Think I learned quite a lot today about the young man,Ali!
Rode out with Jo with the intention of road work in the opposite direction to see how he'd react.
Sure enough as soon as he got to the very top of the lane he started,ears pinned,head down with the odd attempts at a rear.I tried several tactics today to see if anything would snap him out of it.When it started we stayed on the lane away from the busy road and I tried turning him on some tight circles then sending him forward-this didnt seem to bother him or make a difference.He is completely unperturbed by whats going on around him so we decided to keep going down the road so he doesnt learn everything stops cos he's having a hissyfit.
I alternated between putting his face in the hedge keeping him slightly sideways to alternating the reins keeping him disingaged and off balance to prevent him from rearing.Smacking him definately makes him try to rear more!
He made one serious attempt at a rear but I caught him just in time pulling the right rein out which put paid to that,I have to admit to giving him a few socks in the gob when he tried setting his neck or yanking me.
This went on all the way down the road for a good 10/15mins during that time 4buses passed us,2tarmac wagons and a tractor,(not counting all the cars etc) then he stopped and started walking nicely!Very tellingly this was when he could see the turn off which we can go along bring us in a loop back to the top of the lane ie;home soooo I kept him going straight down the road(horrible arent I!).
Well sure enough the sod started again so we kept going down then hill once we got off the main road I tried giving him a hard boot to send him on,wasnt keen on trying this on the main road for obvious reasons.Im not sure if that worked or he realised we were coming up to the next track that turns right looping us back to home but he stopped the shenanigans and was foot perfect and an absolute angel all the way home.
He was sweating heavily by the time we got back to the farm not sure how much was because its all hills on the way back or cos of the sillyness.
So what ive got from today is that he's going to be bombproof in traffic,he WILL eventually be a cracking hack cos when he's going nicely he's forward and totally unspooky plus im starting to read him much better.
He's also totally unreliant on other horse's which will be great for when I take him places in the future.PlusI still feel reasonably safe most of the time this is going on,not keen on rears but the rest isnt scary at all.Polo can send out the most powerful explosive vibes which can turn you to jelly..Ali doesnt!Not that I enjoyed it but it feels managable probably because he's not doing it through fear so its not panic or instinctive reactions which are more unpredictable.
I feel a bit guilty because I believe ive unintentionally caused this problem..Why? Well after the splint and the time off I kept the hacks short I tended to go so far along the lane or tracks then come back he's obviously decided a hack involves going so far then coming back:(
The plan of attack is lots of loopy rides, no going so far then turning for home.The problem ive got is i'll have to go on the busier roads to do this and because Jo only rides Sandy a couple of times a week (he's 26) it means having all this going on with no horse to block him in or help if I come off.
Im up for riding him through this but not on a main road so im going to ride him so far get off before his trigger points lead him with the pressure halter then get back on a different points as soon as we get off the roads.Im hoping this wont train him into thinking he's going to get led everywhere..I dont think it will cos im going to ride him off and on the yard and get off before he starts,what do you reckon guys this sound a sensible plan of attack?
3 comments:
Very sensible! DOn't worry about the socks in the teeth, you had to do it to get it through to him that his behaviour was unacceptable. He had company, he wasn't scared, he had no excuse!
Well done - you'll crack him soon and then he'll be a super hack for you.
C
Never feel guilty about correcting a bad behavior. Letting it go on without punishment is far worse for the horse in the long run.
The lateral work should keep him off balance enough that he has to keep his feet moving instead of balking. As for the rearing threat, spinning him is great. Always make sure you pull down and around rather than back and up on the rein.
I know that "explosive" feel all too well. Tucker is a master of it. Glad to know AliG doesn't give off those kinds of vibes.
As far as the leading him goes, far better to do that when there is a traffic danger than end up in a nasty accident should he act up. As I've said before, around here I'd never ride my horses on the road, but if I had to use the road for some reason, I would be leading, not in the saddle.
Well done. Ali is a cold-blooded dominant horse, you cannot let him get away with any bad behavior.
He really needs a firm hand.
But what pleasure it is that he is almost bombproof.
Great, isn't it? ^-^
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