Cragrat
Well-Known Member
For anyone who may be interested, a brief update on the horse who twice threw himself straight onto his back when ridden, 3 months apart. It wasn't a rear that went too far, nor rear in which he slipped and lost control- both times it was a quick and deliberate flip, luckily each time on to grass, so I was able to get up relatively unharmed.
http://www.horseandhound.co.uk/forums/showthread.php?674761-Extreme-temper-tantrum&highlight=Flip
http://www.horseandhound.co.uk/forums/showthread.php?676372-A-flipping-update!&highlight=Flip
Anyway, it is about a year now, and he is still alive! and so am I!
Infact, yesterday, we had a brilliant day doing some affiliated dressage, with some lovely comments from the judge on his paces and willing attitude
( and we got a 3rd place!).
What I enjoyed most yesterday was that he worked forward into a calm and consistent contact, and 99% of his transitions were smooth and fluid. The one botched transition was my fault for not properly preparing him.
We have also done some jumping, only up to about 85-90, but definitely improving. I have discovered he LOVES grid work we only do it every 3 weeks or so, but he clearly enjoys it. He also enjoys xc schooling, and can now do the 90 coffin on our local course confidently.
It's not been plain sailing. I spent months longreining, ponying and lunging him. Keeping him moving, building his strength, watching his movement, attitude, quirks whilst NOT riding him at all. After about 4 months, I had him rechecked, tack refitted, and then basically re- backed him. That went smoothly, so we spent a couple of months on fittening him, whilst also having regular flat work lessons. We built up from there, started jumping again, started doing small competitions. He was starting to really rush his showjumps, and one thing that really helped was swapping his GP saddle for a jump. The GP fitted him, but he was clearly happier in the jump saddle.( so was I - hugely!).
Xc schooling was going great, he was happy to leave the friend we went with and jump round the course alone, so we entered an 80cm unaff ODE. The dressage was fantastic, in the SJ he was fantastic and I was an idiot. In the XC he was a p**t
He decided he was NOT going over the first jump, despite it being identical to one he had schooled over a few days ago. And he reared again He went right up, but I never felt he was going over. He came down, I kicked him forwards, he went up again. Eventually he went forwards, and I abandoned attempts on the first jump, and eventually got over the second. Each and every jump was a struggle, despite none of them being anything other than the usual houses/ sheep feeders and rolltops he had schooled over loads of times. At the furthest point on the course was a huge black parallel - when walked the course I had thought I might not jump it if he didn't feel confident, because he had never jumped anything like it. However, as we turned towards it, we also turned for home. I felt him change underneath me - suddenly he was going forwards. I decided he probably was contrary enough to jump this, so aimed and kicked....and he flew over, and flew everything on the way home.
I didn't know whether to be pleased or cross with him!
Unfortunately, circumstances have meant I haven't been able to xc school him since, but we have sj'd and done more grid work.
The plan is just to keep going. The aim is to do more xc schooling, and try some autumn huntertrials, so get him going xc alone, and carry on doing some affiliated dressage and unaff SJ when time and money allow. The rearing at the ode scared the pants off my family, but didn't worry me. Not because I'm stupidly brave, but because although it was high, it was slow and controlled. However, I still have it clear in my head that it's 3 strikes and out- so 1 more flip means he's PTS.
Originally, my semi- professional friend was going to take him to his first BE events, but I won't let anyone else ride him now. I'd also intended that my son would start riding him as his own horse gets closer to retirement, but that's not happening either. However nicely he's going, he'll always be 'the flipper' and I couldn't have it on my conscience if he hurt someone else.
But I don't want to end on a negative note- I am absolutely over the moon with the progress he has made, and I am still grinning from the comments the dressage judges made the other day. I adore working with him, he is a total delight to ride- fun and cheeky and far too clever and certainly has at least some talent and potential- so we will just keep going and see where we get.
