I'm a prat, I'm a prat, I'm a SUPERSTAR!

Went to the yard early today to get some long lining in with Mr Max before there was a queue for the indoor school. Quite chilly today, a really crisp wind that felt a bit like snow might be coming (and it might, though I don't know that we'll get any in this area). My Canadian snow sense was tingling!

So first, a very quick once over with Max, just making sure his hooves were clear of debris and there wasn't any scratchy mud around his girth area, then long lined him to the school.

Mr Inattentive! Mr You Can’t Make Me! We were in there for 40 minutes all together. Thirty minutes of unco-operative behaviour, waywardness, stubbornness and general pratishness.

Thirty minutes of absolute frustration, and then... Then what a beautiful boy! Ten minutes of absolutely sublime!

The trotting he produced for me, all proud and carrying his head so nicely, picking up his feet, really moving like poetry, and suddenly, listening to every word, every signal, and giving me all the stuff he knows so well how to give.

And was I delighted? Oh! And did Max know it? Oh boy, did he! Showered with praise, lots of click treats, hit the jackpot, he did, and was very pleased with himself.

Then I took him off the lines and we did a bit of loose work, trotting around the school shoulder to shoulder, which he really seems to enjoy. Then I stepped back from him and, for the first time ever, managed to get him from walk, to trot, to CANTER, then back down through his paces again to stand, all by voice!

On both reins!

And he even let me give him a big hug afterwards and tell him he was brilliant. And two polos! Polos are saved for special occasions and very good work, so he crunched happily and blew minty kisses at me.

Got him back to his box on the lines, and then did a big grooming session, which he tolerated with quite a bit of patience. I warmed up his aloe vera gel this time by putting it in the bucket with the boiled water. I let the water cool while I'm getting on with grooming, so it's just nice and warm by the time I come to dealing with his boy bits.

The look on his face when I put the warmed gel on. He was all ready to put his ears back and huff at me and then, ears pricked forward.

"Eh? Why, that's warm... That's... um. Well OK, that's not so bad. I'm not saying I like it, I'm just saying it's OK."

Left the yard by just after 10, came home and did a bit of cleaning, then went to back out to meet a friend for a coffee.

As I was driving back just around half one, I decided to stop by the yard again to put his rug on myself, to tuck him in all nice for going to the field.

Drove in and saw nothing. Stopped to open the gate and looked again, and there was Max's head peeking back at me, with a little whuffle when he saw me looking back at him.

I don't know if he recognises the sound of my car or what, but I took one look and knew he hadn't any hay left.

"Mum! Mum! They didn't feed me lunch. So hungry! Help!"

Hurried over to check, and sure enough, he didn't have a scrap. So I got enough to keep him going for the quarter of an hour he had left in his box. Put it in his hay spot, and he walked over to it, nudged it, and then turned around and nudged me, before going back to chow down.

It was like a little, "Thanks mum. You always come through for me". Aww!

Got his rug, fastened him up all toasty and... oops! Another polo. Well... he had been a good boy after all, and he was just standing there being all handsome, so I couldn't resist. That's a special occasion, right?