BlackJack

BlackJack is the second horse that I bought. I have had him for almost three years. He is a twelve year old Morgan gelding, and as you may have guessed he is black. Or almost black. Some might call him a very dark bay, as he does have some brown on his muzzle and flanks but he is black everywhere else. Except for the star on his forehead. I seem to have a thing for solid horses with stars. I didn't purposely chose these colors, it just happened. But I do like them.
Jack has had some really good training in the past, I think, but he has also had several owners who were not as smart as he is, and he has learned to think of what he can do to get out of doing what his owner/rider wants him to do. After I bought him, I was told that he had laid down and rolled with his owner and saddle on him. The owner wasn't quick enough to stop him, or didn't know how, and just jumped off in time to keep from getting rolled on. The saddle did get rolled on. So I was prepared for him to try this with me, but it was several weeks before he did. I had riden him for about an hour, and he was getting a bit tired and sweaty. I rode out into the center of the field and felt him start to drop to his knees. I kicked him hard in the flanks. Boy did he seem surprised, and took off at a trot instead of trying to roll. He never has tried it again with me.
But the past few days he has decided he wouldn't come to me, nor let me walk up to him, when he is in the field. Instead he takes off at a trot or a canter. Today I had had enough. I spent a good hour letting him, even incourging him, to walk, trot, canter and even gallap around and around. Ever so often I would let him stop, and try to get him to come to me. Nothing doing. I though he would never give up and let me put the halter on him. It took a long time. He tried to stop and roll as he was getting sweaty. He tried to stop and get a drink, but I wouldn't let him do that either. He never did come to me, but finally he stood still and let me walk up and put the halter on.
I wonder if that will be the end or if I will have to spend more time getting him to come to me as he used to do. I know it is just another of the games he dreams up to play with me. Games that he likes and I don't. Games I have to learn how to not play with him.