Here is a video of us "getting it" in our lesson...
It's terrible quality for some reason but you can see the point.
I didn't get a chance to do the ride with me, the joys of owning your own place. We had to get ready for the snow storm that came the next day.
I'd like to do a more detailed introduction of each of my horses so you get to know them like I do.
So I'l try to do one post a month of more details about one horse. First up is OYY Queen Jane Approximately. Her and I started out our riding career pretty rocky (floats off to dream flash back like an 80's sitcom).....
......The day I met Jane I was still recovering from a chipped bone in my foot thanks to my last eventing prospect's reenactment of a bronc's first time out of the chute. I still didn't feel comfortable riding being just out of my boot cast, she seemed to like me though (cause that's a great way to decide to buy a horse) she wanted to cuddle and was drawn to me. So I had a friend ride her for me to see how she went about. Other then wanting to go out the door and rushy at the canter she was just like the videos and I LOVED her in the videos.
You know the rest, she fit in our trailer perfectly and home she came.
My first ride on her started off great. We walked down my friends driveway and around the yard, so I decided to see what she knew... I apparently like to push my limits... I asked her to back up one step! Up she went in the air with her front legs and I thought for sure we were going over backwards on pavement. As I was in the air I said "You got to me kidding me"! All I needed was another crazy bay horse trying to kill me. I give all horses the benefit of the doubt though and know enough to have their teeth checked anytime they rear up. Teeth floated, check, no rearing, check!
Second and maybe third ride were also great. We had some work in the canter and bending to do but she was just what I thought she would be, fun!
Then...like a mare, she flipped a switch...I've never been bucked off a horse from a standstill before I was even all the way in the saddle. I was alone so I decided to lunge her and not get back on...remember I just had a nice accident.
So the next time I get on she is doing great. We walk, trot, canter then switch directions and canter left...NOPE. Horses that can buck on a circle with their head up are just showing off how talented they are. This time I landed on my feet.
At this point I'm doubting ever buying her. I'm thinking she has always been a dirty bucker but something tells me to keep trying to figure her out.
Well after treating her for ulcers and a nice Chiropractor visit I'd like to say she hasn't bucked since, but I'm not going too cause that would jinx it. :-)
But really now she is Ms. Trustworthy and takes me over, under, around anything I ask. She might give an opinion about it but I know it's her just learning the boundaries and figuring things out.
We competed in our first schooling event at the end of last year and she carried me through the course with such confidence. I can't wait to event with her this year.
Back to reality.... We have a lot of work to do.
Lessons with Brad and then some more lessons with Brad should do the trick.
Pain can be a real problem for curlies...some of them will take pain and keep ticking just like a timex, some, will take pain until they think they can take it no more, and then tell you how they are feeling...I find this has been true more in my curly mares, so, finding the root of the cause will do much for your relationship....I should suggest you meet Karen Maas, she lives in Michigan, she is an amazing horse person and can often spot pain the untrained eye (and often vets) can not see.
ReplyDeleteThanks! I'm pretty good at telling when something is behavioral or pain related. I could sense with Jane it was pain. It's been over 7 months since she has bucked or acted out like that in anyway. Now I've jinxed myself :-)
ReplyDeleteWell sounds like you have had quite the challenge in getting her all figured out! I hope it is one of those scenarios where you come out of it on the other side with a very solid bond and relationship. She is a very beautiful mare.
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