Bossdog
Well-Known Member
Well, sent my pic off and this is my reply, feel quite disappointed because I want to believe in this sort of thing, ah well, ho hum....
Further to my email when I complimented you on her lovely shiny coat, I will now see what I get from your girl!
I want to say straight away shes a funny one she is a mixture of loving and aloof. Not nasty in any way, but she will sort of walk away from you abruptly in the field and sometime not even come to you at all for a few minutes, but it isnt because she doesnt like you, it is just her way. It feels as if she is very happy and very settled, there is a feeling that she has moved on a few times before getting to you and that it is important for her to feel that she is staying in one place.
- this is quite true, she does sometimes come across as aloof and other times is very affectionate, and she has moved a few times, although was in her first home for 9 years so nothing major
I dont want you to think that she is unhappy about this, more that when you first got her, she was always waiting for the day the big lorry turned up to get me but now (after six months which I feel was a long time ago) she feels safe and that it isnt going to happen after all and then she says good, because I am having so much fun.
-she did take a while to settle in. Not sure about the having fun bit!
She shows me herself jumping at speed, and I think that you do some show jumping classes, a little bit of showing, and a little bit of XC, she feels good at jumping with a good safe jump. If she doesnt think she will jump something safely, she chooses not to do it, which in the past has felt irritating but now you know that she works in this way, you accept her decisions and for this you get the big ticks for being a great owner. I really feel that she can jump 36 very nicely and even higher if the going is right.
- Katie doesn't jump, ever. I managed to get her over a 6" crosspole once but she definatly didn't enjoy it and even trotting poles are an issue for her. For personal reasons, she hasn't been ridden reguarly in nearly two years and we have never done xc, showing or anything else, I also know that she never did anything else like this with previous owners.
She is very organised, which is a funny thing to say about a horse, but she does like routine, knowing when you are coming and when you are going and which days you will ride and which days you wont. I feel that you have long chats with her telling her your plans and again, she takes comfort from the fact that you are trying to help her.
- She does like her routine, but then again, so do most horses.
I want to say that she can be mareish but only a little bit. When you ride out with other new horses you get a little bit of tail swishing if they get too close, or really occasionally a face pull, but she is always sensible. I want to say that along with the jumping, she would never do anything that would put you both at risk. I said before she was organised and really a little serious, but that means that she thinks about you riding her before she makes these decisions. I really feel that she would NEVER brush against a tree or hit your legs on a gate, she is totally aware of the size that she is with you on top of her and allows for that. In a way she can be stubborn, but only when she knows she is right. Again I get an example of you asking her to go through a small gap and her refusing, and it is because she thinks she will hit you and really doesnt want to.
- She is completly unaware of her size which I recently found out is probably due to the fact that she was hand reared from a foal by a novice horse owner and treated very much as a pet, previous owners all had handling issues with her being bolshy and it has taken three years to teach her manners, even when ridden she used to bash my leg on the posts of the school!
I feel that she is a great ride, she is lovely and forward going but safe and sensible if anything comes up in the ride. She is so rider aware, I have met horses that are aware of themselves but not one who shows me that she is always considering you all the time. I do feel that she is fast too, her gallop is a strong flat out pace, with a huge amount of energy in it.
-True, found that out when she bolted with me! She is a nice hack and is very traffic proof.
I do feel that she is very fit, because you do so many different activities with her, there is always something new and unexpected for her, and that is really good for her too, although she likes to know when you are riding her, she likes the fact that you dont do the same thing again and again.
-hasn't been ridden for two years and even then it was just schooling and hacking.
I have to say that schooling isnt her favourite activity but again she wouldnt do anything to upset you, however you would know that after perhaps 30 minutes you have lost her attention. She will be looking at some far away point on the landscape and not be listening to you aids as normal.
- true, she is quite lazy in the school
Julie I keep seeing hunting, have you hunted her, or has she in the past, because she feels like she loves it. She shows me dogs all around her, the excitement within her and the feeling of speed! I dont get shown who is riding her at the time. She really does love the feeling of the wind in her mane.
- I think she hunted with her last owner but don't know any details, I imagine she would love it though!! We do have loads of dogs at our yard all the time who she loves!
I do feel that she has good brakes, she isnt strong mouthed at all, in fact she is very well schooled, she looks strong, but doesnt ride strong, if that makes sense.
Not really, she is quite hard mouthed and will school nicely if she is in the mood but isn't famous for it, has been known to bolt both with me and previous owners.
I feel that she and you have a great relationship built entirely on her giving you more and more of your trust throughout the time you have been together, to the point where now it is implicit. You never have to ask her to do something for you, she listens and does it when asked.
-She has built up a lot of trust with all her handlers (there are three of us) and is a far different horse to that she was three years ago and I trust her a lot more too.
I do see that she can be pedantic, because if other people try her, she can be naughty taking control of her head and doing things her way. Even working herself up to a little rocking horse if she is held too tight in the mouth.
-She will take advantage of a new person on board but that doesn't happen very often.
She is really a sensitive mare, you only need to thing something and she is already trying to do it for you. You think stand/stop and she is already doing it. She is very attentive. She puts her trust in you Julie because you have never let her down. I really feel that when she first came to you, she was quite a worrier, but now that she knows you so well you dont see that side at all.
-I have said before that I am sure she can read my mind and I do find her doing the things I think, she was a very detached mare and it took her a long time to settle and bond with us so that is true.
So, all in all, pretty disappointing because there was a lot I was hoping she would pick up, I think my main worry is that she is bored (although she always seems very happy!), perhaps this is her wishful thinking about all the things she would like to do, I don't know!! I'm still a believer and want to belive that these things do work, just not this time!
