baymareb
Well-Known Member
I have no idea if I spelled that right. 
My left leg has been in a cast since the 9th of this month. My mare, a 5 year old OTTB, has been an utter doll since then. While she's normally very good anyway, she does have her moments on the ground of being impatient, pulling, needing reminders, that sort of thing.
Since I've been in the cast though, she's been amazing. She walks slowly next to me, doesn't pull at all, stops and waits if I need to rest. She's not like that with anyone else - only me - and only with me since the cast went on.
Today, I rode her bareback for a circuit around the farm where we board. I've ridden her bareback a few times with no trouble - the only issues I have are the same she has under saddle. A tendency to drift from side to side, and a desire to stop and visit every horse she sees. She also likes to swivel her head around and sniff my right boot if she's unsure.
But today, there was no drifting. What she did do was stop every single time my balance shifted. My balance was a little off due to the cast and the awkward way it makes my leg hang. Every time I adjusted, she stopped. Then she'd swivel her head around and instead of sniffing the right boot as she always does, she would sniff my cast.
She almost refused to go up the hill - I finally had to give her a tap with my lunge whip - and when we got to the downhill, walked very carefully (unusual - she normally walks like a camel
) and then stopped again at the part where the downhill gets a little steep.
She sniffed my cast again and I swear she was asking me, "Are you sure you want to do this?" At that point, I slid off and hand walked her home - it was just down the hill.
Maybe I'm just seeing what I want to see but I could swear she's looking out for me.
My left leg has been in a cast since the 9th of this month. My mare, a 5 year old OTTB, has been an utter doll since then. While she's normally very good anyway, she does have her moments on the ground of being impatient, pulling, needing reminders, that sort of thing.
Since I've been in the cast though, she's been amazing. She walks slowly next to me, doesn't pull at all, stops and waits if I need to rest. She's not like that with anyone else - only me - and only with me since the cast went on.
Today, I rode her bareback for a circuit around the farm where we board. I've ridden her bareback a few times with no trouble - the only issues I have are the same she has under saddle. A tendency to drift from side to side, and a desire to stop and visit every horse she sees. She also likes to swivel her head around and sniff my right boot if she's unsure.
But today, there was no drifting. What she did do was stop every single time my balance shifted. My balance was a little off due to the cast and the awkward way it makes my leg hang. Every time I adjusted, she stopped. Then she'd swivel her head around and instead of sniffing the right boot as she always does, she would sniff my cast.
She almost refused to go up the hill - I finally had to give her a tap with my lunge whip - and when we got to the downhill, walked very carefully (unusual - she normally walks like a camel
) and then stopped again at the part where the downhill gets a little steep.She sniffed my cast again and I swear she was asking me, "Are you sure you want to do this?" At that point, I slid off and hand walked her home - it was just down the hill.
Maybe I'm just seeing what I want to see but I could swear she's looking out for me.
