Horse Sense....

 

I am so freaking proud of us!

Az got on float (4 minutes), travelled well and then got off float with no issues apart from having stood on his rope halter and didn't feel like getting off it.  Super happy!

Actually, that's not 100% true.  Yes, I'm super happy, yes, Az travelled well, yes, it only took 4 minutes to get him on however, I had to sneak him on.  I kidd you not, I had to pretend we weren't doing anything special.  So, I couldn't load the car the night before or hook up the float and leave it outside in case he saw it.  Instead, I had to hook up float to car and then hide both of them in the barn.  This morning I had to feed out in the dark, have a shower, do my hair, get all my stuff lined up by the door waiting to go in car but not in plain sight and then put on my normal go see the horses clothes.  Then I had to pretend we were just practising float loading.  Then I nonchantly put the bar up behind him, siddled out and then shut the back of the float as gently (quickly) as I could, scooted back inside, got my son to load car up while I changed clothes, went for a pee then hopped in car and left.  

On a positive note, it worked perfectly and got him over his, If I get on the float you're going to give me away fear and let's face it, I've done worse things as a Mum.  Ask my son about Hoki Chicken.  

Sequoia is doing well.  She will be ridden in the next couple of days, would have been this week but the weather has been atrocious down the line here.  All goods.

Az was good in the round arena, not quite as good as Kirsty would have liked as we (me) got a couple of growls for lack of boundaries but overall I'm very happy with how it went.  

Did a riding lesson on Cracker.

Off to my Spiritual hot pools for a soak and recharge, wish us luck for tomorrow.

****

Well, today was both good and not and I'm going to ask you to open your mind, so let's go...

The first video I put up this morning was of Az and he wasn't happy.  If you look at the video you can see him turning his head away.  I'm chatting to him and he's ike, I'm not talking with you, I'm unhappy.  I didn't know where you were and wasn't sure you were coming back.  

The next video is of Sequoia, she's happy.  Not with me per se but we've talked about this so there's no point in repeating myself.  

We took Az into the round arena and it did not go well to start with.  But Az was like, This is your best game? Really? It obviously wasn't so we tried again and got some amazing results.  However, we were so busy working there was no chance to video.  It was a good session though.  

Next we moved to the normal arena to do freestyle.  Now bear in mind that we can do little bits of freestyle at home so I was expecting some really lovely video's.  Again, that was a yes but no.  I have some lovely ones of Kirsty freestyling with Az.  But I want you to go and have another look at these video's because Az did something he's done to me before.  He did exactly what he should have done, did a beautiful circle to turn and then looked directly at the camera.  Technically, this is all good.  However, this video shows him saying, I know what you want, Tania.  Let me show you me doing it...and I'm not doing it with you.

And not only does he do it once with Kirsty, he then did it twice just to prove a point.  Then, and I kidd you not, I went to do it, he turned round, went in the opposite direction and started eating grass.  Just to make sure that I knew he wasn't interested.  

Now, right about here you may think that I'm being a bit paranoid.  I quite possibly could be, it wouldn't be the first time that I have had the word randomly thrown in my direction however, it was getting on float and coming home that sealed the deal for me.  We had no problem loading coming down, easy as and I expected a great return getting on.  That was another mistake on my part.  He wanted to come home but come hell or high water he wasn't going to make me look good doing it.  So, he got half way up ramp then went, I don't think so.  

About 6 minutes later he gets on, turns himself around and then does the bolt off.  Kirsty just about had kittens at me.  Kirsty took over immediately, Az walked on like a lamb and then just stood there looking at me, licking and chewing.

Kirsty gave me another growl about boundaries and made me promise to walk him on and off when I got home.  

Inbetween the round arena and freestyle arena I hopped on Cracker and hung out.  

Az walked on and off at home like a rockstar.

On a positive note, we got some great work done but it just brought home to me again how much I love working with the Welsh.  You can't turn up to this party with half your game because it just doesn't cut it.  The Welsh ask you for everything you have.  Not just physically but emotionally.  To dig deep and bring your absolute best to the table.  

It's been a crazy couple of days though.  I learnt a lot, reaffirmed boundaries and have a definite plan.  One that includes if we are not doing some serious freestyling in the arena within one month of today we're back down to Kirsty's.  

