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 Miss Laundry Misshap
Posts: 5271
  
| My mom and I switched horses for this season. She doesn't look to go as fast and is comfy in the 4D/5D. I wanted something faster and her horse was it, but she never really asked him for it.
Background - 16 yo gelding, got when he was 10. He was always a back-burner type of horse and previous female owner was scared of him. Male owner made him work, but he was very seldom offered rewards, even so much as a pat with a good boy. But he only worked a few weeks out of the summer before he was put back on the burner and stood around. Never really made to work up to 10yrs of age.
Fast forward - I re-trained the horse, but my mom has been riding him because she wasn't real fond of my old gelding because of his power. The plan was for me to ride him. So much for that, 6 years later!
Horse has been running mostly in the 4D, quite a bit in the 3D last year. So I told mom, that since my old horse is 23, we are going to switch. 16 yo has very much potential to be 1D/2D, Definite 2D IF he'd run.
Since I've been riding him this year, he's been stubborn and bullheaded. He's going in and making a pretty pattern, but the run isn't there. Found some run, but then he's jamming me at barrels to the point of stopping or taking the bit and bowing out finishing.
So...How long would you give the horse to drop the attitude? I'm thinking through June and maybe switching back to my old horse! I just don't know if his heart is really in it for myself or my mom. He does OK with mom and lopes 3D/4D, but he doesn't seem to have that hard fire of really wanting to do this. Horse ran in the 4D on 5D race all weekend against American Qualifier.
My old horse would run on 3 legs gasping for air if it came to his last breath. I don't know if this horse needs more babying to really care about what I want (grow a heart!), if he needs a swift kick in the pants, or if I need to find something different while my 2yo is up and coming??? Ugh. I feel like he's currently spoiled rotten already.
Sorry for the book, but didn't know how else to explain! | |
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  More bootie than waist!
Posts: 18425
 
Location: Riding Crackhead. | Is he sore Rae? Maybe he needs a vet check. | |
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 Expert
Posts: 5293
| Considering the AGE of the horse he is pretty set in his ways. I know you have ruled out all the pain /vet issues because of your posts. SO maybe its not an attitude problem, maybe he just doesn't want to do it anymore. I have had a couple over the years that absolutely just love to run barrels then kind of one day they decide they just don't want to do it anymore. Then there are those like the one you described that would go on 3 legs if they had to. IMO you have given him plenty of time to turn it around. Maybe he just wants to go slower with your mom or is just kind of done with the whole thing. Only thing I think you might try is patterning him on something else to like poles or cattle work. Just something that lets him do something else for a while so when you do ask him to run barrels its fresh for him. Hope that helps! | |
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 A Somebody to Everybody
Posts: 41354
Location: Under The Big Sky Of Texas | If he didnt have all this attitude with your mom, it sounds like he was a happy horse with her and was just fine loping the 3D/4D with her, give him back and find you something else to play with untill you get your baby started. He dont want to go any faster..
Edit" for spelling 
Edited by Southtxponygirl 2017-05-17 9:46 AM
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Veteran
Posts: 217
| I feel your pain. I had my OTT mare for a year, started working out great and this year just seemed to be a brat when I was trying to put more of a handle on her. Take her to the pattern and she'll run her heart out for you but you've got to hope you got rate at first. As soon as you start working her to rate, side pass, flex, collect you might as well put your boxing gloves on... I let my friend ride her and she was a different horse. Loose reins, no pulling. Once she started asking for the fancier stuff she dulled out some.
Maybe we have twin horses haha! She prefers a more relaxed rider that won't make her work THAT hard all the time. | |
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Miss Laundry Misshap
Posts: 5271
| CYA Ranch - 2017-05-17 9:20 AM Is he sore Rae? Maybe he needs a vet check.
He doesn't show any signs of soreness. We are planning on a new vet, who's an expert at leg and internal soreness, so we will see if anything was missed prior.
I think he HAS gotten used to the cushy, easy life with mom, so I may end up giving him back if he doesn't come around in the next month or so. | |
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