It happens so infrequently, so can I just brag for a moment? 
Daughter was down & out sick with a non-covid virus & ended up missing 10 barn days. She was super-excited to finally get back into the swing of things with her new steed. For his part, he spied daughter & her younger sibling coming & knew this was his chance for extra hugs and treats. So he laid it on thick, playing the part of the poor neglected horse.
After much love, carrots, & mane detangling, they finally made it into the indoor & started warming up. Younger sibling & I parked ourselves on the grass out front & started reviewing for her Algebra test. Then,
“Moooooooommmmmm! Can you come watch & see if he’s OK??”
Me: [leaping to my feet, iffy ACL be darned, while frantically calculating if I made this month’s payment on my new grandson’s major medical policy yet] “Uh, what’s up?”
Daughter: “He’s trying to frame on the ground!” They start to trot.
Me: [sighing with relief upon finding that horse is not on the ground] “Maybe it’s just stretchy trot? Trainer has been riding him & uses stretchy trot a lot?”
Daughter: “No! He’s framing. Like dressage. But near the ground!”
Grandson is trotting along gamely. Sloowwwly, his nose inches further & further towards the ground. But his neck is supple & rounded. He’s not pulling on the reins. In fact, daughter has the reins looped. Wait. Daughter is used to riding American-style hunters. Grandson was imported from Germany a few years ago. Remember that while watching trainer ride him briefly during his first lesson with daughter, I thought “Wow! He’s very well-schooled in dressage. I should lesson on him when my knee isn’t a mess!”
It dawns on me! "Ohhhh, you know what? I think he’s looking for the contact & is confused because your reins are looped!’
Daughter collects the reins. Immediately, grandson supples & softens & shows off a lovely inside bend. “Mom! You’re right!”
Mom basks in the glory of being right for once in her life. She also sets reminder on her phone to make sure payment on top-of-the-line insurance policy is in order. And can she convince vet to administer ShockWave therapy to her knee?
THE END
