OMG...I am mortified...
FROSTY was the biggest ass EVER at the barrel racing today.
I thought he was doing pretty good in the a.m.-I ponied him around while riding Spooks and Frosty was going good. That was until I changed directions and deliberately went against traffic. Frosty was pretty sure every horse that passed him was going to eat him. People kept apologizing and I kept telling them it wasn't their fault. My horse is an A.S.S. and asked them to please ignore him and keep doing what they needed to do. *I* made sure to stay out of their way, but tried to keep the pressure on Frosty. He pulled back pretty good a couple of times, but I just dallied off and Spooks yanked him back into submission.
What a nimrod!!!
**I don't recommend that everyone think that is a good idea and try it...But I have HAD IT!!!! with the stupid buckskin.
Just before the first barrel race was over, I saddled him up and lead him to the warm-up area. I just wanted to give him time to stand around with a little activity going on and check everything out. I stood there with him while visiting with a friend of mine. Frosty looked pretty bug-eyed at everything, but stood his ground. When the barrel race was over, I (still visiting with my friend), stepped to the stirrup and prepared to swing on...
Frosty blew sideways and backwards at warp speed. It surprised me and he yanked the roping rein out of my hand.
**I did not startle him...I know Frosty well enough to know not to make any sudden movements around him.
That dirty sucker, bogged his head and bucked through a line of girls sitting on their horses, bucked across the gravel and bucked smack dab into my friend's trailer...startling her horse and making him pull back.
Several people ran to help, but I asked them to please not try to catch him, he was walking toward my trailer and when he does stupid stuff like this, trying to catch him only causes him to run around like an idiot...and I did NOT need him causing any more wrecks.
We made sure everyone else was okay, my friend's horse was okay, as was her trailer. (Whew)
I went back, caught Frosty and led him straight back out. Of course, his eyes were bugging out of his head and he was acting like a total and complete bronc...blowing, snorting and bowed up.
This time I made sure to take him into the arena, stepped on and made it two whole steps before he blew up.
DIRTY...
ROTTEN...
P.O.S!!!!!
By this time, I was PISSED OFF!!!
I done something I have never done to the horse before...
I went to whacking him in the belly with my spurs.
I figured if he wanted to buck...I was gonna make him give me every bit he had...which of course means I usually end up on the ground...but it's amazing how tight you can stick when you know about 50 people are watching you AND I was p.i.s.s.e.d. His pig squeals went to full on bronc bellows.
Frosty decided that getting poked full force in the belly was not fun for him and he quit bucking. I won't say he rode out nicely after that...He was still being a complete Ass, but he did not try to buck again.
I didn't have a chance to really get his head 'right' before they started watering and dragging for the second race, but I had to call it good for the moment...I knew there was no way we were going to make it through that in one piece and I sure as heck did not want to get anyone else hurt in case he did get me bucked off and got away again.
So I dismounted, loosened his cinch and led him out of the arena. I figured we could just hang out there while the last few barrel racers ran and he could a.b.o.r.b. some of what is going on and hopefully figure out not everything was going to kill him.
I had several people come over to make sure I was okay...I guess Frosty bucked harder than I thought he did. I don't know...I was seeing red at that time and I don't really remember much when I get that pissed off. I apologized to everyone for his ridiculous behavior...because really...who wants to be the one who takes a total bronc someplace and cause problems?
Not two seconds later, Frosty blew backwards, but this time I had a good hold on the reins and when he couldn't get away, he started spinning in circles. I know for a fact that my feet came off the ground more than once. No way was I letting go of those reins. I just ran and let him spin me in circles like a propeller, til he finally stopped. He was practically sitting down and here I am flopping around like a fish on the end of the line trying to find my feet, which wasn't helping calm him down any...Aggghhh!!!
By this time I am absolutely mortified and decide to get him completely out of sight. I took him back to the trailer to wait until the 2nd barrel race was over. What I wanted to do was take him back to the trailer and apply a little 2x4 logic to him.
