We started out on the lunge line, with Highboy leaping around and doing airs above ground. Mazhi the dog added to the bedlam by barking and trying to run underneath him while he's airborne. This works out fine when they are loose in the round pen together, but when I'm trying to keep his attention on me in the circle she adds a significant degree of difficulty.
I do like having the dogs with me, though, because it teaches the horses to pay attention to me and ignore distractions, however entertaining they may be. I continued lunging Highboy and having him do transitions from trot to canter to walk, then changing directions and varying the commands. I also had Highboy going over at least four ground poles on the circle while he was lunging, to get him to think a little more and romp a little less. He always starts out LEAPING over poles and then bucking, kicking, and generally demonstrating his athleticism.
One of Highboy's favorite maneuvers is what I call the "fist bump". He keeps his body quite low to the ground, and then randomly strikes out with one of his hooves, as though he were a frat boy greeting his compatriots at a party. Another move he demonstrates is one I call "porpoising ". This one looks like he's a dolphin diving in and out of the water, humping his back and occasionally kicking his heels above his head on the dive.
When I attempt to ride with friends there are always more than a few skeptical looks begging the question, "Are you really planning to climb on that horse?"
Sometimes in between gymnastic endeavors on the lunge line Highboy will suddenly slam on the brakes, turn in, and look at me saying, "Ok, I'm done and ready to ride now". I always reply by telling him that I don't believe him, and that he has to PROVE to me that he's ready by walking politely and quietly on the lunge line for a few laps and then show me some quiet balanced and well behaved transitions. Most of the time he does indeed have some yahoo left in him, to which I remark, "I thought so."
Eventually, though, Highboy does settle down and I can get on. Today we did some walk, trot, and canter in the arena before we headed out to the fields to ride with friends. Highboy hopped over the cross rails and stepped well over the ground poles, even gave me a couple nice back stretches at the trot. He stood quietly for me to open the gate for everyone (all my horses open gates with me mounted, I think it's an important skills regardless of riding discipline). Then we started to walk towards the back field, and Highboy sort of tried to hold it all in. He was just LOOKING for reasons to leap around and do his airs above ground, so there were several ridiculous moments when he catapulted into the air or leaped sideways. I have to laugh at him because he's such an athletic nitwit. Fortunately the horses that were with us are very mellow souls, and neither Dewey nor Darby thought Highboy had any sense at all. They just kept walking and ignored him. I'm really grateful for the people who are willing to ride with me despite Highboy's shenanigans.
We ended up doing a couple circuits of the pastures when another friend arrived to join us. When we didn't stop at the barn but continued to start another lap around the fifty six acres, Highboy got a little mad. At that point he was hot, sweaty, itchy, tired, and a little miffed that his ride didn't end when he thought it should have. I always ride him with a crop (mostly for help steering when he's silly but occasionally for its intended purpose), and I'm sure glad I had it with me today. Highboy started walking AS SLOWLY as possible, to express his disgust regarding this additional lap. I gave him a little swat with my crop and in response he very very subtly lengthened his stride. When we fell behind the other three horses while going downhill Highboy stopped to stretch out. I thought he had to urinate, so I let him stand for a moment. The next thing I knew he had folded his knees and hocks and was on the ground intending to roll. I started shouting at him hollering, "Get up! NO! Get UP!" and smacking him with the crop. He begrudgingly stood up again, luckily without damaging me or my saddle. He gave a little kick as he started walking again, just to make sure I knew he his thoughts on the matter.
The rest of the walk went pretty well. The ride's events led me to ponder why Highboy was such an abysmal racehorse. He raced twice in New Mexico when he was three and came in last both times. I'm sure it's because he spends all his energy jumping up and down in the air, and then when he gets a little tired he just wants to stop and roll. There's not much for forward flat racing energy. I still love him, though, because he's a challenge and makes me lie awake at night wondering how I'm going to get through to him. I love my lesson horse, Cole, because he was equally complicated as a youngster, though in a different manner. I also know that when the job is interesting, Highboy is all business. He loves cross country because it's running fast and thinking hard about terrain and jumping. He likes jumping in the arena because it's a puzzle to solve. He likes LONG trail rides because there is so much to look at and think about. Highboy needs to be an endurance horse or three day eventer, something to keep his mind busy. But first he needs to finish growing! 17.1 hands and counting....
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