I also have a deeper respect for Az.  I love intelligence.  It may drive me batsh*te crazy but I love it.

You know, even after everything I've written today I still don't doubt Az and my relationship or what we can accomplish.  I know from experience, the harder the journey the sweeter the taste.

Caps loves the young one feeding him.  Pretty much because the young one confused 2 slices with 1 bale so all my babies were stuffing themselves stupid while I was away.  I guess the notes of, Feed the horses with a stick figure stuck to fridge and bedroom door worked a bit too well. 

****

I'm not happy.  

Spirit have thrown me a curve ball.  

Miss Sequoia has taken to saddle like a duck to water and as you can see on the video's at Insta she's rocking it.  Apparently she is a breeze to ride and loves it.  

So, now it's making me doubt myself.  And I hate that.  So, I'm going to do two things:

1) I'm going to talk to Spirit.  If Sequoia is to be sold then I will sell her.  If Sequoia is to stay with me then she needs to stay.  And commit to us riding together.  Not her having a freestyle gallop and me hanging on for dear life but together.  I'm not having a half assed effort.  

2) I will talk directly to Sequoia when I see her Tuesday and tell her her choices.  Refer to 1.  

But this is how I live my whole life.  I can't do half - not half full, not half empty not half anything.  I either do or I don't do which is why, now I'm on this subject, a quite difficult person to date.  I'm like, You either want to wake up with me or you don't. I either make you laugh or I don't.  You either want to touch me and taste me or you don't. You either want to spend your time with me or you don't. And monogamy... Well, it's not f*cking rocket science.  

But apparently, according to every practical person in the world that's not dating, that's a relationship and no man will go past 3 dates without doing the horizontal mamba.  

That I'm being unreasonable.

Moi?  Unreasonable?  Quelle Horreur!  

Wait, let me think about this, no, we're all good... 

Bite my mighty fine ass.

I think we can safely say this whole Miss Sequoia thing has got me all wound up.  

So, come Tuesday, it's either You do want to or You don't want to day and I'm fine with whatever she decides, but if Missy's answer is No, she offically goes up for sale Wednesday.

****

 

 

OMG! Caps has bald spots!

 

 

 

If you look at the photo it is on his right where he is light.  I would do an arrow to it but that's beyond my computer skills so you're just going to have to guess.

But anyway, I took Caps cover off the other day - it's freezing here so I try not to take it off unless I need to and Hello! there's bald bits.  Well, one bald bit but up the top past his mane, along the top of his spine he also has little pimple type things that when you touch/squeeze them they come away with hair.  I'm not happy.  I went to Fiskens today and had a chat to the girls (who I love but I also love the boys there) and what we think it is (after I had pretended to be a horse - don't ask - and shown where the spots were) is either mites, lice or some sort of parasite.  No guarantees of course because I didn't actually take photo 1 in (I did take photo 2 though) but that sounds likely since it's only happened since he's had his rug on.  But I love going to a place where everyone is super friendly and always have time to chat about horses and pass an opinion, idea, thought or knowledge.  

Good luck to me in getting his rug off long enough to spray him and it, though.

****

The boundaries with my lovelies at home at feeding time is working well...not...they refuse to come into the paddock with me now and just stand there glaring at me from one paddock over.  

See, that's the thing when you open the horse/human door.  Once you hear you can never not hear ever again.  I'll talk to the horses again tonight and we'll get a new plan A around boundries and feeding.

On a positive note, it's great having the young one home again.

****

Sequoia is now officially up for sale.

****

I am addicted to Jaffa's at the moment.  There's a stash in my car, pantry and hand bag.  On a positive note, I am able to comfortably fit my new jeans that I bought a few weeks ago - go me!  On a, now that's optimistic note though I have just ordered another pair of jeans, another size down.  Actually, I've decided I wish to be in a size 26 Ariat, which is actually another size down again.  Ariats sizing goes down, 32 - 31 - 30 - 29 - 28 (current size) - 27 - 26.  

Now I think about it though, I think I either need another horse or a boyfriend.  Actually, maybe I should definitely have another horse and boyfriends.  One who is intelligent and I can have great conversations with and one who's just a hot bod and fun to shag.

And never the twain shall meet.

Wishing you much love my friends, and of course, my humans.

Caps, me, Spirit, Sequoia, Ralph, Chew and Az

xxxxxxxx