Re: RC: sense of self-preservation (the equine variety)

[owens <owensall@sierratel.com>]

Hi;
Sounds to me that you are going too fast for his brain.  He's only five,
a baby still, and since he is athletic, he will spook big.  I was told
by an old-time trainer to WALK only for the first year, then slowly add
speed.  To this day, the horse I started this way will SLOW TO A WALK
for spooky stuff!  
I'd stop cantering until he's able to handle it.  Drop back to slower
gaits so the spookies don't rush up to him so fast!
Katee
> 
> Hey folks!
> 
> I'm in need of a good dose of reality from some of you old timers (ahem!  I
> mean experienced long distance riders) . . .
> 
> Have been riding for a long time, doing long distance for the last three
> years with a couple of different horses.  Sold one to purchase a youngster
> that would be more competitive.
> 
> He's a 5 y.o. Arab/Trakehner gelding and extremely athletic.  I've been
> riding him nearly a year, and he's done well in a couple of 25 mile ECTRA
> CTRs.  Good recoveries, drinks, eats, has terrific gaits, and is generally
> bold and trustworthy.  His most significant challenge (and mine) is his
> unpredictability.  Much of it was chalked up to being a youngster, but
> combining the occasional brain fart with the extreme athleticism has landed
> me on the ground more times in the last year than I believe I've fallen off
> in all my years previous.  And a concussion.
> 
> Yesterday's event concerned me the most.  Cantering up a logging road with
> woods on my right and a serious wooded slope on the left, Boy Wonder spooked
> at object unknown.  Okay, I can handle that.  But he went left off the edge
> of the road, over the slope, and after several long seconds of struggling
> (both of us) for any semblance of balance, I landed with an unceremonious
> thud of my helmet against a tree.  He almost fell, but was stopped by his
> same body part hitting same tree.  He's uninjured, and mostly so am I.
> 
> However . . .   what are the chances that this guy just doesn't have the
> strong sense of self preservation required for our sport?  He's a talented
> dressage horse, and could be *just* that, but I'm wondering if any of you
> have experienced the same bizarre behavior in a young horse and found that
> the horse did, or did not, grow out of it with miles and consistent training.
> 
> Yesterday was just the most recent of many, many such "out of the clear blue"
> episodes, but clearly, an unplanned jump over a ledge does disturb my own
> sense of self preservation <chuckle>.
> 
> Anxiously awaiting your brilliant words of wisdom, and sorry to blather on.
> 
> Patti (bruised, but not broken) and Ned (really Mom, whatever it was that
> spooked me was vewwwwy, vewwwy scary!)
> 
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-- 
I'm not tense;  just very, very, alert.


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Ridecamp is a service of Endurance Net, http://www.endurance.net.    
Information, Policy, Disclaimer: http://www.endurance.net/RideCamp   
=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=