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 Keep those crap slapping tails away!
Posts: 8871
     
Location: Around here somewhere... | My best horses were/are a joy to handle and train. | |
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  Neat Freak
Posts: 11216
Location: Wonderful Wyoming | OregonBR - 2014-07-11 12:56 PM Three 4 Luck - 2014-07-11 10:35 AM Some horses are pleasers, some need to be convinced, some will never get there no matter what you do. I don't think they have to be difficult to be winners, although the really good ones usually have some quirks that have to be worked through or accepted and worked around (in other words, wouldn't suit just anyone). I have won on easy ones, quirky ones, and some that took a lot of work to bring around. I have never been successful with the ones that absolutely didn't want to work and had rather see blood than sweat. If someone else can get through to those, more power to them. I don't mind a challenge, but I like being healthy and whole... ^^^ This. 
And you have to decide how much horse you can work with. Some people just aren't able to work well with a tough horse. Just because they are tough, doesn't mean that translates into a good horse in the end either. I know when I was younger I had some that were tough to get by, try you every time. Only one out of a half dozen of them worked out really well. The rest were pukes who were difficult and didn't want to work for a living. I had some that put more effort into trying to get out of doing what you wanted than it would take for them to just DO IT! I don't have those kind anymore. I won't raise that kind either. I gelded a beautiful, gray, well bred son of a now famous barrel sire because I test bred him to some nice mares and he gave me babies that wanted to fight about every dang thing. Now I have a stud that puts nice minded babies on the ground out of those same mares. Doesn't mean that some of them aren't a bit like the mares or need to be worked with some. But they aren't always trying to outthink you to do the WRONG thing or waiting for you to be thinking about something else and screw you.
I've never had someone come ask me for the rankest sucker I have. So I have to assume nobody really wants one like that. Some people can make one like that into a good horse. We hear about those success stories all the time. But you don't hear about the 6495165419541 that were tried and stayed pukes. I know a lot more horses that are nice to get along with AND are really good at their jobs. It's not necessary for them to be tough to be a good horse. Disposition is really high on my list of priorities. 
I agree with this. A stallion/mare that produce user friendly babies are always easy to sell. My stallion was one anyone could have gotten along with. I used to joke that he was a big dummy because anyone, even with rough hands, could have jerked him around and I think he would have tried his heart out for them. I notice most of his babies are that way. It can be sad because they sure take a lot of crap from some poor riders, but they don't change hands often either I guess. | |
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Veteran
Posts: 171
| I have a 4 year old that rode better and more willing as a 2 year old. Loved him as a 2 year, not so much now.
You would think the more you ride them the better they would get. Nope, full brother was the same way.
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 Goat Giver
Posts: 23166
| If one is tough to start, it leaves my house......why fight when there are willing ones. | |
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 A Somebody to Everybody
Posts: 41354
Location: Under The Big Sky Of Texas | I would much rather break one thats good mind and willing to learn then to fight. Had one years ago, was the hardest thing to break, I should have know better at the start of breaking him to just get rid of him, but my pride got in the way and kept at it, so then send him over to a friend I needed help with this one, then did do good for awhile, all fell apart with this one gelding, all this horse wanted to do was fight, and then took him to another trainer. Never ever again, will I waste my time on any horses that dont have the want to.
I was really young back then and my darn pride just took over.  | |
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 Veteran
Posts: 173
Location: Somewhere over the rainbow | Sometimes it's the handler. I have observed a "trainer" struggle with a horse, sent it home, owner didn't give up. She was able to do more with that horse in a few weeks than that 'trainer" did in months. Not everyone can ride anything. This horse it turns out is the nicest ride, willing and smart. Find a new trainer if you believe in that horse. | |
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Extreme Veteran
Posts: 489
| I really think it depends on the mind and the attitude of the colt. I think there is a difference between an unwilling/onery colt and one that is scared, or wired a little hotter - spooky...whatever. I prefer the "quirky" colts. I think they have more guts and try. I will not mess with the ones that are LOOKING for a fight. If the mind is resistant - they aren't going to stay honest. You'll have to make them do somthing, and they will find a way to cheat you. I don't care about a spooky colt, as long as they don't loose their mind when spooked. If I can feel them trying to stay with me, then time and patience probably will get you to a good spot.
I don't mind a colt that bucks at first. They gotta learn the ropes. I'll ride a cold backed horse if it's honest. Be cold-backed when first saddled and then be over it. Those suckers that buck after 30 minutes are those looking for a fight type. Not worth messing with.
The mind is what matters. They gotta want to try and work. The best horse I've ever had the prvilage of riding was tough to get along with as a colt. First ride lasted 2 hours, because he freaked every time you went to get off. I'd stepped up and down in the stirrup many times, laid over him, rubbed all over his body while laying over him. He never bucked. Didn't mind me on him - but he wasn't gonna take that getting off stuff. He saw a lot of things! Took a LONG time to season. Trotted barrels for a whole year because he wasn't ready to lope. Did a lot of other types of riding. Took a long time to season. When he was 8- he was a solid, BAD cat, that could run with the big dogs. Coulda blowed up easy, but with time and patience - become a really solid rodeo horse. I'd go through it again in a heartbeat.
You can feel the difference between "quirky' and "counterfit". | |
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