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aka "Running with the TIDE"
0r "Sacking Out of his Mind"
When I was 14 years old, I begged my father to buy a three-year old Arab
gelding from my cousin who had several horses. The gelding was very nice -
a Muscat grandson who was as copper as a penny with four perfectly matched
white socks. "Piper."
Unfortunately, Piper hadn't been handled much and quivered and popped his
lip when in the company of people. The first summer I had him, all I did
was love him up, getting him used to being groomed, having his feet held,
leading him around outside, etc. Looking back on it, I accomplished quite
a lot with him that summer considering how little I knew. I'd been riding
a Shetland/Welsh mare and a POA gelding up until then and they were both
pretty mellow.
The spring Piper was four, my Dad sent him to a local horse trainer. I
showed up at the trainer's place every day after school for two weeks and
watched as he worked the horse.
The trainer, Joe, (names changed to protect the guilty) was pretty good
with horses, although, looking back on it, I don't think he had much
experience with anything but quarter horses. Really mellow quarter horses.
Within two weeks, he was riding Piper in a round pen, and then went to an
indoor arena.
To me it seemed that Piper was learning quickly, but Joe wasn't happy by
how much he was spooking. He spooked at everything - even a line drawn in
the dust.
One day, Joe told me he was going to "cure" Piper of spooking. He saddled
the horse, leaving his bridle off, and led him into the indoor arena.
(About 60' X 75') The whole arena was solid - good boards along the walls
and with a stout, 5' high gate at the end leading to the driveway outside.
Joe brought out an empty "Tide" detergent bottle - you know, one of those
red, plastic ones. He took a light rope and tied the "Tide" bottle to the
saddle, with about 18 inches in the rope so the bottle could dangle around.
Then he turned Piper loose.
Now, I know what Joe thought would happen. He thought that Piper would
spook from the bottle and run around the arena, trying to get away from it,
until he realized it wouldn't hurt him, tire of running and settle down.
Wha-la! Piper would be cured of spooking. Who knows, maybe it had worked
on quarter horses?
Piper took two steps sideways, suddenly saw that horrible, fiendish Tide
bottle at his side, and whirled around to get away from it. The Tide
bottle flew through the air and landed with a hollow "thunk" against the
saddle. I swear, Piper took two leaps, covering the 75' length of the
arena, and slammed against the heavy gate at the end of the arena, breaking
the chain holding it shut, and disappeared into the bright sun outside.
Stunned, Joe and I looked at each other. "Holy #$%^%$!!" Joe said.
"I thought you said Arabs weren't as fast as quarter horses in a sprint," I
said.
We both ran outside, only to catch a glimpse of Piper at the top of a hill
far over by the horizon, running in circles to get awa from the Tide
bottle. We jumped in the pickup to go after him.
Well, even now, I can't believe how fast that horse covered the county.
Joe and I pursued him as closely as we could, but Piper pretty much ran as
the crow flies, and it was only minutes before we lost him entirely. We
drove around, searching for him, for over an hour before we gave up and
drove back to the barn. Before we got there, though, Joe's wife came
driving down the road, looking for us. She'd gotten a call at work -
someone had seen Piper and had guessed Joe had something to do with it.
The person said there was a loose horse, breathing hard, standing in front
of their picture window with a red bottle tied to it's saddle.
Piper had gone about seven miles. When we got there, he was a sorry sight
- sweaty and scared. Joe got on him and rode him home, and he was so
worked up, he wouldn't go slower than a fast trot, but even though it was
his first time being ridden outside, he didn't cause any problems. When we
got home (I got to drive because of the emergency) Joe rode him until he
finally seemed to start quieting down - about another half hour.
That evening when my Dad heard about what Joe had done, he hitched up the
pickup and went to get the horse immediately.
Dad rode Piper for awhile himself, then found another trainer for about 2
months. After that, it was up to me to work things out with Piper.
I wish I could say everything turned out all right, but it didn't really.
For the next three years that I had Piper, he was always extremely nervous
whenever being ridden by himself. He was fine on a trail ride, but if I
took him out alone, he'd pop his lip and work himself into a lather, and
finally act so panicy that I'd get off him and walk him home.
When I graduated, I'd had enough of trying to "rehabilitate" him, so I sold
him to the second trainer he had, and he, in turn, sold the horse to a
riding stable where he still is now. Only the trail leaders ride him, but
they say they are very happy with him. He is very calm when with other
horses. Actually bold - very happy to take the lead and always untiring.
But no one seems to be able to ride the horse solo without him "falling
apart."
I've just started taking Parelli courses this year, working wonders with
the three horses I have now. I wish I knew Parelli's methods back when I
had Piper, because I believe his nervousness was directly related to
mistrust of humans. The more I learn - the more I understand. I think
Parelli's training helps any equestrian, but especially trail riders
because you have to place so much trust in your horse. You have to work
together as a team, and all the gimmicks and bits and tricks and shortcuts
in the world can't create that. If you've never looked into "Natural Horse
- Man - Ship," I heartily recommend it.
Karen Willmus
willmus@runestone.net
----------
> From: tina hicks <hickst@puzzler.nichols.com>
> To: Mark & Karen Willmus <willmus@runestone.net>
> Subject: Re: Sacking out reply
> Date: Friday, February 07, 1997 11:29 AM
>
> At 11:09 PM 2/6/97 -0600, Mark & Karen Willmus wrote:
> >
> >By the way, on my next installment, I'll tell about "laundry detergent
> >jug desensitizing" and start a whole new topic under the subject
heading
> >:Worst training mistakes I've ever made.
> >
> hmm, this sounds interesting.....:-)
> Tina
> Huntsville, AL
> hickst@nichols.com
>
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