Who. |
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| Yes, you do. |
So, after a good first week without confrontations, Cohort's balky-butt (his owner's term) side showed today. After a pleasant-enough start to our ride, he started quitting at the trot, and then progressed to quitting at the walk, then quitting and acting ugly – laying his ears back and arching his neck a little and swishing his tail. If I didn't know his history I would have gotten in his business for copping such an attitude – and probably ended up in the sand. Instead I turned him in small circles and got him walking again. When it was clear he wasn't going to work out of it, I congratulated him on winning the work lottery, got off, and lunged him in a small enough circle that I could "reach out and touch someone" if he tried to quit on me again. He ended up a whole lot sweatier than he would have from simple under-saddle work; time will tell if he figures that being good is easier and being naughty is harder.
Friday the farrier was out to give him a pedicure and put front shoes on him. To his owner's knowledge, he'd never worn iron before, but he behaved very well. And now Cohort doesn't forge as much as he did when he was barefoot and overgrown!
4 comments:
Good call!!!
When ya can't out-muscle them, ya have to outsmart them.
He sure IS pretty. And getting his "girlish figure" back. He had way too much hay belly after his earlier layoff.
Leif they are clever they learn quite quickly that work is good, and do what you are asked to do the first time. My guy is so clever he quickly thinks of another out though.
Sounds like you got him nailed... He'll figure it out!
You know, I was thinking about this later, after we talked... I'll bet he would just love eventing - lots to keep interested, and it's very fast. The only drawback is the dressage section. But I'll bet if he got rewarded with jumping, he would learn to do the dressage portion...
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