Solo has been in the hardest work yet over the past three days.
On Friday we had a foot of snow and the heat had gone from his leg. Because he had had quite a bit of time off, Selena ponied him for twenty minutes in the snow to settle him down. He has this thing about hills. When he gets to a hill, whether ridden or led without a rider, he gets really mad. He pins his ears and wriggles his neck and starts to do little rears. As I said in a previous post, we thought it was all about our weight, but it’s all about the hill itself. He doesn’t mind if he can trot up, but he just hates to struggle uphill in walk. Having my weight to carry is just about the ‘straw that broke the horse’s back’ as far as Solo is concerned. As soon as I got on and pointed him up the first slope he started grumbling and cursing under his breath. Two or three times up the first hill he did his little hop but Selena had a hold of him so I just held the breastplate and had a little giggle. On the downhills however he just plain halted. Full stop, drag me if you can. So….I kicked him…hard…..THREE times. Well, that made his mind up about stopping, although he still does it without a rider, he has not stopped with me on him since I kicked him on Friday. I am too nervous to kick him on the slippery snowy hill when he is only standing on two legs, but I may have to resort to a good smack soon.
On Saturday someone else had the joy of babysitting me. I didn’t have him ponied first but just got on, same thing but even grumpier. This time one of the rears got a bit big and he stopped that (I think he frightened himself) and started little leaps and bucks instead….LOL Halfway round I get ‘let go’ by my leader – doesn’t really seem to make the slightest difference, he is just as rude either way as soon as you get to a hill. On the flat he is gorgeous.
OK, so now it’s Sunday and this time Selena dragged him around one of the paddocks through the deep snow at trot before I get on. Didn’t make the slightest difference, same argument at the same hill. Again, one of the rears got a bit big and he stopped and tried little leapy bucks. However, by half way around the little circuit he actually got a bit more rideable and even with some bunny hops and skitters I felt really safe and secure on my own. I was sorry to have to give him a day off today, but Christmas shopping has to take precedence over even Solo. He is SO much fun, I am having a blast. Selena goes to Ocala in mid Jan, so I have to be comfortable with riding him by then.
One not so nice item – the little scrape on the side of his knee is producing a tiny mound of proud flesh. We are going to have to put some copper tox or similar on it and start to scrape and press it back with a spoon…..BLECH!
