it happens. You go to get your horse. Your horse turns away and leaves you. I want my horse to come to me and anticipate our time together. My last post was news that Cisco turned his back to me. I was spurned.
Yesterday, I went out to feed the hungry horses. I offered to let Cisco out of the horse pasture. I opened the stall door. He looked at me, turned his tail and left me hanging.
Sadly, we had a major lesson coming up. Practice on the gaits and then my heaven on earth, lead changes. It was not deathly hot, but sweat snuck into every wrinkle I own. Cisco was wet. He had to expend a ton of effort. I tried to thank him and rub him when he did good. I get carried away during the lead change exercises and forget to rub him as often as I should.
We were done. His head itched with sweat. I took off the bridle and he rubbed his head against me. Then he put his head around my neck and kept it there. He was hugging me. I had no food to give him on his trailer ride home. He did get treats.
Today I went out to the stalls to see what would happen in our relationship. After the hardest of day of riding, Cisco did not turn away from me. He allowed himself to be haltered. I led him out of the stall to the trailer. I set a bucket of food down next to the trailer entrance and let him eat. When he was done, he went back into the horse pasture. I am back in his good graces. Whew!