Ain't Misbehavin' ?

 

This is Princess. She is NOT one of my TBs, obviously, because she is a Paint. And a princess. A diva.

 

I've had "Prinny" about three years now. She originally belonged to one of my students, who then grew up, moved on to college, and her Dad called me and gave me the horse. They had paid a LOT of money for her.

 

But she was now older, and they knew I would give her an excellent home and everything. So I became her owner. Generally, she is a nice horse; she doesn't get along with other horses at horse shows or trail rides very well and can show her diva side at these public events.

 

In these pictures, I am using her to give my student a lesson - her first lesson ever.

Ok - so the point of all this is to tell what she did today. Rotten............
This same student came over for her lesson, but we decided to go on a trail instead. My student has been showing real progress and has been looking forward to graduating to riding outside the arena. So I put her on Jett and I saddled Prinny for myself.
Off we go onto the trail; which goes right past the pasture, with the remaining three horses not in the barn.
Dow the hill to us the come, galloping and making a fuss!
Princess freaked - freaked - getting all riled about our little "red-haired snipett" QH "Quarter Pony". (For Sale.) First she acted like she was going to buck. Then rear. Then buck. I pulled her head around to my knee, and she started backing up into the high tensile fence; bounced off of it, and tried hopping around again, all in an attempt to get me off.
Finally, she threw herself down to her knees with a huge lurch, seemingly to toss me off the front! I have never -!
So I decided to quit fighting with her (My student was behind me on Jett, trying to stay calm as Jett tried to scramble out of the way in the ruckus.)
Off I jumped, just missing getting tangled in my stirrups and reins as she got up and I got off.
She knows better so I whacked her once or twice and hollered at her.
She straightened up, but I had to lead her until we got out of sight into the woods away from our little Red Haired Snipett's (Millie is her name, turd) screeching, dancing, galloping, and general "alpha mare gone bonkers because horses from her herd left the pasture without her" type of behaviour.

The rest of our trail ride was relaxing and fun, with no incidents. I had to explain about punishing horses and how I rarely have to do it, and that it makes me feel terrible, but that when a seasoned trail/lesson horse throws a fit and KNOWS BETTER, or does anything dangerous and generally BAD, a little punishment is in order.
I also explained that I always "make up with" my horses after punishing them. I always end on a loving, positive note.

I hate it when these things happen. I really do. I think the thing is, I have been working so hard in the arena, and neglecting their trail riding excursions and so they all got freaked when we went out. Anyways. So once again I narrowly avoid falling off and busting my butt for the umpteenth time. Yippe.