terrified horse!

I've never seen a horse as clearly terrified as M was today ....

they've put a pile of logs (large tree being cut down) in the mare's field, which is next to the arena... and it has got larger since i last saw it

anyway, plan for today was inhand as i'd overdone it walking around Richmond Castle today ....just as well.

when i first took him in he stopped as soon as he got to the gate, got somewhat het up but not uncontrollably so (thank goodness!) and clearly had his eye on the pile of logs

took him back, thinking put lungeline on to take him back round and let him loose int he arena to run round until he realizes the logpile ain't moving (it's not actually NEXT to the arena, just further out in the field...)

that was a mistake, he ran about at the gate end (which is very hard to close anyway) and was threatening to jump out.  trying to get the lungline reattached i ended up with loose horse in the yard, happily vaguely heading for the barn, at least i could keep him there whilst i bawled for help!

the ladies in the barn came down to help, i managed to get hand on bridle and we got lungeline re attached.... took him back in, one of the ladies did the needful (she's used to high jinks with hers, hadn't realized) and he half calmed down, but not wholly!

took him back round and took three of us to change bridle for headcollar, no way i was going to get fly mask on, and tea was not going to happen, so just turned him out and he galloped off to the others...

Gaynor says he was in donkey mode yesterday when she had him in there bareback!  and whilst he was vaguely concerned by the lamb hospital up the end beyond the raspberry patch, nothing like what he did today...

So all very strange.

he'll be going back in tomorrow, but I'll have my riding hat on and will be prepared for it...