**I don't do that...but that doesn't mean it doesn't cross my mind.
Round THREE...
Second barrel race over and everyone clearing out...Back to the arena we go. This time there was no major blow-up...I AGAIN apologized to everyone for my horse's ridiculous behavior and told them that in the future I would make sure to keep him as far from everyone as possible, but the only way he was ever going to get over acting like this was if I keep hauling him and forcing him to learn how to deal with 'the public'. Everyone was really nice about it and told me I hadn't caused anyone any problems (except for the initial wreck). Frosty finally kind of mellowed out. I won't say we reached a 'good' place, but he was doing what I asked and did not blow up when I got after him.
There's only going to be two outcomes to Frosty's fits...either he is going to kill me or I am going to break him from blowing up every.single.time something frightens him. This is just above and beyond ridiculous. This is a 9 y/o horse that has been hauled thousands of miles. He may not have been around tons of activity, but he's not exactly 'new' to the concept. There is no reason for this horse to act like this, except he thinks he can get away with it. Ain't happening!!!!
On a much happier note...Moon ran beautifully again and placed 5th in the Money Added barrel race and 3rd in the CWBRA race. Yaayyyyy $$$!!! I carried my time over, so he only ran once. I don't think Moon is ready to run 2 runs in one day. I'd like to have him a little more solid before doing that and maybe in a little better shape. He's running right in there with the tuff's though. I wasn't quite sure how to approach this run...should I let him coast or push him? I think it is more terrifying getting ready to run after a few good runs than it was when we were messing up all the time. In the end, I just let Moon do his thing. I don't have to ask him to run, he just does. Now that I have that firmly engrained in my head...I can focus on doing what I need to do to help him. I still feel like we are running a little wild, but friends say our runs look good and smooth. The clock says the same thing, so I am not going to dwell on what I might have done different. I think Moon has more to give, it's just going to take time and I see no reason to push. He'll give it to me when he's ready. I will say this though...there was one gal there that is usually the one to beat. She ran a 17.97...Moon ran a 18.01. If he's hot on the tail of that gal and the seasoned horse she runs...I'm ecstatic.
18 comments:
That rotter! Sure you don't want to enter the all Girls Rodeo in bronc riding?
High five in being in the money on Moon.
Wow! what a day! Sounds like you had quite the rodeo, glad you stuck him , and he probable needed the hooks to the belly ,don't think I could have got the job done . Hope you are feeling OK tomorrow , that sounds like a lot of yanking on you
Oh and congrats on yours and Moons great runs!
Can we say A.L.P.O.? Or maybe P.u.r.i.n.a.?
Maybe you oughta just hang a dog food bag near Frosty as a reminder that he should be a good boy. :)
You are amazing - I know I wouldn't have been able to do it.
Glad you and Moon had a good run after all the ruckus.
"I don't do that...but that doesn't mean it doesn't cross my mind"
Oh i hear ya on that one chic!!
Have to say i was thinking along the lines of GunDiva, there is a 3rd option.
Was so glad to hear you & Moon had a good run. How does that work that you can carry over your run? In SBRA every run has to be made on it's own, there is no carry over. So at a double header when I enter both boys I have to make 4 runs. Think it takes more outta me than them lol
Congrats on making the money on Moon!
But that Frosty, wow that had to be a loooong day and I hear you on being pissond off, I hate when tehy do it cause they think they can get away with it!
Lisa-You just pay the two entry fees and they carry the time over from the first run to the second run. If it's an NBHA double header and you tip a barrel, you are out of both runs. So fewer people carry over times. But when a couple of the associations double up, like the NBHA-4 and the CWBRA does a lot of here, they will let you buy back into the second race for a tipped barrel and you can run again.
fern was right, I am sore, sore, sore today. Rage, adrenaline and embarrassment gets you through a lot, but boy do we pay the price later.
