Mare versus human; score, 1 to 1.

Pepper is on her last chance. Well, maybe not...I'm just really, really angry and frustrated with her tonight.

I rode her around in the hay field and she did reasonably well, enough that I was willing to take her into the arena for a lap or two. And all hell broke loose. She balked completely at the gate, and went basically right into cowkicks and bucks from just a little leg pressure. I got so mad, I got down and popped her...and she tried to kick me. So it was Game On. Went up to get the lunge whip and 30' line, and I worked her. And worked her. And popped her again and again at the gate, both directions. It was one of those really awful times when, if I had something harsh enough, I would have beaten her with it, I was so mad at her. All the lunge whip can do is a tiny little sting and a loud noise, but it was effective. Unfortunately what I have now is a mare with a major problem in the arena. *sigh* I don't know what I'm going to be able to do about it, and I hate to think that I might have to find her another home. I mean I really, really hate even considering that possibility.

On a good note, I bought Dillon his bridle today. I decided on a one-ear headstall and a rubber cased snaffle bit. We'll start putting the bit in, in stages. I let him look at it and sniff it today, and I put the headstall on him twice so he could feel that. I mess with his mouth all the time anyways, so we'll continue with that as well. Soon he'll be ready to feel the bit in his mouth for a few minutes. I will use long reins and a side pull from the ground to teach him some basic rein cues before we go to colt start in July.

Tule got the day off because by the time I was done with Dilly, the weather had changed for the worse and it got C-O-L-D. So I went to lunch, and to Circuit City (a huge mistake) and then picked up my son. And then, I went truck shopping! I found one I'd like my mechanic to take a look at, and a friend of mine is also going to check it out for me. Yay!