You all know my horse Apollo right?

Anyway yesterday a lady came over to help me work with Apollo and show me a few tips about caring for horses. (I know a few things but I'd rather be safe than sorry XD)

I showed her my bridle, saddle, saddle pad, all of the goods. She wanted to put the saddle on Apollo without the saddle pad on, to see how well it would fit.

So I grabbed his lead rope and tied him up while the lady was going to get the saddle. When she came in the paddock with me, she left the door open...

And I wasn't sure about that at first, but I figured she knew what she was doing, so I didn't say anything.

She placed the saddle on his back, and made some adjustments. I was still standing there, trying to hold Apollo still.

The lady said she needed to unclip him and lead him around so the saddle would sit evenly on his back.

I told myself she was a horse expert, and she knew what she was doing.

Well, she let go of his halter to adjust the saddle. He turned toward the door....and trotted.....outside his pen....

He went out into a field and started walking around. We tried to call his name but he wouldn't listen.

I ran back to the barn and grabbed a bag of treats, since he always comes to treats. He still didn't come, and wandered up the hill.

I grabbed the lead rope so in case we caught him we would have a way to lead him back. I would get about an arms-length away from him, and every time he would turn and trot the other way.

I asked her if I should go get my brother. She said the more people the better.

I beat on the door. And by this time, Apollo was in our front yard. My brother, Mom, and sister all came running out to help.

We tried his favorite pellets, apple treats, carrots, peppermint. None of it worked.

I had a mini panic attack when Apollo galloped as hard as he could, down to the road.

He stopped right at the edge and just stood there for a second, before turning and running all the way back to the edge of our property.

We all got down there, and he was heading for the woods. By this time I was on the verge of freaking out.

He kept going and went past out woods into the neighboring field of someone else. Right next to that field, were railroad tracks. And if he crosses the tracks, I wouldn't ever see him again.

But he stopped at the edge of the field, turned around, and full-blown galloped straight toward my brother. Thankfully, Apollo didn't run him over, instead, he ran back toward his barn but ended up in the field beside it.

The lady told us to just sit calmly and that she would try a calmer approach.

I asked Mom what we would do if we couldn't catch him. She said we would have to call animal control and have them tranquilize him. That relieved me and terrified me at the same time.

After about fifteen minutes of coaxing, the woman got Apollo to follow her back to the paddock.

Seriously, I felt like crying after all of that.

So, we asked her what she thought about Apollo (since we've had some trouble with him lately)

And she said it shouldn't be that hard to catch him if he was loose. We also told her about the little accident a few months ago: I was riding Apollo in the pasture and was busy adjusting my stirrups, and he just took off. I wasn't ready for it and didn't get a proper grip. I could slowly feel myself sliding off, so I pushed away and jumped the rest of the way. I hit my head really badly and I guess I was on the ground not moving for a minute. My mom came out to make sure I was okay while my grandmother and sister were just standing in shock and fear.

I was sore for a week after that incident. I had bruises everywhere. My tailbone, head, legs, everything was hurting.

Anyway, the lady said Apollo will have to be retrained. She called him "green-broke" which means he's been taught woah and go, how to put a saddle and bridle on. But hasn't properly been trained.

So sometime this spring, Apollo will have to be sent off for training. There aren't any places nearby, so he'll have to go somewhere far away.

But phew....sorry about that long story XD