Grumpy Nut

And so a ride with a Wonderful Nut has to be followed by a ride with a Grumpy Nut.

He was a little grouchy during the ride in general, but we were riding out as a group of four - us, Mona, Gene, and Cheyenne.  I don't know if that helped Grump a Nut, but he was a little pissy in general.  He still doesn't get along well with Chey.

Rick and Chey's leaser were looking for a short ride, so they were just going to do the short loop while Anne-Marie and I were looking to get some miles ridden.  We decided to fork off, with Gene and Chey a little in the lead, and that's where Peanut lost it.

Nutters had a melt-down.  The marbles had fallen out of his ears, rolled off down a hill, caught the eye of a passing bird, and were winging their way North.  He spun, started thrashing, refusing to go down the trail that I asked him to, and the only control that I had was some ability to keep him from taking off after Gene.  I had no escape route, either, as he was shimmying and shying and wouldn't stand still long enough for a dismount.

I called to Rick and asked him to come back, and Gene appeared at the head of the trail they took.  I let Peanut go towards him... and then right by him.  I took him down a trail a little bit down from that one and heading in the other direction.

Peanut was not pleased and kept looking into the woods towards the trail Gene took.  It took a good while to calm him down, but eventually he started to get tired and he started to calm and I had my Nut back... although not before he had quite a bit to say about my later taking another trail deeper into the park instead of the one he knew led home.

Elsewhere in our little party of two, Anne-Marie cantered Mona twice, which is a big accomplishment.