Expecting an exciting delivery...

Zuzan

Well-Known Member
Joined
6 March 2011
Messages
757
Visit site
I do hope the dreadful dearth of photos is because your friend has her at the moment.. In expectation of vicarious new horse oooglling
 

Ambers Echo

Well-Known Member
Joined
13 October 2017
Messages
9,965
Visit site
I’m still away! Going home tomorrow. Have a lesson in her on Friday at her schooling livery yard. Sort of a viewing I guess to see if she’s coming home with me or staying put for a bit. On Saturday I’ll just hang out with her, do some ground work. And then another lesson on Sunday. Then - all being well - she’s coming home on Sunday. It’s not been totally straightforward. She is described as uneducated. No idea what a contact is. Not on the aids, not straight, not supple. In fact she was described initially as a ‘wibblwobbly plank of wood!’ Hmmmm , But genuine and willing with potential. And jumps very well. Seems that’s all she’s done, really. Show jumped with a boy till 2018 then sold to Sweden as a show jumper. Then arrived back in Ireland in June to be sold at auction as a show jumper. She’s also grumpy and not overly fond of people. Her attitude seems to be ‘fine I’ll do my job then sod off and leave me alone’. But then Amber was like that and she mellowed. I am hopeful we can be ok together. Excited and optimistic.
 

Ambers Echo

Well-Known Member
Joined
13 October 2017
Messages
9,965
Visit site
So I have finally met Lottie and the good news is that I like her! Actually I really like her. She is nowhere near as anti-human as Amber was when she first came. Amber really acted like she disliked people, Lottie seems more suspicious. Not wary, exactly, in an nervous sense, but she acts like she expects you could be bad news. Ears back, moves away, keeps a 'no funny business please' eye on you. But does not threaten, nip, turn to kick or show any aggression at all. I spent some time just hanging out in the stable and fiddling with a bridle and over time she relaxed a bit so I think she will be fine.

Ridden she feels very willing and safe so that is a huge tick. She feels the perfect size too. She is not on the aids really but not in a lazy or rushing sense. Just in a 'no-one has expected me to be instantly responsive to cues' sense. And she really does not get flexion. She is very wooden. But once she understood she was ok. It is more a lack of understanding than active resistance to bending or flexing.

She locks onto any jump that passes her eye line which is a bit disconcerting. And she takes you to a fence. I like the feeling that whatever happens, she is going over.

So all good, really. I'd have bought her if today was a viewing! So that's reassuring. I will hang out with her a bit tomorrow. Ride on Sunday and bring her home. Hurrah!!

239485614_4304455309634517_6177666590321762209_n.jpg
 

ImmyS

Well-Known Member
Joined
3 April 2012
Messages
2,262
Visit site
So I have finally met Lottie and the good news is that I like her! Actually I really like her. She is nowhere near as anti-human as Amber was when she first came. Amber really acted like she disliked people, Lottie seems more suspicious. Not wary, exactly, in an nervous sense, but she acts like she expects you could be bad news. Ears back, moves away, keeps a 'no funny business please' eye on you. But does not threaten, nip, turn to kick or show any aggression at all. I spent some time just hanging out in the stable and fiddling with a bridle and over time she relaxed a bit so I think she will be fine.

Ridden she feels very willing and safe so that is a huge tick. She feels the perfect size too. She is not on the aids really but not in a lazy or rushing sense. Just in a 'no-one has expected me to be instantly responsive to cues' sense. And she really does not get flexion. She is very wooden. But once she understood she was ok. It is more a lack of understanding than active resistance to bending or flexing.

She locks onto any jump that passes her eye line which is a bit disconcerting. And she takes you to a fence. I like the feeling that whatever happens, she is going over.

So all good, really. I'd have bought her if today was a viewing! So that's reassuring. I will hang out with her a bit tomorrow. Ride on Sunday and bring her home. Hurrah!!

239485614_4304455309634517_6177666590321762209_n.jpg

Great news! She’s lovely and sounds like she will come around pretty quick. Look forward to future updates!
 

Bernster

Well-Known Member
Joined
14 August 2011
Messages
8,029
Location
London
Visit site
You look like a nice pairing already. Glad it started well and with time, work and getting to know each other, I’m sure that will all come right.

Similar to me in some ways, me and Bertie need to get the hang of each other, but it’s slowly going in the right direction and I feel like there is (are?) the makings of something good there. But it’s reminds you what a journey there is with a new horse even if it’s not a green youngster!
 

Trouper

Well-Known Member
Joined
11 May 2015
Messages
2,463
Visit site
She looks lovely - so glad she is with you. Sounds like lots of carrot stretches then to help deal with the "wooden" feel - and to bond with her!!!!!
 

Ambers Echo

Well-Known Member
Joined
13 October 2017
Messages
9,965
Visit site
Continuing to get to know Lottie. I like how she thinks and how she tries. Her passport shows a well travelled horse and a different place for every vaccination suggests she has moved from yard to yard to yard, never staying anywhere very long. There is no obvious behavioural reason why she should have moved around so much so the pro who has had her thinks she just hasn’t fulfilled the SJ potential of her breeding so keeps not being quite good enough and sold on again. But she’s plenty good enough for me!! So hopefully she has now found her human and her place.

She reacts to human visitors to her stable with a ‘meh humans, what do you want now’ kind of vibe. But she is clever and she tries. She didn’t like being bridled or unbridled as she is a bit headshy. So I’ve spent a lot of time trying to make bridling/unbridling gentle and stress free with a dropped head and she is quick to learn. I trailered her home today and she walked on readily then as Katie raised her hand to tie her to the twine hanging from the roof, she threw her head up, hit the roof, panicked and shot out backwards. But she was happy to re- approach, sniff the ramp, step 2 feet on. You could see her processing/thinking so I left her alone and she then sighed and walked back in calmly.

She was fab to ride today. She accelerates to the fence and tanks off afterwards but not in a way that makes me nervous. I think she’s just been ridden like that and she thinks she is meant to do that. So I think we need to do loads of work on maintaining rhythm over poles/ jumps. But she is so genuine. Kept the jumps teeny tiny but did a whole course! And she jumped off some pretty awful misses. Sorry Lottie.

So she’s home now, turned out with Dolly and seems very settled and context. Long may that last.

894F420A-156E-437E-A9D2-062E4D57DFD0.jpg1F65EFC2-8586-4B6A-AFF5-08B46C814671.jpeg
 
Top