I have been sharing about my rides the last couple of times with Voelie, my young mare. We were doing great and she was so lovely and calm with the whole riding process. I really fell in love with this new 'tuned down' version of my horse. Now just a week ago I finally separated her from her foal (the foal was still nursing) because she was getting thin and needed more energy for herself. Now that she is gaining energy and strength (she does not get hard feed any more now that she is not nursing) she is back to the very high strung pony I knew before. Yesterday I took her out to the park (same route we took now several times) and she reered up and then bucked me off into the brambles. Luckily I held the reins. I got back on to finish what we started and with lots of built up energy we managed to complete the short ride.
Today I rode her on the grounds, first we worked in hand, also some jumping and then I got on. She was high strung the whole time, like a 'jack in the box' waiting to explode. I managed to keep the training divers and keep her attention but it was not easy.
She is not the poster girl in gentle easy curly attitude at the moment. I hope with the right training regime we will find a good balance :) I am glad she was born and stayed here with me and not with a first time horse owner. I know we all like to promote our curlies as being gentle, easy, 'born broke' etc. but it is such a divers breed with so many influences, each with their own positive points and challenges. Voelie is the total opposite of Suri, my other mare who is such a gentle giant. I do love Voelie's energy but I think I'm in for a bumpy ride getting her really well trained :) Does anyone else here in the RAC have a curly who is more like Voelie, more high energy ect.? I would love to hear about it and could also use some motivation here ;)
Jessica and Voelie from the Netherlands
The RAC began in 2007 and continued until 2015. It was created to unite all curly horse owners to encourage and motivate each other and to promoting the breed. Participating riders earn points to win amazing prizes. This blog was created to share with others their personal journey with each other and the public. *This blog is not a training blog and any techniques or methods shown here are not necessarily enforced by the RAC. Consult your trainer for advice. http://curlyhorsecountry.com
Hi Jessica,
ReplyDeleteIndeed, they all have their own horsenality, even within the breed. I'm not sure if you have ever looked into it but hopefully your frustration can turn into happiness. There are lots of Parelli Professionals in the Netherlands. They can help you with your Spirited Curly. They won't call her crazy or nuts. They will help you understand her and how to get her calm, connected, responsive. If you check this map, you can zoom in on it and find an instructor. Even just one lesson might help. http://professionals.parelli.com/parelli-professionals-map/
Or here
http://professionals.parelli.com/professionals/
You can search by country.
Get the highest star instructor you can :-)
Thank you Cindy, I indeed know some Parelli instructors nearby. I have never tried it myself but maybe with Voelie it would be a good idea, thanks for the tip! I do love this little horse and hope we can find a good balance that works for both of us :)
ReplyDeleteSorry about your setback Jessica. You'll have a stronger bond on the other side for working through it all with her! Keep us posted on how it goes. Do you think she was acting out because of the weaning from her foal? (who is gorgeous btw!)
ReplyDeleteThanks Donna, I feel as if Voelie was verry happy to not have her foal by her side the first few days (she seemed relieved, don't know why but she just seemed happy to me) but after about a week she seemed to have had enough of this separation. I don't know if it could be hormones etc. that are upsetting her now. She is always more skittish then Suri but now seems more grumpy too. We'll definately keep at it and I'll post updates :)
DeleteI've had experience with some higher strung ones. Two things I've found in common with them. They need to be reminded on the ground who is the leader from time to time. Moving their shoulders seems to be more effective then their hind end. From my experience Curly's tend to be pretty herd bound. I'm not sure if it's the wild horse instinct in them but Theo can be outright rude and dangerous when he is in a scary place and taken away from his friend. Perhaps after weaning her foal her mind was more on that then working with you. The other thing I've noticed ,with my mare especially, is they will tell me when they don't feel right. The 4th or 5th time I rode her she bucked me off and then tried to do it several more times. I had the chiro out and she had several back issues most likely from the long trailer home. After she was adjusted she didn't try to buck anymore but would turn around and try to bite my legs or her side. I was baffled but did some reading and found that is a sign of ulcers. I treated her for that and we've had a great relationship since. I do need to remind her some times who is the boss but I think now she knows I'll look out for her. Mares are funny creatures but I love them! Good Luck! They do settle down though just be consistent.
ReplyDeleteThank you, I definately try to be consistent but it's not allways easy. I'll definately incorporate moving the shoulders in our groundwork!
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DeleteJessica, Please consider having 1. a chiropractic evaluation done 2. Evaluate saddle fit 3. a vet check for ulcers or other stomach problems 4. A vet check for intestinal stones, twists or other problems 5. A full vet check for physical problems..I wish you the best. Penny Johnson
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