Endurance.Net Ridecamp Archives

> What to do to get this new behavior under control?

Take her on an endurance ride, and if she acts stupid get off and walk 
until she gets the point.  If she continues, get off and walk again on 
foot.  Show her that you can be just as stupid...I mean stubborn....and 
outlast her. :^)  Seriously, I have done a lot of walking on foot with my 
(certain) horses and guess what, they really do learn that I get my way, no 
matter how long it takes.  I know this isn't for everybody.  I just hate to 
see somebody "riding it out", those horses often end up in trouble at the 
end of the ride, or with lameness issues that haunt them later even tho the 
rider overall didn't necessarily end up riding 'up front'.   I think it 
benefits my horses brains greatly to learn that at any point I can get off 
and they are expected to settle down and be calm, because you never know 
when that might become real important.  I remember getting off of Chief at 
one ride this year, he was getting wound up, and when I got off, he walked 
just a few steps and immediately calmed right down, knowing that the sooner 
he did the sooner I'd get back on and we could go on our way.  I did get 
right back on, and I swear I got back on a different horse!

For every problem with a horse, there is a solution that usually involves 
patience (or so I have found with my guys).  I got this quote today and 
thought how it applies to endurance riders, and how enterprising we are.

Adversity has the effect of eliciting talents, which in prosperous 
circumstances would have lain dormant.

Karen
in NV


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