Friday ride

Well today I was more in the mood to ride because the temp was cooler and there was a nice breeze. I headed out to the barn about 6 pm or so. Sinwaan was a little dusty today so I brushed him off and tacked up. He was more in the mood to head out today which confirms my thoughts earlier of the heat getting to him. We went up the usual way, Elliot to the dirt road. On the way up Braden I had seen a large field truck take Elliot ahead of us. Hmmm. I also noticed the wheat had been cut in the field to our right. We rode along and moved out the first mile. The next 1/2 mile he started hesitating. He could hear the harvester in the next field over but his vision of it was blocked by the trees. There was a lot of activity out today. We could see field trucks at the end of Elliot pulling into the silo to unload.

At one point I saw one of those large field trucks barreling towards us with a huge plume of dust coming out behind him. I looked to the left and saw a barren wheat field so I had him climb the small incline up into the field so the truck could pass safely. Sinwaan usually does fine with traffic but this truck was so big and dusty I wasn't taking any chances. Sinwaan didn't care and was happy at the chance to munch on the wheat stubble. Thankfully the slight breeze today blew the dust past us without too much delay although I did get an eyeful.

Onto the dirt road and we are doing a nice medium trot. Unfortunately Sinwaan was clipping himself badly. I don't know if it was due to his speed, the dirt road being uneven or him just being plain lazy. Click click click. I decided to turn around at the junkyard today also. We hadn't quite made it there last time we rode. Well we got pretty darn close but didn't make it this time either. I saw something in the field headed our way and I didn't want to stick around to find out what it's plans were. So we turned around and headed for home.

HOME! YAY! RUN! Sinwaan started out with his big extended trot which soon turned into a canter and then a gallop. Then a BUCK! BUCK BUCK BUCK! What the heck!? We were moving and flying and I was trying very hard not to come off. Crazy horse. I AAATTTTTT and jerked his head to the side and he finally quit bucking, although one or two more of those and I would have come off over his front right shoulder. I was grabbing for mane and just having a heck of a time staying on. BAD HORSE! I gave him a smack on the shoulder and he threw up his head and after that walked on a loose rein. This is the second or third time lately that he has started this nonsense. Mulling it over the next half mile, I tried to figure out what his problem was. I know my saddle fits pretty well. I wasn't using anything extra like a breast-collar or saddle bag. Is he just feeling good (BAD!) or acting up because we are heading home or what?

Well we had some more trotting and then when it was safe (after the homestead) I let him out again to see what would happen. We galloped along with no problems for a short section and then his head came down and in to the left a little (always the same every time) and I as I pulled up on my reins I noticed they had started getting wedged in-between his shoulder and the saddle (on the left side). SOOO I am hoping I solved the mystery and he is acting out because he is uncomfortable - that is an easy fix.

The rest of our ride for home was brisk and uneventful. I made him walk the last 1/2 mile to cool him out and found when we got back to the barn that the horses hadn't been fed dinner yet so I gave Sinwaan a handful of baby carrots and some grass hay as a reward.

My back is now hurting me a little but I will rest over the weekend.