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
