Don't Pass the Buck!

Like most horses, my horses love turnout time.  This is their chance to show off, play, and much to my annoyance, prove just how athletic they are.  The roll back I get when I am riding is much different than the roll back my horse does when playing in the pasture.  The difference in speed is like comparing a International Harvester to a Lamborghini.  I, of course, am driving the International. 

Anyway, I was turning out horses the other day and boy, were they feeling good.  Lucky, my 11 year old Quarter Horse that I use for lessons, is usually very laid back.  But that day she was ready to go.  I turned her into the round pen and she was bucking, kicking and running around the pen like a wild thing.  I was glad my young lesson kids weren’t there to watch her as they would have thought she had gone crazy.  While Lucky was having her party, I brought Sophia, my 2 year old Arabian filly, out of the barn to turn her in with Lucky.  Lucky was still running around the pen bucking and snorting and Sophia was watching her.  I could tell Sophia was getting excited and I thought as soon as I turn her loose we’re going to see a show.  Sophia contained herself nicely as I took the halter off and exited the pen.  She stood in the middle of the pen for a minute watching Lucky do contortions in mid-air worthy of the roughest bronc.  I could see Sophia winding herself up for some really spectacular explosion of energy.  I watched to see how prepared I will need to be when I get on her the first time.  I think if she comes out of this standstill with a backflip and a half-twist I’ll be talking to one of my boys about getting on her first. 

Sophia is trembling and suddenly, there she goes.  All four feet are off the ground and…that’s it.  No buck, no rear, no snort! She got a whole two inches off the ground. What an anticlimax!   Sophia proceeded to prance around the pen, head and tail held high, so proud of her big moment. Lucky looked at her with an expression of disbelief and then went to town bucking and running again as if to say, “this is how it’s done”!  

I turn Sophia out in a pen by herself now.  I don’t want her watching the other horses and getting any ideas.  This appears to be a horse meant for me at my stage in life.  I’ll be darned if I’ll let the other horses teach her bad habits.  Don’t pass the buck!