Starting Fresh

Spring has made its way to Minnesota and it's been glorious. Today it was sunny and in the 70s, so I walked a mile and a half to my favorite tea place, just because I felt like it. Next week it may get a bit cold, but for now, soak it in.

I rode Royal for the first time in months on Sunday, and it was mostly good. I removed about 6 currycombs of hair beforehand, but there were still clumps of hair bouncing down the road after us like tumbleweeds. We made it down to the Sheep Of Death and I could see that he was starting to sweat, so we turned back. I had periodically been asking him to back up as a way of keeping his brain from wandering too far off, but some reason, about halfway back, I asked him to back up and he decided it. Was. Not. Happening. Started skittering sideways and flinging his head in the air. I was laughing and trying to get him to at least try to back up, when he planted his feet and reared. Not very high, but still went up.

Oh hell no.

I was off in a shot and asked him very strongly to back up and back up fast. He, of course, was still in "NO!" mode and kept trying to go sideways or barge forward. It took about a quarter of a mile before he stopped fighting and took a few step straight backwards. He was all sweaty and worked up, but he started yawning and sighing. I got back on and he backed up like a champ. So, I have no idea what all the fuss was about, but happily he seemed to be over it.

It was very nice to have this view again.

So he was having a bad hair day. I haven't unleashed the thinning shears yet.

We'll see what happens next time. Conniption fit or no, we got to get ready for show season.