"Every horse has its day" ~ Jordan Kroll & Julie Fleming(lol) 

I went to the stable hoping that despite the didisagreeable weather, I'd still have a good ride. Yeah. Right. 

Before I delve into detail of my hectic morning, we'll go into the things that I've discovered irritate Cody. 

1) Cody hates when I take him from pasture before he gets his hay. 

2) Cody doesn't like waiting for me to get things together, i.e. tack, brush, hoof pick,braiding his mane... He becomes impatient and irritable. 

3) Cody gets very bothered by the wind and being out in it. 

4) Cody doesn't like when other horses are being ridden outside and I have him inside. 

5) Cody gets irritated when the wind is blowing,horses are neighing and I won't allow him out back

6) Cody doesn't like when I do other hirses(Jac, Rose and Duchess) before I do him. 

7) Cody doesn't like it when I withhold treats from him until after we ride, as I believe reward comes after work. 

8) Cody doesn't like loud noises

9) Cody doesn't like when a horse is riding with us, leaves,and I keep riding. This has been the cause of many tumultrous rides. 

10) Cody doesn't like being inside as opposed to being outside. 

Ok, our list is done.. yay. 

Now, my dislikes,his perspective

1) Paula hates when I act jumpy and she's alone. 

2) Paula doesn't like when I paw the ground and pull the cross ties

3l Paula doesn't like when I do my fast canter as opposed to my lazy lope

4) Paula doesn't like riding outside in the wind, it bothers her as much as me

5) Paula hates when I start snorting, blowing, tossing my head and pulling on the bit

6) Paula hates when I spook and jump to the side or leap forward

7) Paula doesn't like when I refuse to go through the door as though it's scary

8) Paula doesn't like when I refuse to stand and try break at the trot.. a fast trot.. 

9) Paula still doesn't feel secure when trotting or cantering rapidly, so I do this a lot to annoy her

10) Paula hates when I get mad and stop every other stride to poop...everywhere...

Good,we're  done. So I decided to brush Rose down before bringing in Jac and Cody. She did very well, even allowed me to clean her feet without kicking. She walked beside me as I led her in from pasture and back out again. According to an article I read(still not sure I believe it) a horse that walks beside you is a noble companion who has great respect for you.. a horse that walks slowly behind is stubborn and moody....and a horse that always trots or walks ahead of you has no Respect and is impatient with you... I know three horses who do all these... Anyway,  I finished up Rosie girl and went to get the boys. Cody ambled slowly behind me and Jac and I fought to lead. He wished to go trot past me and I wanted to walk(through the slick mud) ahead of him. I placed Cody in his stall and put Jac on the cross ties. I brushed him down to rid him of all the dry mud and applied an ointment to help his hair. Cody, who was very irritated as Jordan was late getting hay out, pawed the ground and continuously snorted in his stall. Spring has sprung in Michigan and all the young guys are out on their motorbikes. As I was leading Jac out to pasture one man, no idea where, decided to play with his. This spooked all the horses outside, including Jac. He reared up(he seems to do this alot) and came down facing me. I figured he was done as he walked up to me, almost on my feet and thrust his face into mine. Again the guy gunned his engine and Jac wheeled back, reared up and came down almost on me. This repeated off and on each time he almost stepped on me. When he wasn't jumping he was knocking into me with his butt(as he again trotted in front of me). After what felt like forever, I turned him loose in his pasture. Why he faced me and reared and came done towards me, I don't know. I don't handle Jac very often because I don't like him and he acts unpredictable sometimes and can be very hard for me to handle. So I usually don't handle him often. 

While we were doing all that, Cody was inside pawing the ground, neighing, snorting and kicking his stall door. After popping his nose and hooking him to the cross ties,i began to brush and tack him up. Naturally my day had to get more confusing as his saddle pad was nowhere to be seen. I figured, Oh well, I'd imorovise and ride bareback outside as the indoor arena appeared to be getting cleaned. The wind, light rain, horses and lack of morning hay made him very hostile. He was all jitters on the lunge line. I decided to ride indoors instead but he was mad as 1) he was inside, 2)another horse was riding outside and 3) I wouldn't let him get to the door. I ended up getting off and hooking him up to the cross ties by his bridle. I've done this before when I am looking for something I forgot or asking Jordan, the stable manager, a quick question, and Cody has always just stood there. I asked Jordan is she knew where his saddle pad may have gotten too, and she said no, but use Julie's white Dressage pad as it would fit the saddle. As we were talking I looked up in time to see Cody running past to go eat hay from yesterday that had blown around. After catching him(not hard as he was eating) I put the saddle pad on and rode outside in the rain. He did very well, probably because he'd caused enough trouble for today. Naturally he had to start pawing the ground, snorting and doing his rapid canter when I asked. Oy Vey is all I can say. 

Last Saturday both Cody and Rose ripped the cross ties and both tried kicking several times while Jac was his normal unpredictable self. This Saturday I didn't blame Jac for acting that way as the motorcycle was very annoying and he continued to feed off the other horses. The most I could do was not panic, avoid being kicked and try to relax him. I found that if I talk to him he calms down whereas touching irritates him more, I can relate to that. Rose was a gem, and is usually always good-natured for me while Cody is always very moody. I sometimes wonder if he's been with moody mares for too long. 

Julie said,  "Every horse has its day, just don't take it personally",which I tend to do. Today I almost got stepped on by a big bay TB, lost my QH mount and ingested enough hair from Rose to carpet a mansion. Last week, Rose caused my heart to race faster than what's healthy when she panicked and Cody gave me an Ulcer from irritation. I've been spoiled by Cody who's been giving me smooth days whenever I go out. As of late however, I've seen the ugly side of handling horses and have been learning how to handle it mentally, emotionally and physically when horses act out. I can't say I enjoy it, I don't think anyone enjoys it, but it hasn't ruined me from horses. I still wish to have them all the more now. 

Somehow Cody and I ended our ride on a good, happy note and he was turned out to pasture where his hay awaited him. 

~Have a happy, SAFE ride~ ;-) 

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