Just recently had an experience with my 4 yo
gelding. Took him out for his first in the real world ride this year last
Wednesday. He did real well except for crossing water. It was
unfortunate that the first water we came to was pretty major for the
youngun. Was only a ditch maybe 2 ft wide maybe 10 inches deep, but it had
also kind of spread out into a road that crossed it and was running pretty
fast. Well, Mr. gelding did a major tap dance when was asked to go
across. So got off and asked but the response was quite the same as from
the saddle. I know that loosing the battle is not a good thing, but was
with another person and knew that I was not gaining ground. So we went
another direction. But the mind set was made and from that point on any
little trickle on the ground was a huge snake for the poor boy. But other
than the water thing he really did well for a youngun.
So on Thursday I went to the RC archives and
looked up crossing water. Some one out there suggested using a tarp to
have the boy walk on which was funny, because that is exactly what I was
thinking of doing. So Sunday morning I spread a huge tarp across my
driveway. Got the boy out, walked him to the tarp and then across.
He went like it was not big deal at all. Having him walk on a tarp was
something I did with him as a yearling. So I took the garden hose and put
it at one end of the tarp so that water was running across it. Still
not even a hesitation for him to go across it with the water running. Some
puddles were forming that maybe got about 4 inches deep. He would walk to
them, stop, sniff, sip, paw, wiggle nose in it and basically was having a good
time playing in the water. Hummm. So what be the problem with
water?
The water was starting to run off the tarp onto
the edge of the drive and into the ditch. So thought I would ask him to
walk across that. OK, here is the problem. Don't know if it was
squishy ground or the muddy color, but this was not nearly as much fun as being
on the tarp. He danced, he backed, he circled, he did everything except
cross. So to work we went. Kept asking him to move forward and move
by me. This is all being done from the ground. Eventually got him to
cross it nicely with out trying to knock me down. OK, one side pretty
good. Switched hands and sides and oh my gosh, the whole world has changed
and here we go ballastic again. Took some time, but again got him
over.
Had him cross from both directions a couple more
times and decided to call it good for the day. Am thinking of working this
same exercise again from the ground before I ask from the saddle. Am
hoping all this will work. Do feel like he is just trying to buffalo me
and succeeding, but am trying to get the upper hand. If anyone else has
any suggestions would be interested in hearing them.
