L O N G ..... I have owned Morse (Welsh sectD 2 and a bit) since end June and we have been having a few teething problems as in a. He has not had anywhere as near as much handling as I had thought. b. He is bolshy, nippy, bit too full on in your face. However after saying all that I am learning and learning to understand him ......fast
He makes this little grunting noise and then bites you, or catches hold of your sleeve, skin if you have a T shirt on This was beginning to really peeve me off and no matter how many times I say 'NO' turn on him etc he still does it. However this week I have realised that if when I hear that little grunt, I turn quickly and reassure him, nicely, we do not quite so often get the little bite He is still such a baby, bless him, very immature.
The other week I was asked by my friend if I wanted the farrier to see him when he was visiting and said 'no thanks, he is not ready and I do not want anyone injured, especially the farrier, cos it is his livelihood' however we brought him out so that he could watch and he was genuinely interested and well behaved. Tonight one of the girls let it slip that the farrier had remarked 'you didn't tell me he was still WILD' so looks like I made a good decision there then
Tonight again, we were talking about him and she said 'this time next year you will be riding him' to which I replied 'only if I think he is ready', I could sort of tell they were a bit shocked, however there is no firm and fast rule that they have to be broken at 3 is there, if I do not feel he is ready surely it does not matter. At the end of the day I am looking for a well adjusted horse and I really am not prepared to rush him and ruin him. I am only just beginning to understand what makes him tick and I really do not care if I cannot climb aboard until this time next year and then turn him away or even the following spring. I'm not being soft, in fact I am quite hard on him when needs be, but his welfare is the important thing, he is intelligent, bold, brave, ie. He was being nosey, again, tonight and knocked a metal stepladder over, I was there, so there was no risk, instead of jumping back as I sort of expected he walked straight over and was trying to pick them up again with his nose jUST WONDERED if you thought I was right or being a bit slow on this or if I am right. I appreciate that he could come on leaps and bounds during the winter in which case I would obviously start him next year
He makes this little grunting noise and then bites you, or catches hold of your sleeve, skin if you have a T shirt on This was beginning to really peeve me off and no matter how many times I say 'NO' turn on him etc he still does it. However this week I have realised that if when I hear that little grunt, I turn quickly and reassure him, nicely, we do not quite so often get the little bite He is still such a baby, bless him, very immature.
The other week I was asked by my friend if I wanted the farrier to see him when he was visiting and said 'no thanks, he is not ready and I do not want anyone injured, especially the farrier, cos it is his livelihood' however we brought him out so that he could watch and he was genuinely interested and well behaved. Tonight one of the girls let it slip that the farrier had remarked 'you didn't tell me he was still WILD' so looks like I made a good decision there then
Tonight again, we were talking about him and she said 'this time next year you will be riding him' to which I replied 'only if I think he is ready', I could sort of tell they were a bit shocked, however there is no firm and fast rule that they have to be broken at 3 is there, if I do not feel he is ready surely it does not matter. At the end of the day I am looking for a well adjusted horse and I really am not prepared to rush him and ruin him. I am only just beginning to understand what makes him tick and I really do not care if I cannot climb aboard until this time next year and then turn him away or even the following spring. I'm not being soft, in fact I am quite hard on him when needs be, but his welfare is the important thing, he is intelligent, bold, brave, ie. He was being nosey, again, tonight and knocked a metal stepladder over, I was there, so there was no risk, instead of jumping back as I sort of expected he walked straight over and was trying to pick them up again with his nose jUST WONDERED if you thought I was right or being a bit slow on this or if I am right. I appreciate that he could come on leaps and bounds during the winter in which case I would obviously start him next year