@Amy Pond: Lateral work of any sort is unfortunately one of the worst things that makes Heta clingy. Like she has problems understanding that not all leg aids mean go faster, and then when I try to slow down the speed (as she's not able to do stuff properly unless she goes quite slow) eventually she just gets super clingy and it's just not nice...
Circles and figures she's usually pretty okay with, it's all the halting/half halting that we hit the 'stuck' moments, so maybe I try to work on transitions little more (especially downward transition from canter she tends to drop quite a lot to my hand). I honestly think it's evasion tactic with her, the nagging little part at the back of my head wonders if there's a reason for it or not... Honestly this mouth issue has been with her for years, it has gotten lot better since the begining but now it's creeping back up and I don't understand why. ;_; Easy fixes to everything? Yes please, where do I sign up to sell my soul for that.
@Keletheryl: Have you seen someone else work with the horse? Did the owner mean she allows her 5 year old to ride him alone or in lead line? Huge differance between the two ways, not to mention what is likely demanded of him compared to when someone is actually riding him, and horses sometimes are odd creatures and act much more carefull and nice around children.
Testing is possible if he feels you are unsure. Tý tried that with me after couple weeks at home. I got part of it sorted out myself, when L just told me to man up and be more assertive with him, and then R also rode him once and we then figured the saddle was tipping little too much forward and being seat sensitive horse he found it hard to tolt with riders weight tipped forward. So with your gelding it could be him testing you, but considering it has taken that long I'm somehow little doubtful. The reactions also sound quite big for simple testing, especially the bridling thing... And the behavior has been building up, so pain could be a reason. I also wonder if he could be bit bored of arena work, if that's what you tend to do with him and he has been a trail horse so he might be more used to that type of work.
Definetly have a chat with the owner about his behavior lately and ask how he is when with other people work with him.
_________________________
So Heta's moved to the new place safe and sound. She's really no hassle to travel with, like I can load and unload her by myself, she's that patient to stand in the trailer. c: The new place... Is okay-ish feeling (I forgot the place has clay based soil, which packs into the hooves like crazy >_<). The owner seems nice, just little forgetful and sometimes little too, how to put it... Like it was pouring today pretty much all morning and afternoon and she took all the horses inside in the morning (horses spend nights outside for now) because of the rain, and then left them inside for the whole day because the rain continued into the afternoon... There are 2 horses who apparently really do not enjoy being inside... One of them is real nutcase imo, like he will kick the walls full on with both of his hind legs. Like literally buck towards the walls, hard. Other just kicks/paws the door of his stall mainly so people would let him out. So the athmosphere inside the stable is not that nice when the horses are inside, like it feels stressful and also loud as the sounds echo quite a bit.
I can tell Heta's not her usual self, she definetly doesn't like all the banging noices and I think she looks bit lonely in her paddock (which she wasn't at home, even though she was alone in the paddock). We were hoping to put Heta together with one mare eventually. But today I talked to my classmate, who also keeps her horse at the stable, and apparently that mare can be bit pissy with other horses (owner said othervise -_- ) and she and Heta haven't been that nice to each other over the fence... The same mare also tried to bite Heta when I walked her past her stall... So yeah, this might be interesting.
The have a indoor and outdoor arena. The indoor had the ground totally redone and is still waiting for the top layer. Technically we can ride in there even now, but it's mix of sand and round small-ish gravel and fairly soft (for me) so it's really not that good(tested it out today, definetly not good for tolting)... The outdoor also has some ground issues, like it's too hard apparently in their oppinion, so they use it to paddock some horses...
So that leaves the oval track as only riding place (other than trails), which is has pretty great ground really and it's outside, so Heta likes it more. But it's so narrow... Like I don't think it's even 4 meters wide, so it's kinda hard to do anything other than going straight and maybe little lateral work (which Heta dislikes a lot, so a no go). I'm just hoping someone would be willing to show me some trail routes next week, so that we can have at least proper work out that way. Not sure if I'm going to give the indoor a shot with long reining tomorrow...
I also may need to clip Heta again. I rode her today and quite lightly to be honest, and she got much more sweaty than I would have liked considering the amount of excersise... >_< Temps are also supposed to go over 15C and it's supposed to get sunny too.
I think I'm feeling little stable-homesick. Which I thought was not possible, but apperently it is.