Leo Walker
Well-Known Member
and yes I know the answer is lessons, and they are booked for a couple of weeks time, just looking for things to do in the interim But my lovely little cob is a thug! Hes generally fine to handle as we did a lot of ground work in a Dually, but his default setting is pigpony. I'm at the top end of weight I'd put on him, but its like he doesnt even know I'm there. Hes had his back, teeth and saddle checked, all more than once, and I am 100% happy he is fit and well.
I'm a very quiet rider and absolutely refuse to rag him about. 99% of the time he will stop/slow of weight and seat aids. But what do I do when he wont?? He had a huge strop yesterday as I expected him to be ridden when I brought him in, instead of being installed in his stable to scoff hay. He had a huge paddy and tacking him up was like wrestling an angry rhino! We worked through that, got him tacked up and I went to get on. Instead of parking by the mounting block as per usual he was VERY rude. Worked through that and he stood quietly and I got on. Then he literally just towed me back to his stable, barging through people who were stood on the yard. I had to get someone to get hold of his bridle and tow him round to face the right way.
Very embarrassing for me! He then agreed to hack out and everything was fine, he was back to his usual jolly little self. We did lots of halting off seat aids, walking on, and then halting again and all was fine. Very responsive off me just tightening my seat. Until he was back on the yard and then he towed me again!
He doesn't open his mouth, he just sets himself against me and then hes off. He is the ONLY horse I have ever sat on who has ran away with me at a walk! I know its down to his mind set and next time before I ride I will give him a tubtrug full of chopped straw so his tummy is full so there is no starving to death excuses, but equally I know he is phenomenally strong and ignorant when it suits him, so its something we need to work on
Hes 5yr old and hes had a very easy time up until now, so its not been an issue, but I want to start doing a bit more with him. Barging back to his stable isnt the end of the world, but it will be if I take him hunting or out on a sponsored ride etc and he just disregards me. I can shrug it off when he does a slow motion tow to his stable, I probably couldn't if I was tanked back to it and it feels like it could easily escalate to that! 99% of the time hes brilliant, 1% hes out of control
EDITED to add hes in a Myler comfort snaffle
I'm a very quiet rider and absolutely refuse to rag him about. 99% of the time he will stop/slow of weight and seat aids. But what do I do when he wont?? He had a huge strop yesterday as I expected him to be ridden when I brought him in, instead of being installed in his stable to scoff hay. He had a huge paddy and tacking him up was like wrestling an angry rhino! We worked through that, got him tacked up and I went to get on. Instead of parking by the mounting block as per usual he was VERY rude. Worked through that and he stood quietly and I got on. Then he literally just towed me back to his stable, barging through people who were stood on the yard. I had to get someone to get hold of his bridle and tow him round to face the right way.
Very embarrassing for me! He then agreed to hack out and everything was fine, he was back to his usual jolly little self. We did lots of halting off seat aids, walking on, and then halting again and all was fine. Very responsive off me just tightening my seat. Until he was back on the yard and then he towed me again!
He doesn't open his mouth, he just sets himself against me and then hes off. He is the ONLY horse I have ever sat on who has ran away with me at a walk! I know its down to his mind set and next time before I ride I will give him a tubtrug full of chopped straw so his tummy is full so there is no starving to death excuses, but equally I know he is phenomenally strong and ignorant when it suits him, so its something we need to work on
Hes 5yr old and hes had a very easy time up until now, so its not been an issue, but I want to start doing a bit more with him. Barging back to his stable isnt the end of the world, but it will be if I take him hunting or out on a sponsored ride etc and he just disregards me. I can shrug it off when he does a slow motion tow to his stable, I probably couldn't if I was tanked back to it and it feels like it could easily escalate to that! 99% of the time hes brilliant, 1% hes out of control
EDITED to add hes in a Myler comfort snaffle
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