Happy drugs/hormones - coffee and oxytocin

I had such a great day I can't believe it. It was perfect. Except I didn't want to get out of bed at all at 6AM, complaining a lot. No time to finish my breakfast, it sat on the table all day. But when I got to the barn, everything was good.

I spent an hour cleaning my stall, washing my bucket, filling it with boiling water and then washing my feed bucket, and filling my hay sacks. Willy said, "Should I put a round bale in your stall? It will save you work and time." Ha ha.

I got Mag and the way he greets me is such a dose of oxytocin. I know it's mostly get me out of here and where's my bucket but it still feels good.

But instead of going to the barn I took him straight to the arena and removed his blanket and let him roll (6 times, never less). I wandered around smoothing out the roll spots with a rake, and then smoothing the entire bahn. He followed me curiously.

Then I got a whip and asked him to walk and he made a rather tight circle around me, but that's fine. Eventually I started making faces at him and jumping around like an idiot and he started playing. Indeed he bucked repeatedly while galloping, for about 2 minutes. Good that we did this, but then like a lightswitch he was back to his normal lazy self, asking to move as little as possible.

When we were done I gave him a snack and suddenly he spooked cuz Tanja had poked her head over the door. Tanja, my favorite person! And her horse is Mag's favorite horse, Mia, the Connemara.

I brought Mag to the barn as she brought her matching grey horse and as we got them ready for a ride, she asked me to stand with Mia for a few moments as she fetched her grooming kit. She said Mia might try to break free. I asked what I was supposed to do, release the panic snaps? OK. I had been washing Mag's tail (IT IS FINALLY WHAT I CONSIDER TO BE WHITE!) so I held the shampoo up to her nose to keep her occupied but as Tanja came back, I saw the mare's expression change from curious to stressed. I don't know why. Tanja is the most peaceful, laid back person. In fact Tanja told me that Gabi is instructing her in how to yell and get mad when her horse is bad, and how hard it is, well....

Suddenly Mia pulled back and tried to bring the metal panels down. Mag was on the other side of that panel. He didn't like that very much. Mia pulled until she broke her lead, and then stopped. Poor Tanja, she tried to "get mad" at her but it's not in her nature. But seeing something so violent is difficult and I'm sure she was also scared. Oh Mag, you never need to do something like that.

The thing is, Mia was never scared. She planned it and executed it. She no longer wished to be tied, so she broke something. This is the only situation where I would hard tie a horse. Because of no fear. But since Tanja didn't ask, I didn't say anything, just, "Oh dear, that's no good."

Later I found the broken panic snap and handed it to her, "I don't think you can repair this." She said, "I'll go to the store and try to find these in a 10-pack, cuz she's broken so many." Oh dear.

Then she made me laugh, "How long did it take for you to love your chestnut mare, your heart horse?" I said, "Never. I never loved her. I sold her." Oh, what? *lol* I explained it was another gelding I loved, and how I loved every hair on his body. She said, "What did he look like?" I pointed to Mag, "Like this one. " The reason she asked dwelled on me for a while - is she having second thoughts about her first horse, who she admitted she fell in love with at first sight? Hm. Poor Tanja she's had a horse for exactly 5 months, and is learning as fast as she can, but her first horse is not easy.

Then we had a blast riding together. She asked me why I don't warm Mag up at a walk under saddle but I said I'm a little strange about this point - since it's freezing out, and he has no turnout/movement, I will not put any weight on his back until he's walked for at least 10 minutes. I know, I'm crazy! But we had so much fun. She rode patterns, voltes and serpentines and I followed, working on the precision of my aids, and bending. I realized her horse has good rhythm, but a slower tempo, so we were a little too close repeatedly. I was glad that Mag is not the slowest horse on planet earth, after all. Then I led and she followed. She quickly fell behind, so I feel good about our marching walk progress.

The thing I'm starting to see at this barn is no one stops to praise their horse. They just ride and ride and ride and are done. My trainer back home would not let that happen, we had to stop and praise and stroke our horses after every good effort. Admittedly we are not doing much, but I think Mag appreciates it when I stop and rub his neck.

Then there was this crash and both Mia and Mag spooked, but we both stayed on, thank God.

Then Tanja said that was enough for one day and she's happy with our ride. I said so too, rubbed Mag, and then jumped off. I wonder if she was shaken up from the spook, I certainly was, but spooks without falling are optimal: )

I asked if I could have a cup of her good coffee and we made ourselves some. I felt the coffee lift my spirits like the drug it is, when rationed.

Gabi was there rasping the hooves of her gorgeous Icelandic horse Bofi, or Bifu. He had so much hair I told her, "I he had a swollen leg you'd never know! He's so pretty" So, see, I can be nice to Gabi even after all that....

I left Mag in the outdoor arena, a snow field, and he wandered around eating snow, looking at the mares, but mostly watching where I was as I  drank my coffee.

I thanked Tanja for a fun time and said "You're my favorite person to ride with. We have the same agenda. Let's do it again tomorrow!"

Hoping for another tomorrow.

Steffi emailed me, after I told her about my week, and asked if I'd have gotten right back on again after a fall, a few months ago. I said, "Well, I'm strongly programmed to, I always do." (After the latest research shows you must not follow Mr. Morris' view.)