Two steps forward, one step back :(

Nimbus65

Nimbus65

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Aug 15, 2005
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After being a really, really good boy Friday and Saturday, Kali and I had a "moment" yesterday.

Rode him in the arena (as I had done on Fri and Sat). Started off absolutely fine . . . a bit looky but that's just him. Worked beautifully over his back, lovely and soft, bending, supple. Then the rain came. By rain, I really mean someone tipping buckets out of the sky - that and lots of wind (cue lots of rustle-y trees) and then someone parked a car right behind a tree and proceeded to unload stuff - right where Kal couldn't quite see what was happening. He HATES water in his face so was having a strop about that, and then he got really, really nappy . . . we went sideways (lovely leg yield - how I wish he would do that on purpose), backwards and then he started to get really jittery and jumpy . . . so I got off. :(.

We've been doing so well that I just didn't want to push the issue and risk him totally throwing his toys of his pram (he goes up if he feels really pushed/cornered).

Part of me really wanted to get back on once the rain had stopped, but I had just dried him off and cleaned all his tack (we got absolutely SOAKED) so I didn't.

Sigh.

N
 
Try not to read too much into it. Sometimes circumstances just make things difficult for both the horse and us. You have to do the best you can at the time and not worry about.

There will be lots of other good days.

Think you probably did the right thing. What's the point of pushing things when you don't need to. It would be different if you are out on a hack and you have to get home. But in the school you have the option of finishing before anything bad happens.
 
Wally said:
Better two forwards and one back than one forward and two back! :D :D
Click to expand...

^^^^ this.

When I was first diagnosed with depression a nurse once said to me one day you will have more good days than bad. And she was so right but I couldn't see it at the time.

I some times think working with horses is like that. There is no shame in getting off a horse, better to be safe than be thrown off and injured.

Unffortuneately horses are not machines and do re act. My Eva walked past a lawn mower behind the hedge on our hack the other day. Lunan who is much younger wouldn't have he would have spit the dummy out.

Your Kali is still a baby horse isn't he? give him time he will come good :)
 
Thanks Guys - I should have added that we've been at new yard just a week - which probably didn't help.

You're quite right that two steps foward and one back is infinitely better than one step forwards and two back! If I step back and look at the whole picture, he's actually behaved remarkably well since we moved him - he had one nap/rear with Jen when she was riding him over to the outdoor school (it's a good five minute hack from the yard) but she sat tight, used her spurs and pushed him through it and then he was perfectly fine.

I got the sense that at first he was trying it on b/c of the rain, and then he became genuinely frightened/worried - which is why I chose not to push it. I do wish, though, that I'd gotten back on later . . . for both of us . . . but I shan't stress too much about it as J (my trainer) will be schooling him for me tomorrow and if he tries it on with her, she will work him through it.

He's actually not THAT young (we think he's 8 now) but is very baby-ish in his outlook and is quite an insecure chap. Add to that the fact that his entire environment has just changed and he's now bottom of the herd and I can forgive (but not excuse) him for having the odd worried moment. Looking at the larger picture, he's actually been remarkably well behaved (for him). I just need to "man up" and learn how to work him through his wobbles . . . I do think getting off was the right thing for "us" but I would like to get to the point where I feel brave/confident enough to work him through it. KWIM?

Thanks for your kind words.

N
 
Dont worry it will come right but if you can it is sometimes better to push them a bit when they start farting about, i know it can be a bit frightening if you dont have the confidence to boot them on, more ground work for him and practice for you and it will fall into place. Your instructor will kick him on a bit sometimes they just try it on to see what they can get away with. Its about confidence and that only comes with experience and being exposed to different situations and working through them.
 
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