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[RC] Time to ride him yet? - Skyla StewartI've got a horse here, I've taken him out a half dozen times this winter for a couple miles under saddle and hand walked him a few times. Today I wanted to ride out and check on a water tank to see if it has water. The round trip is about 6.5 or so miles, and after some deliberation I decided, what with his age, I would pony him and ride Tempo. I figured we would try a few really SHORT trots, but mostly just walk, so left the "stud chain over the nose" off...uh huh. It didn't take too long to figure out the "stud chain" should NOT be left at home if I want to do ANY trotting. We hit a single track trail and I put Tempo into a nice trot, the pony rope is slack behind me. I look back...yikes, Tempo-go a bit faster, look back...yikes, Tempo-maybe just a little FASTER please?!? Look back and "El Diablo" is still trying to climb over the top of us because we are going TOO slow. Well, much faster and any hope of control will be long gone, plus I am running out of good trail.
Back to a walk, decide we will just keep to the walk until the tank. At the tank I am not sure WHAT is in it, looks alot like Guldens Spicy Brown Mustard? Time to head back...now we start having more two track and ole "Diablo" decides if he can't trot/run then he will PULL us down the road at a wide open walk. :oP I normally would trot this section, but looking at the devils body posture, and the fact if I even so much as sniffle my nose he takes off, I decide we stay at this forced flying march. Finally head up a favorite little single track trail, has a lovely slow trot section. "El Diablo" is following nicely, and breathing a bit hard from the uphill, so I set Tempo to a nice soft trot. The pony rope is nice and soft, all is going fine, and I am thinking "YEAH!". In less then a nano-second I feel that rope tighten, Tempo's hind end dips down, and "Diablo" has NOT forgotten if he can rip off on the opposite side of my control arm I can't stop him! Out of the
corner of my eye the scoundrel is blasting up tail up, head up, nostril flared, I drop the rope as I don't think Tempo needs a rope burn back "there". I pull up, thinking about a fast stop and dismount, when I notice the rope has gotten between the rotten trotaways legs...hee, hee. I just pull in behind and watch and wait, within seconds he steps on the lead and I YELL 'WHOA", well he thought I had him, which did allow me to come up and catch him. The rest of the way home he is trying to sneak by when he can, and when side-by-side he is trying to PULL us down the trail...argh. Now this pony is on 5lbs of complete feed and all the hay he can eat, he is feeling good, and seems to survive the ride fine. I am considering riding him next time, as long as we keep it under 8 miles I think he will be fine. He has more opinions then I can shake a stick at, knows how to manipulate any rider, knows all the tricks in the book, yet is just as sweet as can be. Now you ask, Just how old
is he, why am I feeding him SO much, why would I want to tolerate his behavior, WHAT is up with this horse? >>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>> I guess because the old devil is coming 26 years old!!! Lord, if this was a young horse I would be asking myself "why" too. LOL This is what life is about sometimes, oh so sweet the memories...even if my arm is sore. :oP Skyla and Tempo-who is embarrassed by Habod's behavior even if his Mom thinks it funny.
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