OlavS
17th Sep 2003, 09:00 PM
Hi, all,
just wanted to tell you about my first day taking care of Foxy, the horse I'm part sharing. (See thread OMG I might start part sharing a horse (http://www.newrider.com/forum/showthread.php?s=&threadid=23848) for pictures :) )
I left work early Monday and got to the yard at just afer 4pm. He was such a good boy in the field, he came walking over towards me and stopped so I could put on the lead rope. Then he walked nice and slowly behind me up to the yard. Put him in the corridoor with some food while mucking out, then got him into his box where he finished his food. He saddled up fine, and the bridle went on smoothly. Got a few girls to join me for a hack in the woods, as they knew the trails well.
As I waited for them to get ready I went to the outdoor arena for my first ride. He stood perfectly still (haven't seen him do that before) and got a half decent walk out of him. But he refused to trot! I tried clucking, a few gentle taps with the crop, and squeezing and nudging with my legs.
Didn't want to nudge hard or kick, or use the crop as I hate that.
But then the girls got ready, so we took to the trails. Passed a football field where there was a match going, and Foxy spooked a bit, but was allright again.
Further on, back into the forest things got a bit hairier! The girls chose paths with big slabs of smooth rock surface every now and then! As I heard and felt his legs sliding I kept thinking back to my trek in the Norwegian mountains. Those horses could deal with any obstacle, but even then we were not allowed to ride on smoth rock as it's so slippery with metal shoes. And Foxy has lived his entire life indoors...which is why his owner wants me to ride him on the tracks.
Yesterday I was asked to watch over him as the owner went to a meeting. Went into his paddock and he came over. Started walking, and he followed on my right. Turned left no problem, but difficult to the right as he got along side me. Then I tried to make him stand while I walked 2 meters away. But he did not understand.
So I got the lead rope on and was going to let him eat some grass outside the paddock. I tried to close the electric fence, but he wouldn't stand anywhere near the opening, so I tied the lead rope loosely to a pole. Foxy tried to follow me and the knot untied, and then he trotted like a champ...in the other direction, across the yard. So I walked calmly after him. Luckily he stopped to visit the private horses at the back of the building. *Phew!* :o
Took him behind the house so he could eat some grass and he seemed happy. But then he froze as he heard some noise! Lo and behold it was the sound of the horse eating trampoline! Got them to stop jumping until he was back into his paddock.
He jumped out once before, but that was when he was in the paddock nearest the trampoline, this time he was further away. But he still went trotting, cantering and bucking like a loon at times when he heard the squeeky sounds. I was on the outside and he looked at me while pawing, then reversing for a bit and finally cantering like a loon towards me. Me shouting NO! probably had little effect :p but he didn't jump. But just in case I went over to the girls on the trampoline so that they could help me catch him if he did :D He must learn that the horror stories he has heard about them horse eating trampolines are not true!
Anyway, for anyone interested that's what's happened so far.
No doubt next week will be just as interesting, but hopefully involve less trampolines and slippery rocks :p
Sorry about the long post....I did warn you ;)
Olav
just wanted to tell you about my first day taking care of Foxy, the horse I'm part sharing. (See thread OMG I might start part sharing a horse (http://www.newrider.com/forum/showthread.php?s=&threadid=23848) for pictures :) )
I left work early Monday and got to the yard at just afer 4pm. He was such a good boy in the field, he came walking over towards me and stopped so I could put on the lead rope. Then he walked nice and slowly behind me up to the yard. Put him in the corridoor with some food while mucking out, then got him into his box where he finished his food. He saddled up fine, and the bridle went on smoothly. Got a few girls to join me for a hack in the woods, as they knew the trails well.
As I waited for them to get ready I went to the outdoor arena for my first ride. He stood perfectly still (haven't seen him do that before) and got a half decent walk out of him. But he refused to trot! I tried clucking, a few gentle taps with the crop, and squeezing and nudging with my legs.
Didn't want to nudge hard or kick, or use the crop as I hate that.
But then the girls got ready, so we took to the trails. Passed a football field where there was a match going, and Foxy spooked a bit, but was allright again.
Further on, back into the forest things got a bit hairier! The girls chose paths with big slabs of smooth rock surface every now and then! As I heard and felt his legs sliding I kept thinking back to my trek in the Norwegian mountains. Those horses could deal with any obstacle, but even then we were not allowed to ride on smoth rock as it's so slippery with metal shoes. And Foxy has lived his entire life indoors...which is why his owner wants me to ride him on the tracks.
Yesterday I was asked to watch over him as the owner went to a meeting. Went into his paddock and he came over. Started walking, and he followed on my right. Turned left no problem, but difficult to the right as he got along side me. Then I tried to make him stand while I walked 2 meters away. But he did not understand.
So I got the lead rope on and was going to let him eat some grass outside the paddock. I tried to close the electric fence, but he wouldn't stand anywhere near the opening, so I tied the lead rope loosely to a pole. Foxy tried to follow me and the knot untied, and then he trotted like a champ...in the other direction, across the yard. So I walked calmly after him. Luckily he stopped to visit the private horses at the back of the building. *Phew!* :o
Took him behind the house so he could eat some grass and he seemed happy. But then he froze as he heard some noise! Lo and behold it was the sound of the horse eating trampoline! Got them to stop jumping until he was back into his paddock.
He jumped out once before, but that was when he was in the paddock nearest the trampoline, this time he was further away. But he still went trotting, cantering and bucking like a loon at times when he heard the squeeky sounds. I was on the outside and he looked at me while pawing, then reversing for a bit and finally cantering like a loon towards me. Me shouting NO! probably had little effect :p but he didn't jump. But just in case I went over to the girls on the trampoline so that they could help me catch him if he did :D He must learn that the horror stories he has heard about them horse eating trampolines are not true!
Anyway, for anyone interested that's what's happened so far.
No doubt next week will be just as interesting, but hopefully involve less trampolines and slippery rocks :p
Sorry about the long post....I did warn you ;)
Olav