The wooden sign hanging outside on the stall door and on the noseband of his halter says "Fabulous Bandit". A quarter horse gelding now aged 32, liver chestnut with sorrel mane, 14.3 hands. The old man I call him, a curmudgeon; old coot. He was the first horse I sat upon and asked to tolerate my beginner mistakes and clumsiness...to take care of me when I attempted to sit the trot that was really smooth as glass. He accepted his place as my lesson horse but not without contributing his own two cents now and again. He would guide me to the gate at precisely 1 hour into the lesson...lesson over, time to get off, time for my lunch I could hear him say. I attempted to cuddle him and groom him with a loving hand...but Bandit was too cool for that, it was all on his terms and a macho horse needs no softness and mothering from any human. He was Fabulous Bandit and too cool for that.Our relationship continued in this manner for 2 more years, I attempted to fuss over him and give him kisses but he would turn his back and walk away...too cool for that.
Then one day I was leaning on the outside rails of his small paddock with my back pressed against the bars....talking to others at the barn and casually resting there when all of a sudden I felt a warm breath and soft muzzle come to rest on my shoulder. It was Bandit actually asking for my attention. He knew I would talk quietly to him and rub his forehead or stroke his neck or even better scratch the underside of his jaw with my unmanicured human nails. I turned and obliged him with his request and water filled my eyes...I was finally accepted by this stoic old horse. I instantly felt in that moment that he and I would have something special together even though I was not his owner or daily care taker. I felt so much overwhelming satisfaction in that moment he was officially welcoming me into the world of horses and I felt privileged to be invited especially by this ambassador.
It took two years to gain Bandits trust but I feel it will be there forever. Bandit is officially retired as a lesson horse and I think he is grateful for the time off. I have the duty to put him on turn outs three times per week and I look forward to that time with him. With most horses you take them to turn out and let them work out their energy on their own leaving them in the arena to do so for a time. But Bandit is older and becoming more insecure as he ages and his eyesight is not as keen as it once was. He does not like to be left alone on turn out. So I usually hang with him. He likes to sniff the dirt and find the perfect spot to roll on one side, then he gets up and finds another spot to roll on his other side. He slowly returns to four feet, shakes off the dirt and trots to the water trough that I make sure is ready for his drink. Some days he wanders the arena exploring new things or nibbling at sparsely grown plants that line the outside fence. On other days he begs for me to play with him to entice him to run with or after me. He is a horse full of personality and still alot of attitude.
Yesterday we had a particularly playful time. He never left to explore on his own instead he would watch me walk away and when far enough from him he would trot or canter to me as if we were playing tag. There are barrels set on their sides scattered in the arena. I would run to one and then when I got to it he would run up to it too and trot around the barrel as I pretended to evade him. It was the cutest thing. We were actually playing together and he enjoyed it as much as I did. When he was done with our frolick he purposefully walked to the gate and waited for my approach. I held out his Fabulous Bandit engraved halter and he placed his face within the straps like a child being asked to put on their sweater, carefully, methodically and without question or remark. Then we walked back up to the barn where his lunch would be waiting.
