RE: [RC] behavior and exersice levels

[DESERTRYDR1@aol.com]

As others have mentioned, the amount of turnout time has a lot to do with 
that "Fresh" behavior.  But part of it could be spring.  Both of my mares 
have needed a month or so of steady riding after the winter slowdown (NOT 
layoff) to get most of their brains back.  Rode Fog, my 8 yr old Anglo-Arab 
tonight for about 45 minutes.  Now you have to understand that we have been 
out on the trails every weekend for the last month, and it's not as if this 
horse hasn't been everywhere and done lots of stuff.  But tonight, she 
spooked at my dog, and assorted other stuff every time we went around the 
arena for the first 15 minutes.  She just felt like being bratty, because she 
wasn't really in the mood to work in the arena.  She's quite athletic, so 
it's always fun for the first little bit, she spooks sideways, bogs her head 
and crow hop, threatens to buck, spooks and spins--you name it, anything to 
convince me.  The thing that makes it fun is that she's a smooth horse to 
ride, even her jumps and spooks are fairly smooth.  My other mare (Arabian) 
used to take a long time to settle in, I'd just lunge her with lots of 
direction and gait changes til she paid attention to me before I got on.  
Probably saved some skin and a few bones.

One thing I have noticed is that Fog is much more likely to act up if I use 
the dressage saddle on her than in the endurance saddle.  We have a couple 
issues with the dressage saddle until she reaches a certain weight and level 
of fitness, so I only use it for short periods until she gets to that fitness 
level.   So you also might think about any changes in body shape, such as 
more fat or different muscling from being in most of the time.  Could be 
partially a saddle fit issue.  Few saddles are a perfect fit, then as soon as 
you find one that is, you ride more, the horse gets fitter and changes shape, 
Voila--it doesn't fit as well.  Anyway, good luck with your program.  jeri