This reminds me of the most frightening
experience I've ever had on a horse. Many years ago, I was "trail
training" a new 6-year old Arab gelding. When one buys a horse that is
accustomed to hills or desert, one has to introduce him to OUR HILLS (a
subset of the Santa Cruz Mts....not so much elevation but very technical.)
I was riding along with a friend on an open fire road that followed the ups and
downs of the mountain contours. We trotted down into a dip, whereupon the
horse decided to run up the other side. This is a technique I've seen
several horses use, apparently to gain momentum, and foolishly, I let him do
it. However, he didn't stop or slow down at the top. This particular horse
became known to us as one that would appear afraid of what might be behind
him, and he tended to tuck his tail between his legs and bolt. I was riding him
in a Tom Thumb bit, and I didn't know anything about the finer techniques of
horse training, but my instincts told me to pull him into a circle to stop him.
He didn't respond; the road was not wide enough for a BIG circle, and it was a
bank on one side and a drop-off on the other. He ran, "hell-bent-for-leather"
for 1/2 mile when I could see we were coming up on the pipe gate blocking
the road. We always ride around it, but at a full gallop, I knew that the horse
wasn't going to make his way around that gate safely and I was going to lose my
left leg. Since that wasn't an acceptable option, I grabbed the rein close
to the bit and literally hauled him around into a circular pattern. I told
him that if he was going to crash and burn, it was going to be into a manzanita
bush, not a gate. I did get him stopped, and I was trembling all
over. We walked (mounted), all the way home, another three miles. The
horse and I didn't make a good match, as he apparently was scared, and I know I
was. One day, Lud and I were headed out for a ride, and this horse was
being his usual tense self. I asked Lud to keep the pace slow, as I felt
the horse was dangerous. Lud said, in a manner I thought was a bit
"know-it-all", "Do you want ME to ride him?" I said, "YES, but you be
careful!" So we exchanged horses, Lud mounted up and rode like he usually
does....in a sort of Gary Cooper-like relaxed fashion...and that horse just
settled down and they were a team ever after. The horse still would bolt on
occasions, but Lud could correct him before it went anywhere. They did
hundreds of miles of endurance, lots of multi-days and even partrolled the
beaches (State Park Mounted Assistance Unit) amongst the Elephant Seals.
Finally, with age, the horse developed some arthritic conditions in his front
feet and I sold him to a children's camp for a lesson horse. He is still
there, quite aged, and dearly beloved by all who take lessons on him....their
"favorite horse."
Most of the problems I've experienced have
been based in the fact that I am not a courageous rider. I have always been
if not downright fearful, at least excessively cautious. My current horse Banner
and I have finally made a team. He was timid and afraid and lacking in
self-confidence, and so was I, in response to him. So one of us had to
change before the other one could. Time and some expert work from a local
girl who trained under Parelli, made a HUGE difference. Banner is still
likely to start at a strange object, but I can relax and tell him he's being
silly, and we get past the problem. He is such a sweet horse....and bless
him, very cautious an careful on narrow, steep or otherwise difficult
trails.
(Sorry, I don't write letters, I write
novels......)
ray, i am training a TWH for a friend of mine. the horse
is a 4 year old, 15 hands, slim build. he ran away with me last week,
and i mean ran, like a race horse! he made it about 200 yards
before i could get his head around for a one rein stop. stiff
necked SOB! haha!
ed
