On Tuesday he was high as a kite. Run, run, run is all he wanted to do. But once I got him to calm down for a minute I got some b-e-a-u-t-i-f-u-l trot and canter work out of him. Although we did have to go into the ring after a few minutes because of his uppitiness.
Today he was a totally different horse. I like to tell people Poncho has about 5 different personalities undersaddle. Well today he proved me right. He was stellar for his hillwork walking with a nice big swinging stride. Then we went to trot down the field. He balked big time! Then he finally got moving, sometimes letting him canter first will make things better. So what the heck I thought - lets canter. Canter he did, then all of the sudden we cantering back to the water trough. So we turned around and trotted, maybe this was a mistake I don't know, back down the field and then walked back up. Then I decided to go into the ring to get some "real" work done. Nope that wasn't happening. His trot work wasn't horrible BUT I know he can do so much better. His canter work was nonexisitent. To the right he was majorly falling in to the point I just couldn't do anything he was totally nonresponsive to any aid I was giving. Then the left he didn't want to pick up the lead again, surprise - not. So I brought him back to a trot to try again. BIG mistake. He was speed trotting ramming into everything. I got him steadied and finally got him to pick it up again. I didn't even get a chace to feel if we got the right lead before...BAM he was off. Running through his right shoulder (big surprise again huh?) full speed ahead. It got to the point we were running out of ring and he wasn't stopping or turning. So unfortunately I ended up practically standing up in the stirrups trying to slow him down. After I finally got him to a trot we did a few circles then left the ring. I never really ended on a "good" note but I ended on a calm note. That counts for something I suppose.
I could speculate a million things that could have brought this on ranging from his hatred of a leather girth when his winter coat starts to shed to he misses having a riding buddy to the wind finally got to him. Who knows. Who cares at this point it's over. Tomorrows another day.
I will however add that he did pout by the water trough for over an hour once I turned him back out. I finally went back out there and gave him a good wither scratch, he even groomed me back, to get back on his good side. Silly pony. He's so dramatic sometimes. Following his pattern I susupect he'll be fine tomorrow. Gosh I love him so much, some people will never understand it though.
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