This is the *ahem* conversation Ace and I are having now that we’re beyond holidays, abscesses, and car accidents (I’m fine, no worries) and back into regular work.

It goes something like this …

Ace: “Now that I’m out with those other horses who boss me around and like to keep me down, I’m going to make sure you are really at the bottom of the totem pole, mom, so that I don’t have to be.”

He locks his front legs and refuses to take a step forward.

Me: “I’m sorry that you are stuck at the bottom for now, Ace. It may not always be that way. But I am your boss whether you like it or not.”

I gently ask for even just one step forward.

Ace: “Oh no you aren’t the boss of me!”

He goes backward instead.

Me: “You may be bigger and stronger than me. But I’m going to pester you until you decide it’s much easier to give in. Contrary to popular opinion, I am da boss of you.”

I apply more insistent pressure with my legs.

Ace: “Oh no you’re not!”

He shakes his head a bit.

Me: “Oh yes I am!”

I start adding in taps with a stick to my insistent leg.

Ace: “I can stand here all day. I know I’m more stubborn than you are.”

He goes backwards and a little sideways, but not an ounce forward.

Me: “That’s what you think. I’m not stopping until you learn I am your boss.”

I keep tapping with my legs and the stick.

Ace: “No! You are NOT da boss of me.”

He turns his head and glares at me.

Me: “Maybe not right this second, but I’m going to keep at this until you decide that I am.”

Tapping stick, squeezing legs, active seat.

Ace: “Ok, that’s getting annoying. Cut it out.”

He takes one, halting, tiny step forward.

Me: “See, I told you I was da boss of you.”

Immediately stop with legs, seat, and stick.

Ace is most definitely challenging my authority this week by really refusing to move forward. I hopped on him last Thursday just for a little ride to see where we were. He was a dream for the first 15 minutes; walking, stopping, turning, and trotting whenever I asked. And then, as we were finishing up a circle, he came to a dead halt. I got him moving again fairly easily and tried to get him past that sticky spot without stopping. He went through the circle fine once, but then the next time we circled he stopped again. And this time, no matter what I did he wouldn’t move forward. I tried every trick in my book, and even the new ones I learned with him that used to work. No go.

I got off and drove him forward from the ground, walking beside him next to the saddle. No problem there. I got back on, expecting that he would at least walk for me, but the second I was in the saddle he wouldn’t budge forward. He would go back to avoid me. He’d go back if I asked him too. I could get him to move his haunches and even his shoulders a little. We sidepassed. But no forward.

I was in the arena by myself and ended up having to give up. I ended by getting him to go forward on the ground, which was better than nothing.

Next day we just did groundwork, and did everything but forward. Backing, sideways, haunches, shoulders. I brought him forward to me just a few times after I’d asked him to back up, and it was the most responsive he’d ever been.

Monday night I took some visiting friends out to see the horses. Between Dave, Tracie, and I we had all the horses out of their stalls and playing but Ace. And boy was he giving me the most pitiful looks! He squished his whole body up against the front of his stall and kept watching us. He wanted out too! Plus my new wither relief pad had just come in the mail that day. I wanted to get him out to see if our attitude problem of a few days before was an isolated incident. And judging by how badly he wanted out and that there were other horses to follow, I thought just maybe he would be OK.

I thought wrong. We didn’t even get a few good minutes before the antics started. It was right away. I did all the same things as the other day and got a few forward starts. Then he wasn’t budging. I got a rope off the carrot stick and used it to apply some rhythmic pressure by swinging on either side of my shoulders, and then working my way down until it was tapping him on either side. It worked at first. But at most he’d go two or three steps. Then not even that worked any more.

So, Tracie pulled out a carrot stick (very much like a short lunge whip) and helped me from the ground. I’d ask him to go forward with my legs and seat, and if he didn’t she would swing the whip behind him.

And off we went!

My horse is very respectful of leadership on the ground. That obviously isn’t translating to me in the saddle yet.

I really think the change in his lifestyle over the last month is contributing to his difficult behavior. He moved into Classic’s stall in early December, and then since New Years he’s been on turnout with the other horses. When he had the small barn and the turnout to himself, he was much more willing to listen to me. Now that that has changed, our relationship to one another is changing too.

I’m confident we can work through this. I’m a little disappointed that it’s going to be longer than I hoped before we are back and really moving forward with our under saddle training. I just have to remember to be patient, keep my cool, and find creative ways to get him to listen to me.