Luka has turned into a very polite and wiiling hack that nowadays will deal wih almost anything. Sometimes he needs a few moments to have a look and decide if something is safe, but then goes by and sticks to his decision. I'd amost forgotten the hot headed, neurotic powerhouse I used to ride, but I got a big reminder today!
Quite what the problem was with the skip I don't know, he's been past it plenty of times no trouble. Maybe they'd put something in it that smelled bad to him? The longer he stood the more panicked he got - sweating, shaking, head bobbing to try and look from a different angle without moving. Wouldn't take a lead from a car going past or a walker and when a well meaning person came towards him and put ut a hand thinking she could lead him past he went up so high he wasn't far off vertical. In the end I gave up and asked him to rein back a good distance before turning him around, he wasn't even willing to take his eyes off it to turn that close. And then proceeded most of the way home as though the Devil was on his tail. Enormous high stepping running trot, and even some canter on the roads until he settled into a rhythm. Thank goodness we were on our own, nothing else on the yard would have kept up with that trot. At one point we had to make way for a lorry but thankfully I could get into a small car park where he proceeded to plunge and dance until he could get moving properly again. Considering parts of the villag are 20mph zones it's a good thing the police weren't out with speed guns!
It was a good job the physio had had a lot to do on the previous two horses because he needed a hose down and time to physically and mentally cool down before he was seen. Thank goodness she's someone I use regularly so knows that's not how I normally present him for treatment.
On a plus note he could easily have just bogged off but didn't. He never stopped listening, never completely dropped the bridle so I was lett with nothing and neither did he go the opposite way and pull like a tank - he did both in the early days and even though he was much weaker then it was still almost impossible to contain him, indeed staying in the saddle was challenging if he pulled. He knew he had to wait for the lorry and did so in a fashion that while looking dradful was at least safe. And he managed to come back to walk for the last 5 minutes or so, not a relaxed walk but at least recognisable as such.
Made me realise how far he's come, but that there is still that side to him and it will probably always be best not to take him completely for granted.
Quite what the problem was with the skip I don't know, he's been past it plenty of times no trouble. Maybe they'd put something in it that smelled bad to him? The longer he stood the more panicked he got - sweating, shaking, head bobbing to try and look from a different angle without moving. Wouldn't take a lead from a car going past or a walker and when a well meaning person came towards him and put ut a hand thinking she could lead him past he went up so high he wasn't far off vertical. In the end I gave up and asked him to rein back a good distance before turning him around, he wasn't even willing to take his eyes off it to turn that close. And then proceeded most of the way home as though the Devil was on his tail. Enormous high stepping running trot, and even some canter on the roads until he settled into a rhythm. Thank goodness we were on our own, nothing else on the yard would have kept up with that trot. At one point we had to make way for a lorry but thankfully I could get into a small car park where he proceeded to plunge and dance until he could get moving properly again. Considering parts of the villag are 20mph zones it's a good thing the police weren't out with speed guns!
It was a good job the physio had had a lot to do on the previous two horses because he needed a hose down and time to physically and mentally cool down before he was seen. Thank goodness she's someone I use regularly so knows that's not how I normally present him for treatment.
On a plus note he could easily have just bogged off but didn't. He never stopped listening, never completely dropped the bridle so I was lett with nothing and neither did he go the opposite way and pull like a tank - he did both in the early days and even though he was much weaker then it was still almost impossible to contain him, indeed staying in the saddle was challenging if he pulled. He knew he had to wait for the lorry and did so in a fashion that while looking dradful was at least safe. And he managed to come back to walk for the last 5 minutes or so, not a relaxed walk but at least recognisable as such.
Made me realise how far he's come, but that there is still that side to him and it will probably always be best not to take him completely for granted.
Last edited:
did some XC at the weekend and he was flying 