Cracked

Ernie saw the chiropractor on Wednesday. He's got a love-hate relationship with chiropractic work; he fights and fights and fights, especially when it comes to his neck, but as soon as the deed is done, it's head to the floor and lots of licking and chewing, sighing, etc.

So, given his unusual recent behavior, it was OK to assume that he'd be better (!!!! I know, HUGE assumption) under saddle the next day, right?

Wrong.

I don't know this horse. I don't know what's going on with him, but he was still just as bad to ride on Thursday as he has been the past couple of weeks. I know I mentioned him "upping the ante" on me as being a possible source of his snarkiness, but I'm starting to wonder if there is something else. I know I'm a contributing factor; I've been more on edge every time I get on him, because I'm nervous about a repeat of two Fridays ago. I need, for his sake, to do some deep breathing and seriously learn to relax when I get on. But I don't think it's all me.

It seems like when I do ride, he's rushed, very, very tense, and gets seriously irritated when I ask for any kind of lateral movement, especially when it means moving left. He's basically put a block on all my aids, strapped on a pair of Abbie-canceling headphones and given me the middle finger.

It's not just under saddle, though. It's on the ground, too. He's gotten nippy and mouthy with me, is absolutely pissy around feeding time (not abnormal, but he's never been this mean) and has been all around nasty to work with. He's gotten more anxious, even though he's on calmers and nothing else about his surroundings have changed. I don't know what to do.

I'm going to continue under saddle work with him and see if he gets better over time; I don't expect absolute amazing-ness all at once, but I do expect to see some marked progression and improvement.

So, for now, I'm blaming part weather. I've got nothing better to go on, and ALL the horses have been stupid-goofy with the recent 35 degree spell and appearance of sun (you know, that mythical thing that us Vermonters see less often than a blue moon)...

Grrr...God, please bring my Ernie back to me.