Re: Going Home

[Pamela Bertin <bertin@fone.net>]

At 08:07 AM 4/17/98 -0700, you wrote:
>My new endurance horse a 8 yr old reg arabian
>mare is really good going out for a ride.  Everytime we
>turn for home no matter how far we go she gets really silly
>going home.  T

I have a similar problem with my 8 yr. old 1/2 Arab mare.  She only
had 30 days training when I bought her a 1 1/2 yrs ago.  I still consider
her pretty green.  She does fine going away from the barn, but on the
way home she will pitch a fit if she's not in front of my husband and 
his horse.  My remedies so far have included making her walk calmly
behind him and only progressing to a trot if she is going in a relaxed
manner.  If trotting sets off a head tossing, pissed off, bucking fit, then
I turn her around on the trail (away from home) wait for her to relax,
and then turn around and start over at a walk.  I only let her go in
front of our buddy if she remains relaxed.  Needless to say, we have
a ways to go before we attempt our first endurance ride.  I'm  not into
fighting with her for 25 miles every time another horse goes by.  The
problem does seem to get better the more we ride.  At the end of last
summer's riding season coming home was not much of a problem.  But after
a long cold Colorado winter we're just getting started again.  Its still
snowing pretty regularly here at 8000 feet.  Spring time in the
Rockies.  Good Luck with your mare.

Pamela Bertin and Maggie (who may someday be an endurance horse)
Crestone, CO