Frosty really was just being a jerk. There is absolutely no reason for him to act like this at public events. He's just gotten older, tougher-minded and his mother's bad genetics are starting to show. I am so thankful that I don't have any more like him. You can breed 'pretty', but that doesn't mean you'll have anything in the end.
I didn't think about it at the time, because everything was happening so fast, but I should have put him in Deana's round pen and worked the ever-loving snot out of him. The next time, I'm going to take a lunge line and work him 1/2 to death before, during (if there's a place, so I don't get anyone else in trouble) and maybe after he'll be thinking a little more. I'd like to be able to stick him in the roping box or calf pens at some of these arenas, but most of them are still restricting placing horses in public pens. He seriously needs to be put in a safe place, where there is action all around him and left to pitch his fits. I can't remember the last time a horse had me so enraged.
BEC- I have been there more times than I'd like to remember. Rage and adreneline makes us do things we need to do. Desi is 10 and he still does stuff like that sometimes! My hubby still remembers the 2x4 conversation I had with a horse when he and I were first dating( hows that for a long memory?)
It ain't pretty- but pretty don't get the job done. You are my hero for sticking it out and making that pony sorry he messed with you!
PS- lots and lots of motrin helps!
It seems that he essentially got away with twirling you around. Perhaps next time, you can switch it up on him and leave him thinking you're going to kill him for doing this bs ever again. I think the lunge line with the automatic response of driving him forward and away from you at the time it's happening is perfectly appropriate, if it's safe to do so. Work his rear until he's begging, BEGGING you to let him stop!
And somehow, Charlie, the Giant Flaming Jackass, no longer feels like the worst horse in the history of America after his stunt at double barrel kicking at me while on a lead rope, years ago. I do believe Frosty just took that title away.
Hey, you know, it had to be done. You know his breeding and you know his training. He's clearly being a stinker and he needed to be busted on it.
(Lordy, I'd hate to see what a stud from that breeding would be like behaviorally!)
Some of those tough-minded horses like Frosty really do need that level of work.
And hey, congrats on Moon! Looks like maybe you're just where you want to be at this point in the season, perhaps?
I usually embarrass myself by threatening to kill and eat them, amidst extreme profanity! Kinda freaks out the people who have never dealt with a dirty sod... Sounds like you handled it perfectly, sometimes you just have to keep upping the ante until it isn't worth their while to take you on. Good thing you're young and strong, he'd a killed me!
Cool that you and Moon are finally clicking. Really, it doesn't matter if you're smooth, it just matters if you're fast!
Lol, Frosty giving you the hard time!! What a bugger. You got it handled though :) Congrats on getting in the money, and damn good times!!
Oh man.....kudos to you for sticking with him, but I feel your pain. What a douche! Re: Moon, very cool! Glad he's coming around so well.....wish I could come watch you run him!
Sorry! Hate days like that!
On the other side I am very happy for you and Moon. That has to make things a little better?!
Geez, that doesn't sound good. No wonder you are sore.
Glad to hear that Moon is coming together though. I think it always makes it easier when you're dealing with a twit like Frosty that another horse is shining. And MONEY!!! That's pretty cool.
I'm with Kestrel. Except I carry with me and usually ON me.. so there are times the temptation of whipping out the old pistola is GREAT ;)
Luckily, Lutin is too lazy to pitch a fit these days. I think I'm too old to survive what you did! Rock on woman!
And GO MOON!!!!
Did I miss you asking if that was all he had? Kat's tantrum was epic too. Quickest way to squash fear is to get pissed off and let 'er rip! Sometimes ya gotta get into them to get the point across that their shit just don't fly. Not now, and don't ever think of trying it again!
Sounds like Moons has just about hit his stride. If he is that close behind a seasoned horse, he's about to blow their doors off. Just stay on him and let him go. It's got to be one hell of a ride!
Yikes... sounds like a hell of a day. I'm glad you both came out of it okay, though (even if you wanted to shoot Frosty and leave him there).
Congratulations on being in the money with Moon!! :)
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