The Bad Mood Bear

Ever take one look at your horse and just KNOW he's in a rotten mood?
To quote Finding Nemo: "Hey there, Mr. GRUMPY PANTS!"
Does anyone else ever have a day where you feel like everything you do to try and make your horse happy merely annoys him?
My brain is flying. Not just because Jet had a thorn in his butt, but also because I am FRIGGEN EXHAUSTED. I work 10 hour shifts as a graveyard beverage manager for one of the casinos on the Strip. Due to the long hours, grave is actually the only schedule that gives me any prayer of spending time with my boy. However, humans are not naturally nocturnal, and sometimes, no matter how long you have worked grave, your brain just FRIES. One of my cocktail waitresses, who has worked grave for 18 years, said just the other day she randomly fell asleep while she was eating a bowl of cereal. Literally. She woke up wearing half-eaten, soggy Cap'n Crunch and dried milk, while still holding the spoon in her mouth.
Anyway, my brain is completely on the fritz and over-reacting as it always does when I'm butt-ass tired, but for the very first time, rather than getting dramatic and sobbing, "My horse haaaaaates me!" my first thoughts are, "Hmm. HOW INTERESTING."
I tried too hard today. I tried having Undemanding Time while still trying to keep him curious and interested in me. At least I caught myself doing it. The weather was also terrible today. It's only in the 90's, but very muggy for the desert, as there is a threat of a rain storm. Often, that's ALL we get all year is the mere threat of rain, or some terrential downpour that floods the entire state of Nevada in a matter of minutes, followed immediately by scorching sunlight. Perhaps the ambiguity of the weather was bothering Jet, as several other boarders also mentioned their horses were in major snits today.
It wasn't just me Jet was pissed off with. He was bi-polar with EVERYONE in the herd, even Blahnik. One minute he kicked her in the face and shimmied over to me, two minutes later he decides I suck, whinnies at Blahnik and gallops over to her. After awhile, even Blahnik was like, "Screw you, I'm hangin' out with the human."
I had brought his halter to take him out to feed him his supplements and Jet's feeling was, "HELL no." Hmm...HOW INTERESTING. My thoughts: "What did I do (or NOT do) last time that makes him not want to come out today?...it's NOT about the Catching Game...I WANT to take him out, and I HAVE to feed him his supplements...but what does JET need today?" Jet needed to be in his pasture, free to walk away and sulk as he pleased. My cloudy mind managed to decide, "Oh boy! I can bring his bucket into the PASTURE and practice upping my energy and body blocks when the other horses try to invade our space." So that's exactly what I did. The day wasn't a total train wreck. Jet still put his nose out for scratches and rubs. He still sniffed me, approached me if I caught his eye and turned around, licked my hand. But he was grouchy and I am comatose. Finally, I gave up, sat on the bucket (when he had emptied it out) and just admired him and Blahnik while they grazed. I only moved to give them the occasional pat (only if they touched my first) or to chase off the Brute Squad. When it was time to leave, I knelt beside Jet and said, "Say bye-bye to mama," and he actually OFFERED me his nose. I gave him a smooch on his "kissy spot" (that adorable snip of white on his face) and made a quick exit. So, I let my horse know that we don't always have to leave the pasture to hang out or play games, nor do we have to play games at all. I just hope I'm forgiven for the mistakes I DID make today and tomorrow is better, not worse. Pat's saying of "the second time's the hardest" scares me. I have no idea if tomorrow I want to try taking him out, or if we should just graze in the pasture again, or take him and Blahnik for a little walk around the paddock. Or even if Jet will run away screaming the next time he sees me. I guess he will let me know what he is up for when we meet again.