The RS horse I've been riding for the last few weeks, the very beautiful Pip, is notoriously moody -- my RI calls her "the queen of PMT". She's actually very sweet and lovely to ride, as long as you're gentle with her, but she pulls some, um, *interesting* faces at times.
I'm generally very relaxed on her, which she seems to appreciate, and I love the fact that a tiny shift in my seat is enough to turn her, and that she'll stop with just a gentle exhale from me and no pressure on the reins. But this week, she just wasn't having it, and we had 45 minutes of bunching up and general rushing about. I rode without stirrups and concentrated on slowing and relaxing her (and myself!), to mixed effect!
It made for an interesting lesson. Afterwards RI and I speculated unsuccessfully on what had brought on this mood of Pip's, but it wasn't till I was on my way home that it occurred to me that I actually had a bit of PMT myself!
Happily PMT doesn't make me lay my ears back and pull faces (OH might disagree) but I do associate it with a certain "fizzy" feeling in my limbs -- which may well manifest itself as physical tension.
So I wondered if Pip, with her super-sensors, may have picked up on my PMT (or on the tension it produced in my body), and responded negatively to that? Has anyone else had experience of horses reacting to their rider's hormonal state? I'm not sure what the implications are -- maybe I'll have to keep certain horses for certain times of the month!
I'd love to hear your views.
I'm generally very relaxed on her, which she seems to appreciate, and I love the fact that a tiny shift in my seat is enough to turn her, and that she'll stop with just a gentle exhale from me and no pressure on the reins. But this week, she just wasn't having it, and we had 45 minutes of bunching up and general rushing about. I rode without stirrups and concentrated on slowing and relaxing her (and myself!), to mixed effect!
It made for an interesting lesson. Afterwards RI and I speculated unsuccessfully on what had brought on this mood of Pip's, but it wasn't till I was on my way home that it occurred to me that I actually had a bit of PMT myself!
Happily PMT doesn't make me lay my ears back and pull faces (OH might disagree) but I do associate it with a certain "fizzy" feeling in my limbs -- which may well manifest itself as physical tension. So I wondered if Pip, with her super-sensors, may have picked up on my PMT (or on the tension it produced in my body), and responded negatively to that? Has anyone else had experience of horses reacting to their rider's hormonal state? I'm not sure what the implications are -- maybe I'll have to keep certain horses for certain times of the month!
I'd love to hear your views.
My mare is famous on our block for her face pulling ability - indeed she has taught the mare next door to her to do the same!!! ha ha. If anything, when its "my time of the month" and I'm feeling moody / sensitive she seems quite receptive to this and goes gently with me
But, perhaps thats because I don't ask as much of her - knowing that I'm not feeling 100 per cent. I try hard not to be sharp with her if I'm moody side out - and we rub along together ok. I swear they all have a 6th sense though, and can gauge our moods - mare or not!!!!
