Do I really want to use a trainer who says , "he's spoilt" in front of you?"Thank you I thought, just who spoilt him?"
I did say, "he's not spoilt, he is afraid."
I got some good references, I asked lots of questions . I told him, that we just have negelected to work with him much, too much going on, too little time.
I sent him to another trainer who only felt he needed two weeks of work, "cause most trainers don't do much till the last two weeks before the client comes to pick up the horse". (I wanted longer, but she talked me out of it). I'd wanted and asked for 10 rides at least on him before I wanted to ride him in our arena, he is a big horse and I haven't been riding much for 3 years, wans just starting to ride my gelding again. She only got 4 rides, "said , He didn't care ", no big deal , but she spent lots of time on groundwork (he needed leading work, I'd only done some). She got hurt by another horse, so he was returned with 4 rides. I couldn't at that time go from there, riding -- (family stuff).
So we found this other trainer, who useds gentle methods .....
Scout is half arab, half appendix Qh and his grandsire was Noholme II -- An Austrailian racehorse of the year...ways back. He is 16 hands, 1200 lbs maybe?
Told him what I 'd done and lack of . He can lead, he disengages well, he will back off a finger, knows head down , despooking, standing over him, complete gooming, a bit fo filing on his feet, wears blankets. (trained to trailer load by a prof. trainer when we moved).-- that's about it. He resists sometimes,especially if you try to force him or put on too much pressure, and I forsee a battle if you get too rough. But if I just persist and reward the try with a release, he will do it in -- small steps work and quiet persistance.
I thought the trainers trailer was bigger, then he pulled up, it was a slant load , but an older one and it wasn't very tall, not as tall or wide as our 2h.
Two strange men, a strange cave on wheels, my husband who tends more to the "make him" type of training. He went in once, but they took too long trying to get him tied and barrier, in the mean time, he backed out fast.
Then we had resistance, -- He'd been taught before and did learn to load on our 2h, later he went to the other trainers in her large stock. (Just led in by my husband). But coming back we had to load and there was a hurry....Had 3 people tryint to load him --I backed off , because he kept looking around, trying to figure out who was doing what and who to listen too... Eventually I suggested we load him on the other side, cause that was where he was taught, and had two of them leave his eyesight. (He did have a long drive, with changing weather, cold rain after muggy heat, and he did rock the trailer when we stopped to go thru a quick drive thru, he also broke the butt chain, sitting on it? It was a 4.5 hour ride .(3rd time trailered).
Today, I think the same thing, 2 men, who haven't worked with him at all. My husband who only played around with him a few times and me who has taught him a little, but I know how his mind works.
Top it off , my mare is in season, and she is freaking out , calling to him all the time (both are very bonded ). I took her down to another pasture, and she did some silly circles around me, which she hasn't done in years.
I think he'd have followed me in, but I didn't like the narrowness and height of the trailer, and I didn't want to maybe get bodyslammed if he got turned wrong or something. I'd have walked him in our old Featherlight, but this was not that roomy at all. Oh, then he broke away from them and I had to follow him as he headed towards the other horses, he only let me approach when I bent down and pretended to "graze' with him, we were in the neighbors property. (He has always come when called or let me walk up). He walked back fine.
So we let the trainer go home,my husband got our trailer and put it in the arena. I walked him around the rig, he was spooky at first, then after a few walks around it we walked over to it and smelled it (he is usually very curious and playful about new stuff , not spooky) (mare is still calling...) My husband is now walking him around it , standing by it an getting him to put one foot in and out.
I am in here trying to decide if I want to send him to a trainer who says "he's spoilt" in front of me or not. He also said he'd be harder to train , because he is 5.
Last time he came back he was jumpy for a two weeks.
I am not sure I am doing the right thing. I thought I 'd just grit my teeth and let him go and if he came back rideable I could then teach the finer stuff, and hopefully I wouldn't get a basket case back,and if I did, I'd just have to realise I made a mistake and then try to fix it. And I could be just over worrying and I just need to bite the bullet).
I know you have to be firm sometimes, I just think he was confused , so he said ,"this is scary, who are these people, what's with the butt rope, I 'm not going to do this".
I did make a list of what I 'd taught him, what I wanted him to learn(walk, trot, stop and whoa under saddle, he was to be a trail horse mostly). Not interested in speed work yet, neck reining etc.) I wanted like 30 rides of 1/2 hour, then I would feel comfortable .(green broke my spooky," everything will kill me "mare) and my gelding enough to show him some, and ride alone for 3 years on trails, and jump, cross water,go past spooky stuff). I also gave him the last trainers notes, which in all honesty says, "boy is this horse disrespectful".
I really dont' like the labeling, namecalling stuff, he is a horse, he is acting like a horse, he doesn't know what we want, we have to figure out how to communicate with him and motivate him to follow what we want.Especially when he doesn't see the point.
I just didn't want to be the test dummy again, only on such a big horse, (I like my 14.2 arabs-)-
My husband wants him to be his trail horse....but I could likely end up with him as a backup horse...
arrrrrrggggghhhhh!!!!!!!!!! I am so crazy with this..........
Watch “Cause Effect,” a show about real people making a real difference. Learn more.
