Arrived today after a side trip to the feed store for Hooflex and a long scouting trip for gear - drawn out by hesitance about my approach and where I was going. Does having nice stuff help you to have a nice horse? Looked to see if they had Rescue Remedy for horses but didn't see any. Bet somebody does...me and the horse could share.
Bad case of nerves manifested in having to pee over and over. Why do we use the expression 'pissing like a racehorse'? Nobody around when I arrived at all, the Arab geldings in the mares' paddock and everybody else inside.
Went in - said hi and started working on my 'it's a brand new day' demeanour. Swept the floor, whistled and hummed a Tom Waits song 'a little rain...'Didn't even notice the chalkboard with the turnout diagram. I was cleaning the floor when I saw it and got a lump in my throat immediately.
#1 thing: I was alone. Not that I'm not often - it's a bit of a choice and I'm not unhappy with it except when I'm lugging the groceries or the laundry, etc. Or maybe doing electrical work.
But yeah, most of my life post-middle school has been about doing it on my own and proving to myself over and over that I could.
When do you win the championship definitively? Ah, but there's no record that can't be shattered and there's no proof in the doing somehow.
Anyway, being alone and wiring up a ceiling fan and then being alone with a highly problematic horse are two remarkably similar yet distinctively different situations. There are no emotions with live wires, at least on the part of the wires.
But I digress- horses needed turnout and I needed to get the worst one out first.
Went into the stall and was immediately faced down. Halter went in the mouth as did lead and then I got shoved into the corner with him blocking the door - right where i didn't want to be. Not a good start. Abandoned all hope of grooming and went out for a walk to flush out the adrenalin.
On the way back I ducked into the tack room and actually prayed. To God. Out loud - but not loud enough that the devil in the stall behind the wall could hear.
Collected myself and went out for Round 2. Same damn thing. Retreated and tried going in the other door - Regal walked briskly right up to me, grabbed onto the halter in my hands and I released. Once he dropped it I left again.
Sh--Sh--Sh--Sh--Sh--
Ok. Fine. Cool out time required, along with the moving of the Arab geldings out of the mares' paddock and into the one between the Thoroughbreds. Bless little Calypso and Fyn - I'm sure they knew I was sh--scared but they didn't take advantage. I wanted to hug them both and just cry on their friendly and well-adjusted shoulders.
Returned to the barn for another go at the halter from outside the stall. Tried to plat a fun game of 'put the nose in the hole'. Not really fun for anyone.
Went back in the stall and had the halter snatched from my hands and flipped at my head (wearing a helmet). As soon as I showed no interest the halter got dropped - same thing if I made the lead my focus. Now we might be getting somewhere.
Still not a lot of confidence but i didn't want to turn everyone else out and leave the (unprintable name) in the barn. Suspected that would cause way more trouble.
Withdrew and stepped outside the barn to put my head between my knees and try to just breathe.
Next move: plan the walk to the paddock. 1st step: secure the road and filed gates so that if anything drastic happened I wouldn't have a loose horse on the road or the 400 acres of rugged terrain outside the expansive field around the property. Prayed all the way from the field gate to the road gate and all the way back. usually when I pray I ask to win the lotto (just a few thousand would do) - this time I asked for protection, courage and guidance. "Just please let it be okay."
Went back to the barn with a get'er done approach. Grabbed my crop for self-defense and practiced drawing it from the back of my pants a few times. Walked into the stall, told him to back up (hahahahaha) and went to the shoulder. Halter went into the mouth while I put the lead over his neck. Once I had the lead gathered and active he grabbed that right away. Halter went over the nose and ears and I drooped the lead and tried to fasten the clip on the halter. Mouth came in and I stepped quickly out of the stall. On the other side of the low wall I fastened the clip and took my lead back.
Opened the stall door, stepped in, fastened the lead and then threw the door open and marched that devil right out of the barn towards the far paddock with my stick tucked into the back of my pants ready to draw.
The walk to the paddock was entirely uneventful - even the gate went smoothly. i hung the whip up on the wall and went to get Aly ready.
Next problem:getting Aly through the gate and turned out safely. Aly, of course, was a dream - he's a true veteran (the been-there-done-that-type)- and made the trip from the barn to the paddock effortless.
As predicted, Regal crowded us both at the gate. I turned Aly sideways so that he'd have a clear shot with his hind end. Regal pushed him into me but Aly stopped at my hand on his chest and I turned him quickly towards me, pulled his halter and let him run out along the fence away from me.
As soon as Aly was free I ran at Regal swinging the halter and lead and growling like a pissed off mountain lion. Regal turned on his heel and peeled out quickly.
The little girls roars. Hmmm...
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