Not sure what the point of this post was - I have been thinking for a while I ought to add something, because the last posts were quite negative, and I really thought there was a high chance he would be PTS. That chance is still there, but perhaps a little less likely now so perhaps it is a post to say that just sometimes it can be worth persevering
http://www.horseandhound.co.uk/forums/showthread.php?674761-Extreme-temper-tantrum&highlight=Flip
http://www.horseandhound.co.uk/forums/showthread.php?676372-A-flipping-update!&highlight=Flip
Anyway, it is about a year now, and he is still alive! and so am I!
Infact, yesterday, we had a brilliant day doing some affiliated dressage, with some lovely comments from the judge on his paces and willing attitude
( and we got a 3rd place!). What I enjoyed most yesterday was that he worked forward into a calm and consistent contact, and 99% of his transitions were smooth and fluid. The one botched transition was my fault for not properly preparing him.
We have also done some jumping, only up to about 85-90, but definitely improving. I have discovered he LOVES grid work
we only do it every 3 weeks or so, but he clearly enjoys it. He also enjoys xc schooling, and can now do the 90 coffin on our local course confidently.It's not been plain sailing. I spent months longreining, ponying and lunging him. Keeping him moving, building his strength, watching his movement, attitude, quirks whilst NOT riding him at all. After about 4 months, I had him rechecked, tack refitted, and then basically re- backed him. That went smoothly, so we spent a couple of months on fittening him, whilst also having regular flat work lessons. We built up from there, started jumping again, started doing small competitions. He was starting to really rush his showjumps, and one thing that really helped was swapping his GP saddle for a jump. The GP fitted him, but he was clearly happier in the jump saddle.( so was I - hugely!).
Xc schooling was going great, he was happy to leave the friend we went with and jump round the course alone, so we entered an 80cm unaff ODE. The dressage was fantastic, in the SJ he was fantastic and I was an idiot. In the XC he was a p**t
He decided he was NOT going over the first jump, despite it being identical to one he had schooled over a few days ago. And he reared again
He went right up, but I never felt he was going over. He came down, I kicked him forwards, he went up again. Eventually he went forwards, and I abandoned attempts on the first jump, and eventually got over the second. Each and every jump was a struggle, despite none of them being anything other than the usual houses/ sheep feeders and rolltops he had schooled over loads of times. At the furthest point on the course was a huge black parallel - when walked the course I had thought I might not jump it if he didn't feel confident, because he had never jumped anything like it. However, as we turned towards it, we also turned for home. I felt him change underneath me - suddenly he was going forwards. I decided he probably was contrary enough to jump this, so aimed and kicked....and he flew over, and flew everything on the way home. I didn't know whether to be pleased or cross with him!
Unfortunately, circumstances have meant I haven't been able to xc school him since, but we have sj'd and done more grid work.
The plan is just to keep going. The aim is to do more xc schooling, and try some autumn huntertrials, so get him going xc alone, and carry on doing some affiliated dressage and unaff SJ when time and money allow. The rearing at the ode scared the pants off my family, but didn't worry me. Not because I'm stupidly brave, but because although it was high, it was slow and controlled. However, I still have it clear in my head that it's 3 strikes and out- so 1 more flip means he's PTS.
Originally, my semi- professional friend was going to take him to his first BE events, but I won't let anyone else ride him now. I'd also intended that my son would start riding him as his own horse gets closer to retirement, but that's not happening either. However nicely he's going, he'll always be 'the flipper' and I couldn't have it on my conscience if he hurt someone else.
But I don't want to end on a negative note- I am absolutely over the moon with the progress he has made, and I am still grinning from the comments the dressage judges made the other day. I adore working with him, he is a total delight to ride- fun and cheeky and far too clever and certainly has at least some talent and potential- so we will just keep going and see where we get.
Not sure what the point of this post was - I have been thinking for a while I ought to add something, because the last posts were quite negative, and I really thought there was a high chance he would be PTS. That chance is still there, but perhaps a little less likely now
so perhaps it is a post to say that just sometimes it can be worth persevering 
