Ride at your own risk...

How does this sweet face turn into a demon horse? :-/ I don't know what was with him last night, but he was a handfull to say the least. Even when I was leading him to the barn from the pasture he was leaning way into me and struck out and was hopping. So at least I was smart enough to lunge him this time. But wasn't smart enough to put on the right pad- I guess. During lunging I noticed a little hitch in his step, but he was still tracking up. In fact he was floating and lengthening all during the lunging. When I asked for the Caaaaaaan ter he picked it up and then protested rudely by leaping into the air, bucking and then just a dead stop. Great he's going to be fun tonight I thought. So I got him to canter again and he finally did it without being rude or a maniac. So I brought him in and took him off the lunge line, left the right side rein on and hand trotted him in a left circle, WOW he was fancy smancy so I really wanted to get on. From the time I got on to the time I got off (hmm, I'd say it was 7 mins max ;-) ) he was a round ball, of CRAZY energy. When I asked for the trot I got that wicked round back that says I'm going to buck you off! So we walked a little more. Then trot. He was still round and chewing, but it didn't feel like he was going to buck me off at that very second so we continued. He spooked wildly and I almost came off again, damn, I'm getting sick of this feeling! I wanted to jump off then, but I knew I had to ride through it some so we continued. He had some great moments and then some very scary moments. This was the kind of night where I had to just ask so nicely and be happy with what I was given and not ask for much more, and to think I ALMOST carried a whip last night 8-o LOL.
So riddle me this. If his back was sore or his right stile was bothering him, WHY was he so forward round and over stepping without a whole lot of encouragement? AND he was soft in my hands. I can only guess that the gel pad was bothering him. I forgot a square pad and it left the gel pad a bit floppy I guess.
Horses! Bleh!!!