Imax started bucking again when Von was in the arena with Six.

I wanted to get him to trot long and fast, but when ever I would give him some reign, the bastard would start rearing and striking. I just kept trying to push him forward, he kept trying to buck me off. Finally I had had it, and got off, and started chasing him in circles, sort of lunging in tight circles at the end of the reigns. I was fucking furious and Von of course could tell. she told me to just get on him and canter him (she said "lope" - cute!) until he didn't want to canter any more, then make him keep going. Then do it the other way.

Now I know what I was doing (chasing him around yelling at him) was not doing any of us any good. But I had a trainer in my dark, misty past who firmly believed that even if your horse was fresh, they had to listen to you - you should let them trot fast, canter & etc to get their ya-yas out, but they had to listen while you did it. So I was trying to get him to the listening phase, so I could let him do what he wanted, which was canter. But he was not ready to listen, so we were at a stalemate.

Since I didn't have a better idea, I did what Von said, and got on him and just tore around the arena. Dear god. Not only is he fast, he can run forever. It was utterly exhausting, and to the right he motorcycles so badly if I let him (and even when I don't) and that is hard to ride. When we had been going for a really long time, he acted like he was ready to stop, so I asked him to keep going. He found another whole pocket of energy and we galloped around for god only knows how long. I ran him until I was utterly exhausted, at least, and he was pretty winded. I honestly think we galloped around that arena for fifteen or twenty minutes. And he could have gone longer.

So it is no wonder he wasn't listening to me.

Anyway after I let him catch his breath a bit, we did some side passing and walk/trot transitions and called it a day.

So I think I have to run Imax around, at least some days, before asking him to work.

That leads me to the problem of the BO thinking having your horse at liberty and chasing him around equals "turnout". He has finally told me point blank not to do that. I really don't understand the difference between riding/tearing ass around with me on his back, as opposed to me off his back, but apparently there is a difference. So I guess we will just gallop around with me up.

That said, Area VII Adult Rider's Camp is in Kennewick at Tulip Springs March 20 - 23 !!! Squeek! I am so excited. I have to figure out a way to get us there.