I told Ransom, "Listen, dude. Quick ride in the western garb in the arena. Show me you'll be as good as you've been the past few days, and we'll go walk & goof off."
Yeah.. I need to quit telling him ahead of time on goof-off days. He was a complete, total, DORK!
I argued with him for nearly 25 minutes at the transitions. Just getting into a collected walk was a fight. His mind was everywhere but on me, sweat running down his legs, he was stomping & arguing with it. Rubbing his face on his legs in the walk around circles.
When I finally did get some good walk work and good trots in, we rode a bit of canter, staying in each direction solid at the canter until he'd slow down, collect, and pay attention. I did far end circles, middle circles, low end circles, all the way around. Both directions, in random orders, to keep him thinking "Where are we going? I should Momma tell me where we're going." At one point, we argued for nearly ten minutes JUST from halt to collection to walk forward. He kept wanting to toss his head up into the walk. "No Sir!"
After almost 45 minutes, I finally got his attention, and got solid work in at all three gaits in both directions, with some quite awesome trots to halt. No spurs, and no "goof off walk", either. As it turns out, my one neighbor had their tractor going & stopping, and somebody had a rifle out, hunting something. The second time that #$&*^ gun went off, I hollered... then the tractor got quiet, the gun didn't go off again, and it was peaceful. Too bad it didn't start out that way.
Unsaddled, gave Ransom a bath, and let him dry with some munching hay. Organized my clippers, sprays, brushes, extension cords, a good spot with a gentle breeze, all my things set out on the front porch. Let him dry while I organized... The clippers threatening me with pointy teeth.
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