No, I'm the boss now, 'kay?

Max is flexing his muscles again, and seeing if he can get the upper hand. Just really started at that this week, but nowhere near as ornery as he used to be. Just tries it on, and gives in pretty amiably when he sees it ain't gonna work. He does make me laugh though - I can see the mischief coming before it happens, because it's all in his eyes! I keep telling him he's too transparent to be unruly, but he hasn't taken it on board yet!

He was an absolute horror trying to long-line earlier this week, but a gem when I took the lines off and put him through all his paces loose. It was Boxing Day though, the yard was buzzing, the Ent was in the school with us, and Max had been out for 36 hours, so I think he was distracted/grumpy/wilful/totally bored with the indoor school.

The Ent had his first attempt at trying to long-line, and Max pulled him around like a tin sled!

I'm concentrating on getting him out and about until then, to shake the cobwebs, and do some hill work. The cold weather has given him some problems with his stifles, but he was getting better again today and sorting it out himself. Though he had a problem in canter yesterday, in the downward transition. He was loose, so I watched it happen, and his hind (right) just seemed to have a little collapse. He recovered nicely, but it's obviously still a niggle for him.

Today it was a long walk in hand, and he was moving beautifully after he'd worked in a bit. Really pleasant day today (with a bit of a chill), so it was nice to be out on a long wander with him.