Ponying=Fail

So I think it ended up being in the 90s places today. I know it had to be that hot where the horses are because it was 90 in the shade when it felt like it was "cooling" off. I am no Texan so when it gets hot I always feel dramatic. Dickie was out sunning himself with the boys when I arrived. I thought these next few pictures turned out cute because you can see him walking over. Please notice he still has a fly mask on. He didn't even have the halter on over his mask. Not sure why they left him unmolested this long. I brought out my safety halter today and if he can keep the same halter until pay day I will get him another one with the fancy ears. 

My friend was coming out today to meet me at Bre's farm so I walked my ass up the steep hill and thought I was going to die from heat stroke (I have to take a picture of this hill next time, skinny people will laugh at me but my fellow squishy middlers will feel my pain). Being overweight, out of shape, and in the heat isn't a good mix. When I used to walk Bre up the hill I would make her pull me up by the tail but somehow I don't think that would work out well for me with Dickie. Fortunately, he was great on his walk up even when the dogs started yapping at him. E, the friend meeting me, is an old riding buddy. We boarded together before I moved Bre to the smaller private stable. We rode together as much as possible and put in many hours out on the trails. Her mare was best friends with Bre. 

Today we hopped on Romeo and Bre and quickly realized that plodding at the speed of an old dairy cow suited us just fine. I have been wanting to pony Dickie and I had the thought that the ponies being extra mellowed by the heat might make the first pony session uneventful. It was also a bonus to have my friend there because she is one of the best horsewomen I know. I didn't anticipate any huge problems. My mare is the horse who can go anywhere on a trail ride, front back, middle, wherever. She lets the other horses ride right up her big QH butt. Horses can slam into her, nip her, lean on her, whatevs. She has a big walk and trot so she will be able to keep up with Dickie. She is also fairly tall (just a shade under 16h) so I won't be dwarfed by him. My only worry was the fact that she hasn't been exposed to horses other than Romeo for two years. 

E handed me Dickie and he seemed polite as could be about the whole thing. Then I noticed my mare straining as hard she could not to sniff his nose. NO!! Not the dreaded mare nose sniff!!! If any of you have mares you will know that sniffing noses is the worse thing you can do. They prick their ears up, bat those long eye lashes, and give such an inviting little whicker. What gelding could possible resist that kind of blatant seduction? Then they are rewarded by their friendly "Hello" with a blood curdling scream and a lash out with the front foot. Bre is one of the least marish mares I know but she is still capable of a good scream/stomp. Dickie responded when I shushed him back but Bre was dead set on getting her sniff. Apparently she is in season and decided he was the man for her. She turned her neck around to give him her best come hither look and no amount of pulling would get her to put her head straight forward. I kicked and tugged, then kicked and tugged some more. 

Phew, Finally she acquiesced and put her nose forward without incident. Despite my mini victory, the war was not won. After two steps along the rail she refused to take one more. She had decided to stick her rear up in the air, pee, and flash her tail in the wind. Dickie was her man and there was nothing I could do about it. I was so exhausted from kicking her that I gave up and handed him off to E. 

Some of you might be reading this and wondering why I would even think to pony a young horse off of a such a naughty mare. The funny thing about this situation is that Bre is one of the most responsive horses you will ever ride. It takes nothing to get her to bend and flex. She goes forward off the slightest leg. She is an incredibly obedient horse when I am on her back, even when she is is in season. If I tell her not to pin her ears or sniff a nose, she doesn't. I can ride her with just a strap around her neck even with other horses nearby (and have done so recently). This includes trotting, cantering, 10m circles, serpentines, center lines, and stopping..... Not today she said. She was too beside herself with love to be bothered with my opinion on suggested activities. Sometimes you have to go with your heart and Bre's heart was saying  "Must be ravished by tall brown horse now." My Bre is now officially a cougar. 

Oh well, maybe next week......