Especially when you have a trying 2 yr old that creates interest if your not interesting enough. Charlie is going to be that amazing horse .... someday. But most days he has been a real pain in my ass. Rearing, striking and nipping or turning to kick and take off is what I have been looking forward to when mustering up the energy to deal with him. So I just havent. Knowing full well that the longer I avoid him the worse he will be. I know its easy to say he just needs more work, but when you actually have to be thinking what he will do or do to you next... its really exhausting. So instead I have been putting my efforts into Baby (up until her injury) and Angel with great pleasure and feeling of acomplishment. My mother told me it was my frame of mind entering the arena with dread in tow. So I tried to smile and laugh the whole time I worked with him.... to no avail. I wanted to be interesting to him like the old days.... (all of nine months ago) when he was wanting to please me in everything we did. My students of 9 and 11 could work with him... now I cannot trust anyone to lead him in the barn! How humbling as an owner to have to say... "& its all my fault"... I dont want to take responsibility for his digressing.... but I have to. Now we are finally beyond all that.... and a big THANK YOU goes out to Mike. He suggested I bring him up to his place and we work him in the round pen. GEEZ - thinking to myself ... been there done that... ground worked him to where he could do a showmanship patterns halterless. Saddled him, bridled him and rode him.... why would we need to go back to the round pen? Well.... maybe it wasnt for Charlie... maybe it was for me to establish trust in HIM again. Did I miss something the first time around? I couldnt have... I worked it to death. He was a star....Well I did load him up and take him to Mike today and I am sure glad I did! I was able to accomplish more today than I have with him in the last 6 months! We cantered carefree and did some patterns.... I was able to fill my bag of tricks and it was a treat. It wasnt Charlie all these months - it was me! I mean ... it must have been all in my head, he beat me down and made me eat humble pie - that bastard. Well, I am over it now. This week with the warmer weather temporarily moving in, it will give us a leg up to moving in the right direction together. So from 4 horses and not one for me to ride .............to..............I am supposed to be riding all of them every day all week. ... now... about that TurboJam! Do I really need that? :)
The pics of Mike working with him show just how happy he is to be out and about and doing SOMETHING! Although he did arrive in a trailer alone and shaking like a leaf.... the SALLY!
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