Visits with Ariel 1

I keep forgetting to post about my visits with Ariel. It sounds like she may be out for several months so I may not ride her again until the new year (but we'll see what the vet says). In the meantime, she's being turned out in the small round pen so she doesn't have the chance to do too many dumb things to further injure herself. I like to visit her after lessons to groom and give her treats.

Hello! Those carrots must be for me. How thoughtful of you. Now, come closer...

So here's a funny "Ariel story".... I went in to get some carrots and when I came back out, she was following me around. I decided to move further into the pen but she didn't like that and tried to stick me in a corner with her BUTT!!! Wow, was I not impressed! Though, the first reaction was surprise and then annoyance, I was a little late to show my dissatisfaction with her actions. I determined that the bossy mare was not getting the better of me! I bossed her back and smacked her rump and shoved her away. A typical horse (even a mare, I'd bet!) would probably back off and timidly return to ask for treats. Not Ariel: she decides that was so rude and pins her ears and lowers her head like those times she's chasing the other mares from the hay bale! Good thing I didn't immediately react by moving away but, unknowingly stood my ground, then approached her instead, with a stern angry voice and body language. She soon backed off and turned around to the far side of the paddock. I think I just won the disagreement with Ariel. LOLOLOL. Whodda thunk it!

I gave her some time and approached her to give the rest of the carrots and then moved onwards to brush her and pick her feet. She was wonderful and stood still for me and didn't do anything bossy or otherwise. She seemed keen on the attention and decided to help clean me up a bit by using her snout to "groom" my shoulders. After finishing the grooming session, I hung over the fence just patting her and giving her scratches. I'd like to say I got a little lost in the moment and we were both just "talking with" with one another until +ADW appeared in the doorway and called to me to get along. You should have seen Ariel jerk her head up at him as if voicing her displeasure with him interrupting our time :P