They are all so different. At Tejon 2 years ago, we were camped *right* by the ride start, and Caisson was in the 25. He was just fine. I took him out of his pen and saddled him at the same time as my friends, who were doing the 50, but he stood tied to the trailer and watched all the 50's leave camp. He danced a bit at first, but calmed down when I talked to him. Then I got on and walked / trotted around camp to warm him up, and he was cool and calm. I left 30 minutes after the LD ride start. However, there were several folks on that ride that were going *very* slowly. We caught up to them in barely 15 - 20 minutes, and it was "hammer down" time. He went from a nice, quiet, responsive ride to a raving maniac in 2 seconds flat. Yet, he can pass (or be passed) by strange horses when we are just out riding by ourselves, and never turn a hair.
They do know "Ride Day". :)
On Sep 14, 2009, at 9:36 AM, Dyane Smith wrote:
Now that does describe my oldest horse. So competitive, he nearly pulled over the trailer he was tied to (with his buddy) at lunch during a Competitive Trail Ride when he noticed that horses were beginning to leave camp at a walk to start the afternoon section of the ride.
Now, his main issue is competitiveness. He is not herd-bound at all. He will leave the other horses in a blink. He is (now) calm in camp, even during warmup before the ride. He is calm when walking out of camp, if he is not in a group. Calm when he is traveling by himself. He melts down when he sees the first horse ahead of him, or when caught in a group, and has been known to try and block the trail to prevent a horse passing him (he got corrected.) Once back at camp, he will settle down again.
