when you fall off the traitor runs back to the barn..

[angel advocate]

HI there everyone ....i just was wondering is there anyway to teach your horse to stick around when and if u fall off? The other day while cantering along a path my horse decided to side step when he spooked at something and sent me for a loop it didnt hurt at all and i was just fine except the little scoundrel beat it all the way back home to the barn. I was calling him back and everything....I was wondering this,, is there any way to teach your horse to stand by your side and wait for you to re mount?..I didnt mind the walk back but it would have been nice of him to wait for me..any help anyone??????? Tips? Ideas? Anything? :)

[Wally]

You poor soul, I used to ride a mare that did the same. If you came off at the begining of a day's hunting you could be sure of doing half the day on foot trying to catch her. Thankfully everyone knew her and if found without rider would catch her and come looking for me! If you let go of the reins she was gone. Made me really good at keeping a grip on those reins!

I wish I knew the answer. None of my present horses does this, thank heaven.

[Emarmite]

Hi,

Sorry I cannot be of any help, but had to reply because your story made me laugh.

I cannot recall seeing anywhere where a horse has waited for the rider, and unfortunately the further away from your stable the worse it is for you.

It does make one think what goes through their mind though,
do they run back because they did not want to go out in the first place, or because they do not want to stick around for you to give them a good telling off, food for thought really.

Anyway hope it does not happen again (and those new scooters are quite light to carry!)


Regards,


Beverley

[JoeyJoJo]

I cannot help you either Im afraid, but also have a story to share.

Ages ago, my friend and I were out on a hack and I got bombed off with by a nasty little cob who totally blew my confidence (!) and I was too scared to ride him back home, so my friend got on him (she's a much better rider than I) and lead her horse.

Unfortunately it didn't go to plan as the cob decided to lash out at my friend's horse who responded by bolting off!

After catching bolting horse and bucking cob and friend up, we found her horse sheepishly stood by the back gate of the yard with a very concerned 'where's my mummy?' face!

It brought a smile to my face anyway!

[alexa]

Why don't you contact somewhere that trains "Western" type riding - I believe that their horses are trained to stand when the reins are dropped.

regards

[Allie]

I've got a mare that when you drop a rein, whether you fall off or not, she will just stop. I think it comes from stepping on the reins and pulling on her mouth whenever a rein gets dropped, as I know I certainly didn't teach her that! As for ground-tieing, as someone else mentioned, that takes an awful long time to teach well enough that it will do you any good. Fortunately I've never had any runners, and both my horses stop and give you that look that very plainly says "what an idiot..." whenever you happen to fall off.

Speaking of falling off, the other day I was riding a friend's horse, who is *ahem* interesting...he has a habit of bolting with anyone he thinks he can take advantage of. Now he does fine with me, but we were cantering in one of the fields and he suddenly decided he wanted to stop and swerve to the right. I somehow managed to do a flip over his neck, and land on my feet still holding the reins directly in front of him (while he came to a crashing halt to avoid hitting me)...my mom gave me a perfect ten for the dismount...

Allie

[Nancy]

The western ridden quarter horses that we ride will stand out in the park if you get off of them. I think it is because they are trained in the yard at home. Sometimes after they are saddled they are told to "Stand" while one of us helps another rider, or gets off to retrieve a pair of gloves, etc. We also get off in the park to trim back branches or clear debris from a trail. They are told to Stand , sometimes if they think you are not looking, they will take a mosey a few yards down the trail, but will stop if told to. Over the years, we did have a few occasions when riders came off unexpectedly and the horse stepped on a rein and spooked a little, but they never ran home. We usually ride with someone, so there is usually another rider still in the saddle. I guess this makes a difference.
Happy trails.

[marge]

When I was sixteen, lived in Florida, and had my first horse, an Argentina cattle horse.( I named him Chocolate Chip cause he was a flea bitten gray. Ah, memories.) Anyway, as a kid I had no fear and at the stables where I kept him was a group of other kids and we'd all ride out together. We'd play hide and seek in the tall grass, (like sugar cane) swim the horses in the rock pits, and jump anything we could. He was neck reined and could turn on a dime. Alot of times I didn't stay with him. I always rode bareback and I'd go over his head, fly off the side, etc. Cripes, now when I get tossed off I just lay there and wonder if all of my body parts will move. But he was my buddy and as I sat up and tried to get my breath back I'd look up into these big brown eyes and he'd be looking down at me as if he was saying, "What the heck happened to you?". These three horses I have now would probably say, "Meet you back home, be sure to be there in time to feed." Marge

[angel advocate]

I love the stories everyone any more stories of the horse leaving his rider to head back to chow? I love to hera all these funny tales...............:)

[Maci]

A year ago, I rode a cute little mare named Ginger. These are a few stories that she 'gave' us (me and my friends)!

This on occasion happened to my friend when she rode her. During this time, she was in season, so as you can imagine, she was a bit different! Anyways, my friend was riding her in the arena during a schooling lesson, and one of the geldings stall was empty, with the door left open. Her, being in season, she was a little flirty, so she took off with my friend on her, and trotted right into the empty stall! My instuctor had to go in the stall, and bring her back out, because she wouldn't leave.

Another occasion when I was riding her, she took off and out of the arena, and started right for her stall. I couldn't get her to stop! Half because I was new at riding and I was scared out of my wits! And the other half, because, well she just wouldn't listen! I ended up having to dismount her, and lead her all the way back to the arena. By that time the lesson was over!

Hope You Enjoyed My Memories!
Maci :)