Lungeing day

I wondered if Mom might be mad at me today after being so bad yesterday but she wasn't. She came to the barn and said, "Hi Belly" like she always does. I like it when she calls me Belly. It makes me feel special. She gave me my hay snack and cleaned my stall and petted me so I knew things were okay. I felt bad. I really didn't mean to be so bouncy.

She got out my brush box and boots and I thought we'd go riding but as soon as she started brushing me, she found the bite on my shoulder. Darn Kia! We were playing and she got mad at me and bit me hard! I don't know why she got mad. I like Kia but sometimes she's grouchy. Anyway, it's kind of a big bite and it hurts. And it's right where my saddle would sit on my shoulder.

Mom petted me and told me we wouldn't ride today because of it. She takes pretty good care of me and always notices when I have something that hurts. So instead of riding, she brought me to the Round Pen and lunged me.

I didn't mind that but I did mind that it was dinner time! The hay truck was coming while she was brushing me and instead of letting the guys throw my alfalfa in my stall, Mom took it from them and set it down on the ground outside. I could see it but I couldn't reach it. I got a little mad. I'm not used to working when it's time to eat. But Mom just groomed me and got me ready and took me right over to the Round Pen without giving me a chance to get too upset.

Once we were there, things were okay. I did feel like getting some exercise. After yesterday, I just wanted to stretch my legs and get some of my energy out and Mom had me do that and then some. She got me going at a trot and made me really stretch out and pick my feet up. Sometimes I just kind of shuffle along when I lunge, especially if I'm not wearing my side reins. Mom didn't let me do that today. She made me work.

She had me walk and trot and canter, and then she had me trot again for a long time and then canter again. Then she made me trot a couple of times around and canter a couple of times around and then trot again. I had to really pay attention to keep track of what she wanted me to do.

Then she turned me the other way and we did it all again. I was getting a little sick of it by then and I tried to turn back and go the first way again. Sometimes I do that just to be bad. She didn't put up with it at all today though. She never does but usually she stops me and makes me change back. Today she just looped the lunge line around my rump, swung me around before I knew what happened and snapped me right back into a trot or canter. The first time she did it, I got mad! I broke into a fast canter and kicked up my heels then I stopped and tried to swing around again. She was too quick for me though and did the same darn thing. Then she really got after me and I couldn't have stopped if I'd wanted to. I just gave up then and did what she asked.

We did all that same stuff and I thought we'd be done but then she turned me again and we did some MORE work. I was getting hot by then but it did feel good to really work my muscles. We finally finished up and Mom told me that I was a Good Girl and petting me a lot. She let me play with her shoes a little too but I mostly wanted to go eat my alfalfa. So she washed me off really good until I was cool and put me back in my stall with my food. She also put medicine on all my cuts from falling down and on my bite too.

It was a good day really. I had fun even if I did have to work hard. And my dinner sure did taste good. But I hope Kia doesn't bite me anymore. I don't really like that.