Re: [RC] [RC] Fwd: I don't understand my horse (long) - Laurie Durgin
He maybe testing you.My horsename is Rascal, and we play these types of
games from time to time. Perfect, obedieant one day, acts like a plug, does
everything I ask. Another day he won't pass the stupid light blue trash bag
we passed 30 times last year. Or he bolts for home (oh yeah , it was evening
, near dinner time and "we never obey at evening rides , alone;at dinner
time" . I have used circles, turning and walking the other way till he stops
his trying to run for home trick, , half halting. In dangerous or time
limiting rides I even get off and lead him past what ever it is (that we
have passed before of course), and then got on and continued.I have so
learned patience and detective sluething of the horse brain.sigh. Then
again, carrots often work, if you are really at a loss.(got him to go out
alone on the trail, and to cross water).
Don't have a clue about the apple thing. But my daughters horse won't eat
apples and he used to . Maybe he got a tummy ache once and associated it. Or
it's not as sweet as his feed. hhmmm(maybe he is a mare in disguise:0).
Rascal 's mom. Yes he is.
From: <drhopkins@xxxxxxxxxxxxxx>
To: ridecamp@xxxxxxxxxxxxx
Subject: [RC] Fwd: I don't understand my horse (long)
Date: Fri, 13 Dec 2002 03:07:42 GMT
> I finally had to get out and ride today. It's been almost 3 weeks,
between
> weather and hunting season. It was supposed to be sunny and in the
forties,
> but it only got up to 36, was overcast, foggy and felt like it was
raining
> becuase the freezing rain was melting off the trees. My older mare that
my
> husband rides has been a little lame this week from either arthritis
acting
up
> or she fell on ice/snow and hills. My girlfriend, who pastures her
horse
one
> mile down the road, was off work today.
>
> Got Calvin saddled up and he had quite a spring in his step even down
the
> gravel driveway which still had some ice and snow on it. Not even a
backward
> glance as we left the mare behind. She's too pokey anyways. He had a
fast
> trot down the road and went willingly past the dogs who usually bark and
> sometimes chase us. Made him walk by them. Got to the second bridge
and he
> wouldn't go across. The same bridge we've crossed a hundred times
before.
He
> not only wouldn't go but turned around to head back. When I try to make
him
> turn around, he tosses his head and walks sideways to the side of the
road
> where there is either a ditch and/or trash or barbed wire fence. When
we
are
> working in the pasture, I can make him circle and get him to do what I
want,
> but when we are on the road, my main concern is safety. I try to stay
safe
> and keep him calm. Basically we ended up waiting before the bridge, him
> watching a black horse that is usually not around. When he heard Silk,
his
> riding buddy, he hesitantly went across the bridge. Then he picked up
his
> pace and went along with Silk for only a few minutes before he refused
to go
> any farther. This is usually the spot he gives me trouble and makes us
turn
> around when he and I ride alone. I thought that he had lost confidence
in
me
> because I missed the discarded 1/2 dozen tires hiding in the weeds on
the
side
> of the road earlier this summer. Well today with Silk and him not
wanting
to
> go any further, I thought maybe he just didn't want to ride today. Well
he
> was fine the rest of the way back and just trotted by the our driveway.
We
> road the other direction for about 30 mins. We don't go this way much
because
> there is a small mean dog that chases him and tries to bite his back
legs.
> The dog's more agressive when there's only one horse. The dog wasn't
out
> today for a change, but Calvin picked up his speed some to get past the
> house. When we turned around to go home due my friend needing to be
home
when
> the kids get off the bus, Calvin was hesitant to head home and even
tried to
> get me to turn around again so that we could keep going down the road.
He
> calmly headed the rest of the way home.
>
> When we go the direction he didn't want, we do different rides. One
gets
off
> the road, thru the creek and down a short trail thru the woods, or we go
on
> down the road past some other horses he likes to see. I just don't
understand
> why he would be so stubborn on the road to go the other direction. At
that
> point, until I let him go the direction he wanted, I could not control
his
> direction, barely could control his speed. I've owned him for about
three
> years and we've done lots of show (4H type) entering everything from
hunter
> classes with jumps to pole bending to western pleasure and simple
reining
> patterns. We even did a 16 mile CTR this summer where he did well with
others
> and alone.
>
> He doesn't eat his apple or carrots until he finishes his food, and
lately
> he's been refusing to eat his apple. He hasn't been eating them since I
came
> back from a business trip two months ago. He ate them while I was gone.
He's
> done this after other trips, but never for this long. His teeth were
floated
> 3 wks ago and no sores in his mouth. He's my first horse. I'm in my
forties
> and my only other experience was 6 years of riding lessons-dressage and
> jumping when I was in college. I've learned alot here, but everytime I
think
> I've figured things out, I realize I know nothing!
>
> Sorry and thanks,
>
> Anna
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