Because I'm the human and you're the horse, that's why!

I'm at the barn six evenings a week - the seventh barn-free day is dubbed "husband day", since it always coincides with one of Best Husband Ever's days off.  When I tell people this, they look at me oddly - no doubt thinking this isn't a fair allocation of time and imagining my hungry husband abandoned and neglected at home.  Happily, this isn't the case - he works in the evenings and is very supportive of my horse addiction.

The day after my day off from the barn is almost always a challenge.  Nox is a very dominant horse and he likes to think he's in charge.  I often have to remind him otherwise.  It's worse when I've been gone for more than 24 hours - he takes my absence as a sign that I have abdicated my throne and he is eager to take my place. 

Today was one of those days.  I turned Nox out in the indoor ring and he seemed fine, so I tacked him up to ride.  As soon as I settled in the saddle, he was full of "piss and vinegar", as Erin would say.  Every corner of the ring had something to spook at and he tossed his head, danced around, and just generally misbehaved.  This was my fault, of course.  I should have seen past his calm facade and done some ground work before hopping on to ride. 

I've learned from experience that there is little use trying to fight with him to be good, especially if he is also acting spooky, but I can't dismount until he has done something well enough to end on a "good note".  Several laps around the ring of dancing, spooking, and tossing, and he finally walked a lap nicely - but I could sense the vinegar bubbling inside him and I knew I couldn't get another calm moment from him under saddle. 

I slipped off his back, untacked him right there in the ring, and then we played the ground manner "games" that I use to assert my leadership.  Nox responds well to these games and after a few minutes of tantrums and resistance, he assumed his subordinate place in our herd of two.  I led him around the ring on the lead rope for another few minutes and he followed sweetly and respectfully.  I put him back in his stall, groomed him and petted him, and called it a night. 

Tomorrow will be a better riding day.  Next week, we'll do it all again.    

Nox, giving me the "you're not the boss of me" look.