Further to my email when I complimented you on her lovely shiny coat, I will now see what I get from your girl!
I want to say straight away shes a funny one she is a mixture of loving and aloof. Not nasty in any way, but she will sort of walk away from you abruptly in the field and sometime not even come to you at all for a few minutes, but it isnt because she doesnt like you, it is just her way. It feels as if she is very happy and very settled, there is a feeling that she has moved on a few times before getting to you and that it is important for her to feel that she is staying in one place.
- this is quite true, she does sometimes come across as aloof and other times is very affectionate, and she has moved a few times, although was in her first home for 9 years so nothing major
I dont want you to think that she is unhappy about this, more that when you first got her, she was always waiting for the day the big lorry turned up to get me but now (after six months which I feel was a long time ago) she feels safe and that it isnt going to happen after all and then she says good, because I am having so much fun.
-she did take a while to settle in. Not sure about the having fun bit!
She shows me herself jumping at speed, and I think that you do some show jumping classes, a little bit of showing, and a little bit of XC, she feels good at jumping with a good safe jump. If she doesnt think she will jump something safely, she chooses not to do it, which in the past has felt irritating but now you know that she works in this way, you accept her decisions and for this you get the big ticks for being a great owner. I really feel that she can jump 36 very nicely and even higher if the going is right.
- Katie doesn't jump, ever. I managed to get her over a 6" crosspole once but she definatly didn't enjoy it and even trotting poles are an issue for her. For personal reasons, she hasn't been ridden reguarly in nearly two years and we have never done xc, showing or anything else, I also know that she never did anything else like this with previous owners.
She is very organised, which is a funny thing to say about a horse, but she does like routine, knowing when you are coming and when you are going and which days you will ride and which days you wont. I feel that you have long chats with her telling her your plans and again, she takes comfort from the fact that you are trying to help her.
- She does like her routine, but then again, so do most horses.
I want to say that she can be mareish but only a little bit. When you ride out with other new horses you get a little bit of tail swishing if they get too close, or really occasionally a face pull, but she is always sensible. I want to say that along with the jumping, she would never do anything that would put you both at risk. I said before she was organised and really a little serious, but that means that she thinks about you riding her before she makes these decisions. I really feel that she would NEVER brush against a tree or hit your legs on a gate, she is totally aware of the size that she is with you on top of her and allows for that. In a way she can be stubborn, but only when she knows she is right. Again I get an example of you asking her to go through a small gap and her refusing, and it is because she thinks she will hit you and really doesnt want to.
- She is completly unaware of her size which I recently found out is probably due to the fact that she was hand reared from a foal by a novice horse owner and treated very much as a pet, previous owners all had handling issues with her being bolshy and it has taken three years to teach her manners, even when ridden she used to bash my leg on the posts of the school!
I feel that she is a great ride, she is lovely and forward going but safe and sensible if anything comes up in the ride. She is so rider aware, I have met horses that are aware of themselves but not one who shows me that she is always considering you all the time. I do feel that she is fast too, her gallop is a strong flat out pace, with a huge amount of energy in it.
-True, found that out when she bolted with me! She is a nice hack and is very traffic proof.
I do feel that she is very fit, because you do so many different activities with her, there is always something new and unexpected for her, and that is really good for her too, although she likes to know when you are riding her, she likes the fact that you dont do the same thing again and again.
-hasn't been ridden for two years and even then it was just schooling and hacking.
I have to say that schooling isnt her favourite activity but again she wouldnt do anything to upset you, however you would know that after perhaps 30 minutes you have lost her attention. She will be looking at some far away point on the landscape and not be listening to you aids as normal.
- true, she is quite lazy in the school
Julie I keep seeing hunting, have you hunted her, or has she in the past, because she feels like she loves it. She shows me dogs all around her, the excitement within her and the feeling of speed! I dont get shown who is riding her at the time. She really does love the feeling of the wind in her mane.
- I think she hunted with her last owner but don't know any details, I imagine she would love it though!! We do have loads of dogs at our yard all the time who she loves!
I do feel that she has good brakes, she isnt strong mouthed at all, in fact she is very well schooled, she looks strong, but doesnt ride strong, if that makes sense.
Not really, she is quite hard mouthed and will school nicely if she is in the mood but isn't famous for it, has been known to bolt both with me and previous owners.
I feel that she and you have a great relationship built entirely on her giving you more and more of your trust throughout the time you have been together, to the point where now it is implicit. You never have to ask her to do something for you, she listens and does it when asked.
-She has built up a lot of trust with all her handlers (there are three of us) and is a far different horse to that she was three years ago and I trust her a lot more too.
I do see that she can be pedantic, because if other people try her, she can be naughty taking control of her head and doing things her way. Even working herself up to a little rocking horse if she is held too tight in the mouth.
-She will take advantage of a new person on board but that doesn't happen very often.
She is really a sensitive mare, you only need to thing something and she is already trying to do it for you. You think stand/stop and she is already doing it. She is very attentive. She puts her trust in you Julie because you have never let her down. I really feel that when she first came to you, she was quite a worrier, but now that she knows you so well you dont see that side at all.
-I have said before that I am sure she can read my mind and I do find her doing the things I think, she was a very detached mare and it took her a long time to settle and bond with us so that is true.
So, all in all, pretty disappointing because there was a lot I was hoping she would pick up, I think my main worry is that she is bored (although she always seems very happy!), perhaps this is her wishful thinking about all the things she would like to do, I don't know!! I'm still a believer and want to belive that these things do work, just not this time!
