The Wild One

On Saturday, after having not ridden since Monday, I went to groom WallE in his pasture. He stood quietly while I curried, then trotted gleefully to the far end of the pasture when I brought out the dandy brush. I walked over and he stood happily while I finished grooming. I taught a few lessons and then went to catch WallE. He trotted to me from about 100 feet away, I was thinking, 'wow he must really have missed riding.' Well as soon as he got close to me, he trotted a half circle and the hauled ass to the far end of the pasture, kicking and bucking as he went. Once again, I walked all the way over and caught him without a problem. 

As I was tacking up WallE was a bit flighty. No serious spooks, just jumpier than normal. I decided it was probably best to lunge him first. As soon as I put the lunge line on and directed him to go out, he trotted and then cantered. Not in a mean and aggressive way, just in a forward and 'yeehaw' kind of way. So I brought him back in, took his tack off and turned him loose in the arena. 

He literally just cantered around the perimeter. Ears forward, just loving life. 

Eventually, I joined him in the arena and did a mixture of waterhole rituals and join up with him. It took three times of me sending him out and inviting him back in, but he was happy to stand and be saddle and let me on without being wild. 

Once in the saddle, we walk, trot, cantered and leg yielded. It took less than 10 minutes total. I walked him out for about 20 minutes and gave him a good groom. 

It was the perfect day for him to need a little extra time. I had no afternoon plans, no lunch plans and could have stayed in the arena as long as we needed to. With patience and communication, I think WallE had a good day too. I know that he enjoyed the ground work, because of the way he relaxed and wanted to follow me around. Plus, he got a little alfalfa when it was all said and done.