Not Getting Away With It.

Okay, Old Sports--Sometimes a horse has gotta be honest, so here goes: despite my name, I was not great this weekend.

It started off well.  Spode came and chillaxed with me on Thursday night and we had our usual good time catching up together.  Friday was a little bit more eventful though.  Like a typical Canadian, I'll blame it all on the weather.

Spode came to the gate and I wouldn't come--that's a bad sign for both of us.  I always come to the gate and we both know it.  Truth is, I was trying to come up with a contingency plan because I was ashamed of my dirty side.

Here goes...

As I got closer, Spode began to groan.

There's no hiding the fact that I really enjoyed a day at the mud spa today...

Yeah, my whole side was covered.  Spode wasn't too impressed, and I wasn't looking forward to standing in the cross ties all that time to get it off.

Do as both a favour and just look at this side of me!

No such luck, so Spode started leading me to the gate.  I stopped halfway there and refused to go any further.  So Spode and I had our first stubborn argument.  She out stubborned me eventually, but it was a decent argument.  It was just so muddy and difficult to walk in, I didn't want to go! I learned my lesson: it's easier to listen to Spode than it is to fight her.  She may be small and she sure slides around easily when it's muddy out, but she's quick to stop my antics before I get the upper hoof.  Aw shucks.

I had ants in my pants in the barn and just would not stand still, so Spode decided to let me run in the arena.  See, I hadn't been able to run around in my paddock due to the half-frozen mud, and I had energy to spare.  I did manage to get Spode to laugh, but then I was very sweaty and Spode and I had a lot of walking to do to cool me down.  And I still didn't have the patience to stand still in the barn.  Sorry Spode.

Saturday was much better.  I came to the gate right away in the middle of a snow storm.

Oh yay! You've come to rescue me!

I got brushed a lot and didn't have to do any work in the arena because it was busy. Excellent! 

It's still not very easy to walk in here, Spode!

Spode mostly just hung around and watched me in the snowflakes.  I was toasty warm thanks to my Clydesdale genes. Not like my poor friend Striker who shivers as soon as anyone mentions the word snow.  He's wrapped up in blankies 24/7.  I gather Spode kind of enjoys that, so it's a win-win for them. Spode is rather annoyed that Striker managed to rip her blanket in one day though.  

I'm turning into a Blanket Appaloosa! 

Striker likes to catch snowflakes with his tongue!

Now, today I was also full of beans, but I started off well.  I came over to her and she attempted to groom the mud off me that had flash frozen before her eyes when I crashed through a puddle and suddenly had a mud splatter up to my knees where I had previously been spotless.  Nothing worked to get that frozen mud off-curries, towels, brushes... nothing.  It looked like I had two black legs.  I also jingled when I walked thanks to the frozen mud balls in my feathers.  I could be in a parade! 

Spode let me in the arena to get rid of some beans again, and all seemed to be going well until she decided to call it a day and bring me back out.  My lead rope was frozen, so she had to breathe on it before she could lead me out.  I got a wee bit impatient and nipped her jacket.  Oh boy.  That was the wrong decision.  Spode chased me away and made me run and run until I stopped being disrespectful by kicking out in her direction as I was tearing along.  We did join up and I followed her around like I knew I was supposed to. Yeah, Spode wins again.  I kept out of her space after that and didn't try to nip again.  Sheesh. 

I'll try to be a little more respectable next weekend, but no guarantees! It was so cold and windy, I just wanted to run and get on with my day! 

Until later, Old Sports.

Jay.