It was a beautiful day even though a thunder storm was predicted, it wasn’t expect for quite some time and the sun was bright and shinny. I thought it would be a good day to introduce Miss Jezebel to the trail. She loves to look out towards the trail and the tree line whenever we walk by the entrance, its almost as if shes trying to get me to take her there. Mentally willing me to take her out and explore the trail. I thought better of it until I knew she had brakes. The day was beautiful and I thought what the hell, it’s as good a day as any I’ll just go out for 5 or 10 minutes see how she does. I spoke to a friend at the barn and she gave me the low down on which direction would be better for a 10 minute out and back.
I tacked up my girl, lead her to the trail entrance, mounted via the mounting block and she immediately freaked out. Nooooooo not the trail! She was snorting and spooky and not willing to go anywhere near the trail. I managed to stay on even with all her weaving and bobbing but i’m sure it looked a fright. Good thing the vet showed up just at that moment and got to witness my ordeal. Nothing like looking like a fool in front of others! I decided to walk her back and forth in front of the trail entrance then let her stand and just look over the fence, she wasn’t happy about it but she did calm down some. Back and forth, look over the fence and back and forth and look over the fence. We did this for about 10 minutes, then I dismounted and walked her though the entrance and she again freaked out. Not as bad as when I was on her but she did not want to cross a mud puddle. Noooooooo not the mud puddle! I tried to ease her up to it, she would get about 2 feet, snort and balk. Good times. So I just stood there with her and let her get used to the big scary mud puddle. When she was clam (but still wouldn’t cross it) I went back to the barn. I figured we’d end on a good note. On the way back to the barn my never spooky horse thought the drain on the street was scary, the drain she passes everyday with out even a glance. When she saw the tractor, yanno the one she sees every day two times as it drives up the barn aisle after the stalls have been mucked, yeah it might as well been a flying spaghetti monster. Nope wasn’t gong to walk past that. I had to walk her around the whole barn and take her into the indoor ring though the other side of the property.
Once inside the ring she was more like herself though she was not my calm sweet pretty filly who always tries so hard for me. She was a prancy, dancy distracted beast. We just walk/halted for about 10 minutes until they had to pull the hay truck inside because it had begun to rain. The storm was arriving and I was pretty much over my disaster of a day.
Later my vet said that it was probably the weather that had caused her to freak out so bad, that the pressure had dropped a lot. Maybe that was the source of her super freak out, who’s to say I don’t know. I do know I will be spending lots of time hand walking my girl, treats in pocket out on the trail. Shes a very bright and pretty resilient girl. It’s only a matter of time before I get her out there enjoying the trail. I know she wants to go explore the world with me, I can see it in her eyes.