The thought didn’t even cross my mind…

And to think, I caused MT 14 hours of misery.

Oy.

Here’s how it went down –

MY MISTAKE

I bought hay yesterday.  Hubby said he would put it in the barn for me.  Yay!

I left the truck, full, parked in front of the barn for Hubby to unfill.

At this same time, the phone rang just about a second after Hubby clicked the ‘enter’ button on his Craigslist ad to sell his car…   Then it rang again and again and his cell phone blew up with texts.

We figured we had priced it too low…

Anyway, after speaking to several strangers, Hubby and I had a plan.  He hopped in  his freshly cleaned car and I hopped into mine and I followed him to the first meeting.

We arrived at the designated place – and waited.  And waited.  And waited.

Finally, they arrived – and we did the dance.

After test driving the car – and me finishing an entire PEOPLE magazine while waiting – the buyer decided to buy Hubby’s car.

Except he didn’t have all the money – only some.

Argh.

Blah blah blah…

Suffice it to say, we got home late and Hubby never off-loaded the truck.

FLASH FORWARD

So, the truck has been sitting in front of the barn for 14 hours now…

I wouldn’t have thought about this as an issue except for the fact that Tess has been thinking about this for 14 hours straight.

You see, the truck was parked just about 5 feet from her very delicate nose and tender lips that have been smelling and eating rather bland food for a year now.

By breakfast this morning, she had worked herself into a fit.

TANTRUM

I walked down to feed this morning in my usual way… I greeted all the horses by name and some of them called back.  I singsang my greeting to Tess and she usually nickers at me.  I then open the barn and tend to the Queen first.

Well, this morning, there was NO nicker from MT.

Un-uh.

Nada.

??

Me:  “Mama?  Are you OK?”  (She looked normal – except her ears were pinned.)

MT (ears pinned as tight to her head as possible):  “I hate you.”

Me (cooing at her):  “Mama, good trick with the ears… what’s up?  You don’t hate me…”

MT (pretending to bite my shoulder):  “I HATE you!”

Me:  “Why?”

MT:  “YOU MADE ME LOOK AT THE YUMMY, GOOD HAY FOR 14 HOURS STRAIGHT!  I COULD SMELL IT ALL NIGHT AND I STARED AT IT ALL NIGHT. I DIDN’T GET ANY SLEEP AT ALL!”

Me:  “Oops.  I’m sorry…”

MT:  “I HATE YOU.  GIMME SOME OF IT – NOW – OR I’LL KICK YOU, SO HELP ME HORSEGODS, I WILL!!”

Me:  “Aw Tessa, you know you can’t have that hay…”

MT (pinning her ears and striking the ground near me):  ‘NOWNOWNOW N-O-W, NOW!!!”

Like a fool, I continued our morning routine, thinking she would fall into line and do what she normally does every morning.

But, the Queen had spoken…  She would have none of it.  She wouldn’t stand on her Theraplate, she wouldn’t eat her favorite coconut treat (CoolStance) and when I gave her the syringe full of her medicine – she left her mouth open so it all dripped out.

She was going to prove her point.  No matter what.

Me:  “But it is really bad for you – you know I haven’t tested this hay and you need it soaked…”

MT:  “ONE LITTLE MOUTHFUL is not gonna kill me.  Besides, YOU OWE ME for making me smell it and stare at it for 14 hours straight.  I promise, I’ll eat my yuk food if you give me one bite.   One Bite.  Promise.”

I CAVED

So, I caved.

After Tess defiantly walked up to her perimeter panel and pointed at the hay stacked on the truck, I knew I had to bow to the Queen, just a little bit.

So, I walked over to the high stack and pulled out a handful of Orchard Grass.

Me:  “Here, Your Highness.”

MT (gorging herself and ignoring the irony in my tone-):  OMG!  THIS IS THE BEST HAY – EVER!!!

And, like all fine rulers, she kept up her end of the bargain.  She ate her food and stood on the Theraplate.

Peace in the Queendom.