Got a Ride In

...Of Sorts.

The ring thawed out enough to do an easy ride.

Leave it to Tucker to spoil things. For some reason, he decided he just was not going to go past the gate to the woods.

Something early in the morning had upset the whole gang because getting them settled in for breakfast was a game of musical stalls. Toby never did eat everything and kept going out to crib on the fence.

Whatever it was held power for the afternoon as Tucker simply balked and refused to go forward once I was in the saddle.

I was not happy, so I got off, went in and got the lunge line and whip and worked him in a circle by the gate until he stopped leaping and spooking every time he passed that side of the arena.

When I got back on, he was far from settled, but I was able to trot him around in a stretchy frame making him overbend to the inside each time we passed the "scary spot."

It was cold. It was windy, and the footing was uneven, but really, the nonsense was totally uncalled for. By the time we were done he had worked up a bit of a sweat, so after a walk I put him in his stall with the sweatsheet on.

Later, when I turned him back out, the Boys were still a bit agitated.

I guess I need to be a "fly on the wall" out there just to see what goes on when they get so silly.

I dragged/raked the arena, so tomorrow, if it is again above freezing, I will have a nice surface. I may drag it again then, so when it freezes back up, at least it will be level.

There is potential for some snow by midweek and then a break in the really cold weather by the end of the week. This time of year, you just have to take it as it comes.