This world's gone crazy.....

Or Luke's world has at least! This past month has been a whirlwind for him (and me!) He moved to a new barn, got his feet screwed up, promptly got them fixed, and turned into a monster, all in the same month.

Okay so he's not really a monster, he's just acting like he could be! He's gotten crazy herdbound, and is in love with a little buckskin mare. Agh...I hate herdboundness! He's been screaming and prancing when I separate them for a few weeks now, but yesterday was the worst. He reared up in hand, reared up in the cross ties, broke his halter, and ran around inside the barn like a maniac. I took him out and lunged him, and even while trotting in a circle, he was screaming his head off. He wasn't even much more manageable after I lunged him. Tonight, I'm going to suck it up and ride, because right now, I have more control when I'm on his back then I do from on the ground.

I'm instituting some tough love though...if he tries to get in front of me, he backs up. If he screams, he gets snapped at, and he has to work. If he prances, I make him work. If he invades my space, he gets smacked on the neck. I'm also lucky that my barn is so small, but with so many pastures. There are 6 horses and 4 pastures, which is reaaallly nice. So today Luke and Jodi are out by themselves in a pasture. He can still see the mare I think, and I'm hoping he doesn't run the fence. He'll deal though. He needs to learn to respect me again. I have a lesson tomorrow, hopefully it will go well.