Oh, mare...

I decided that I wanted to touch up Ruby's front feet this morning, and picked up a new rasp for the occasion.  Ruby, however, decided that she wanted nothing to do with this nonsense, and was making it decidedly difficult - Oh, you want to hold my foot up and rasp?  Here, I'll just pivot away from you, lean on you when you pick my foot up, act like I'm going to fall, dance around on my other three feet, then snatch away from you...and then look for cookies!  I got her left front basically done, and went to play the same game on the other side.  And then I lost my temper.  Instead of beating my mare, though, I threw my hat, picked up my tools and threw them, then stormed between Ruby and the barn.  Ruby decided to put her head in my path and when I bumped into her she threw up head up, smacking it on the barn, and proceeded to flail around and pull back like an idiot.  I know what you're supposed to do in these situations.  You're supposed to talk calmly and release the slip-knot.  Instead I watched her for a second or two, then yelled, 'STOP!!!'  Poor Ruby looked confused for a split second, then decided to heed the warning.  I went into the tack room to cool down for a few minutes, then went back to finish up.  She greeted me with a nicker (maybe she was wondering how long she was going to be tied?) and was an amazing pony while I finished up the right front and then touched up the left again. 

There are two morals to this story: first, even great horses have their bad moments.  And two, we as handlers can't all be perfect all the time.  You're never supposed to lose your temper with a horse, and I usually don't.  Luckily Ruby isn't so sensitive that she gets flustered even if I do - as evidenced by her blocking me with her head when I was in the middle of my little rant.  Her head is fine, btw, I couldn't even find a knot on it, and all is forgiven on both sides.  Even when she's a knuckle-head, I love her.