I might have reported that Lucky Star and I had a giant argument last Friday. We didn’t get it resolved on Saturday. I thought it was resolved on Tuesday, but the labor strike was still ongoing as of tonight.
Our arguments involve too much work expectations.
So tonight, I was able to play with Lucky in a round pen..at liberty. He had his saddle on as I expected to ride. I asked him to move around the round pen and he told me how he felt about that. He does front leg bucks. He puts his head down and hops around. He never kicks up his back legs in a real buck. He just hops around with his head down. Occasionally, he aimed a hind foot at me. I was a long way from him and in no danger. It is the middle finger thing. Lucky was giving me the middle finger. We had to stop when the saddle came up on his neck instead of on his back. I loosed it up, moved it back and tightened it up. Soon, we were doing darn well in the round pen. He cantered one entire circle both ways. That is magnificent for Lucky.
Off we went into the big arena. We were doing well online, so I decided he could walk around me at liberty. He did great. Then I decided he should speed up. He sped up all righty with his half bucks again and his statement of disdain. When his saddle slid up to his neck again, we had to stop and get some relief. I put the saddle back in place and tightened it up again.
Off he went again with his statement of disdain and half bucks. It didn’t take too long before the saddle came up again.
I had to take off the saddle in the middle of the sand arena and we went at it again. No saddle…No halter…only the truth.
Finally, he was able to trot a circle around me both directions in a dignified manner….at liberty!
Then we rode. The argument might be over.
Tomorrow is a blessed trail ride where he will be most willing to go!
PS: Cisco, the willing, is now in training at For the Horse Ranch with Nichole Copple! What a change it will be for me to ride a willing horse. I might dismount and faint in astonishment of how “willing” feels.