< He thinks rides are to be conducted at race-track speeds, and
gets extremely frustrated at a rider that interferes with that plan.
:) Doing training rides with a group helped somewhat, but I
certainly could never consider riding in a snaffle. Actual rides
only improved slightly. In any kind of competitive situation, he
wants to be *FIRST*, and hates to be rated. I don't think any amount
of training is going to fix that - certainly no training that I am
competent to perform, anyway.>
I think you are describing MY horse. 8 yr old purebred Arab gelding, no
previous trail experience til I got him this year. First couple of rides he was
"terrified" of being left behind, so outdid himself to keep up. He was very rank
at the start and for the first 15 miles. After 20 miles, he's the "perfect"
horse. But I'm worn out. Took some time off this summer. Got him enjoying
pleasure rides. He acts like he's 22 yrs old and near dead when I ride him by
himself. After we get a few spooks out and he knows where he is. Goes to sleep.
W/ a group of pleasure riders riding at a walk, he was somewhat agitated, but
under control. Tried our first "competition" again last week at a laid-back
Supreme Trail Challenge (a type of competitive trail ride) and he went into race
brain as soon as he saw horses leaving camp in the morning. Not much better than
he was at his first endurance ride. I even rode w/ a babysitter for the first 17
miles.
I am teaching him a new trick. It's called let the horse in front get out
of sight (around a corner in the woods). Make him stand still. Then let him
catch up. He will play the game pretty well after an hour on trail. But not
doing it at the start. He shakes his head, throws himself around, paws,
basically acts like a spoiled baby. But he's a very big, angry, and tall baby.
Sort of scary. I almost got off this last time and wanted to tie him to a tree
and let him work it out. I might do that some time. Worked w/ a herd bound QH I
used to have. Eventually I hope to get THERE. A sane starting horse. He is my
future 100 mile horse. So I want control.
But you know, at home, he is also very herd bound. Can't stall him out of
sight of the other horses. He circles, paces, piaffes, bends things that
are in his way (like my gate) and can rearrange a round pen faster than you can
pick up your carrot stick. Won't be pastured by himself unless it's on his terms
(certain view he has to have of the entire farm).
So I am resigned to re-train him and work w/ him every day. I've started
probably a dozen horses and trained my first horse, a mustang, when I was 15.
Didn't really want to re-train or re-start a horse right now. But here we
go. ( my grandfather, who is in the hospital right now, said "just throw him out
in the pasture". I explained, well, I paid too much for him to do that! LOL).
If he acts herd bound at home, how can I expect him to behave in a crowded
start of an endurance ride? I have him in mild to moderate bit - a combination
bit w/ a bosal that works off the nose, chin, and poll. This gives just enough
control that he doesn't try to rear and get out of it and it doesn't tear his
mouth up. Best bit I think for now.
Back to the round pen. I'm teaching him all the standard join up stuff,
voice commands, how to control his emotions (reward for coming in center and
giving me his attention). And I'm teaching him to bow (whew, that is hard
work), hobble, and do some obstacles. He works out of sight of any other
horses, then gets tied up out of sight and fed some nice hay. We'll see how it
goes. Then we'll play the games of out of sight whenever I can w/ a group of
people. For AERC rides for right now, I'll just have to start after everyone
like I did before.
Sounds easy when they say, just re-direct your horse's energy when they act
herd-bound. There's a lot more too it for certain types.
