richie5
11th May 2005, 11:10 PM
Hi
I've never wrote on here before, but found it and thought I would. I own a 6 year old quarter horse and a 4 year old paint. My question is with the quarter horse. His name is Richie, I bought him last January as a 4 year old. He turned 5 that April. I got to ride him maybe 4 times since the weather was so bad. Then I found out that I was pregnant. I didn't Get to ride him again until, well for the last month or so. Since my son is now 5 months I don't have to be oncall all the time now. When I bought Richie, he had been trained for cutting. He didn't spook at anything. Now he is not so good. Probably from all that time off at such a young age. I guess he has just lost confidence in himself. We have some issues. I was riding the other day and a train started coming, we were about 100 feet back from it, but he was scared to death. Half rearing and he kept trying to turn to run, I kept turning him back to face the train. Besides prancing all over and doing little half rear dancing act. We were fine. Then next I found that he is scared of cars. It also is getting worse everyday. He's okay if they come from behind him but if he sees them coming he waits till they are right next to him and jumps to the side. If its a big truck he half rears and spins on his hocks. Now I went trail riding Saturday. and he started head shaking. I got to ride the rest of the way home at walking speed but on a prancing horse. My husband said I looked like a general. Yesterday I took a plastic sack and he was scared at first but I rubbed it all over his body till he would just eat grass and not care. I took him down by the highway and just stood there with him till he stopped jumping at cars. when 20 passed by and no spook I walked back towards the barn and he was good till a cat ran by in the ditch. Then he jumped and acted squirley. I used to train horses. It's been a few years now. The lady that runs the barn out there is a real rag, she always knows everything if you know what I mean. A horse person that thinks they know it all. she does nothing but belittle me. and if I had somewhere else to move my horses I would have. Anyway she has me now to the point that I question everything I do. So I guess I just need some confidence also. I just had richies teeth floated and vet said they were fine. So I don't think that has anything to do with the head shaking. I do have to keep a tighter rein on him or he will run all the way back to the barn. I thought about taking him out in the pasture and letting him run it off. He is more spirited for a quarter. I have never seen a horse so fast in my life. The guy I bought him from used a grazing bit richie hated it he would chomp it shake it in his teeth so I switched it to a full cheek snaffle. I have a bosal I could try. but haven't yet. He rides off of your legs and neck reins great. I have started the ground work over with him. Besides sacking him out everyday and letting him stand next to the highway and watch the cars 20 min. everynight. If anyone has any ideas on the car fright please help. I taught him a head down cue it helps some. The prancing head shaking he only does it on trail rides. On the way home it's probably from not enough slack but its either that or he tries to run all the way home. So I make him walk the whole way. Advice would be great. thanks Stephanie
I've never wrote on here before, but found it and thought I would. I own a 6 year old quarter horse and a 4 year old paint. My question is with the quarter horse. His name is Richie, I bought him last January as a 4 year old. He turned 5 that April. I got to ride him maybe 4 times since the weather was so bad. Then I found out that I was pregnant. I didn't Get to ride him again until, well for the last month or so. Since my son is now 5 months I don't have to be oncall all the time now. When I bought Richie, he had been trained for cutting. He didn't spook at anything. Now he is not so good. Probably from all that time off at such a young age. I guess he has just lost confidence in himself. We have some issues. I was riding the other day and a train started coming, we were about 100 feet back from it, but he was scared to death. Half rearing and he kept trying to turn to run, I kept turning him back to face the train. Besides prancing all over and doing little half rear dancing act. We were fine. Then next I found that he is scared of cars. It also is getting worse everyday. He's okay if they come from behind him but if he sees them coming he waits till they are right next to him and jumps to the side. If its a big truck he half rears and spins on his hocks. Now I went trail riding Saturday. and he started head shaking. I got to ride the rest of the way home at walking speed but on a prancing horse. My husband said I looked like a general. Yesterday I took a plastic sack and he was scared at first but I rubbed it all over his body till he would just eat grass and not care. I took him down by the highway and just stood there with him till he stopped jumping at cars. when 20 passed by and no spook I walked back towards the barn and he was good till a cat ran by in the ditch. Then he jumped and acted squirley. I used to train horses. It's been a few years now. The lady that runs the barn out there is a real rag, she always knows everything if you know what I mean. A horse person that thinks they know it all. she does nothing but belittle me. and if I had somewhere else to move my horses I would have. Anyway she has me now to the point that I question everything I do. So I guess I just need some confidence also. I just had richies teeth floated and vet said they were fine. So I don't think that has anything to do with the head shaking. I do have to keep a tighter rein on him or he will run all the way back to the barn. I thought about taking him out in the pasture and letting him run it off. He is more spirited for a quarter. I have never seen a horse so fast in my life. The guy I bought him from used a grazing bit richie hated it he would chomp it shake it in his teeth so I switched it to a full cheek snaffle. I have a bosal I could try. but haven't yet. He rides off of your legs and neck reins great. I have started the ground work over with him. Besides sacking him out everyday and letting him stand next to the highway and watch the cars 20 min. everynight. If anyone has any ideas on the car fright please help. I taught him a head down cue it helps some. The prancing head shaking he only does it on trail rides. On the way home it's probably from not enough slack but its either that or he tries to run all the way home. So I make him walk the whole way. Advice would be great. thanks Stephanie