The Ugly

Ok so it was a stunningly gorgeous day out today. Like 20deg and sunny, w/ the fall leaves still changing, bright blue sky, etc etc. Thank God cause SOMEthing had to go right today.

So first thing this morn I was leading a horse, who randomly felt the need to jump sideways for no apparent reason and totally squashed my foot :( It is multiple colours now and about twice the size it's supposed to be. AND I didn't have my paddock boots w/ me so for the morn ride I had to shove it into a field boot :( That was ok, getting it OUT was beyond brutal :( Needless to say, I remembered to bring my paddock boots back for the aft.

So then I go get Cayman, was bumed to discover that what was supposed to be a jumping lesson got turned into a dressage lesson :( boo -- particularly annoyed as this was decided *after* I was tacked up. Ah well -- in the end it didn't matter; we never got past the w/u :( Mr Cayman, who's been so good about everything, randomly decided he wanted nothing to do w/ anything and started rearing. Cute eh? To be fair, I *was* warned about this -- but I had hoped he was over it. And he wasn't even being pushed to do anything. :( Denny had me get off and lunge him a bit -- then got back on. Exact same thing. Took all the tack off, couldn't find any sore spots :( Was dismissed from the lesson and told "this afternoon try hacking him w/ Cotton (bombproof hacking buddy) and see if you get the same reaction" -- ok fine.

So this afternoon -- Cotton's rider is the most unreliable person on the planet and, of course, didn't bother to come back after lunch. Specifically said she would, but didn't. Not allowed to hack alone, everybody else is busy. Ok sobeit.

Later Denny was discussing Cayman w/ random dressage coach who comes in to teach some of the girls, so I was asked to bring him out. She's checking all the typical chiro soreness points etc etc -- no reaction from him. But then Denny (who's reasonably tall) leans over him and puts one arm on either side of his ribs and says "well it was when she put her leg on like..." and as he was saying "this" Cayman lost it. The brilliant statement from the other coach "well THAT's not supposed to happen" hahaha. Classic eh? They then, of course, repeated this game a few times. N Cayman was totally kewl w/ being poked and shoved and what have you everywhere else, but EVERY time he touched that spot (particularly on both sides @ the same time) he got a pretty intense reaction.

So now Denny's debating about whether to get the vet out or if, since he's done it b4, it's really an attitude thing (in which case he wants nothing to do w/ him): -- told me to just hack him for a few days and see what he's like. So I don't know, I'm just going along w/ what I'm told for now.

Fortunately the other critter I rode today was good as could be so that helped a little. Unfortunately, he's going home tomorrow so that's the end of that.

Blah. Horses.

oh AND my ipod stopped working :( It plays music but the little dial doesn't spin any more :( So can't pick songs or navigate the menu. NOT kewl.