Finn's naughty mischief and schooling improvements!

[charleysummer]

Had the new Irish boy almost 4 weeks ! can't believe how quickly that has gone, although it feels like I've had him forever already. Prepare for the novel ahead Skip to the bottom for the mischief and scary bit

When he arrived he was a bit dehydrated, despite having plenty of water in his stable where he came from- must have been fussy! so he drank a lot .. and peed a lot.. so he was swimming in his stable each morning and I thought i'd bought a horse with a bladder problem :O . Anyway, things all went well and he was an angel to handle and didn't bat an eyelid and anything we did to the poor thing- including lots of bathing and pampering! Started him on gradual turnout and feed to fatten him up a bit until he was out 24/7.

Then came the riding after a week of settling in... that went very badly to say the least, I got on and he stuck his head in to his chest, evaded all contact, shot off the leg like a bullet and I couldn't use any leg or hands at all, plus my arms about fell off after. Second ride and he napped- he wouldn't stand still and reared and leap forward as well as the evading. Took him out on a hack after that and he was perfect- he really relaxed and after that schooling turned the biggest corner I've ever known and he began to lift off the forehand, no more napping and leaping around- he learnt how to accept the leg and yeild to the pressure in the space of a day and is improving each time .

Now for the bit that keeps me awake at night! First of all, I took the little fat pony out to a show (where I fell off at scary water filler -.- ) and came back to find the fencing down and Finn happily grazing in the overgrown, huge field next to the little paddock he was in with the other 2 ponies. I put him back and he turned round and trotted over the bottom rail that was left intact straight back in to the field; que fence fixing until 9pm! This worked fine until me and my mum drove by the yard to find this..

Finn was standing in the stable yard when he was meant to be in the field where Summer is! he had climbed the fencing on the left side to get through ( the fencing is not very good tbh but has high strips of electric tape and has never caused a problem with the dim mare!) So as it was getting dark I tied him up in the yard and gave him his dinner to keep him occupied while I fixed up a strip of electric fencing across the fence (I did try to prop it back up as best I could). When turned back out he went straight to the fence- then galloped around neighing in protest at it! then walked back over to it, neighed at me what I can only imagine is 'F you' in horse language and went for it- got tangled up in my amazingly secure electric fencing (while I was having a panic attack) and scrambled around until he got back in to the yard- then trotted around in satisfaction.. before being shut in his stable all night.

All three were then muzzled and put in the larger field as he was clearly bored of being in the smaller paddock (I then noticed he'd been out of work for about 3 days so was very bored). He then went for a free jumping session and got up to 1.45m !! cleared it easily too but I didn't want to put it up any higher, will get a video next time although won't be for a while, little jumps, polework and schooling for a long time now!. He then came in with blood down his back leg the following morning from trying to escape again in to the next door neighbours fields (who have barbed wire ) luckily didn't succeeed. Tomorrow its shopping time for high electric fence posts and a zapper device

here is a video of him schooling today CC welcome http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KcWsuAjIJJc I know he falls out through shoulder at times and transitions are pretty naff at the moment but so pleased hes learning so fast Just got to keep in in work so he doesn't get bored, he is much more chilled when he's been worked- and get that fencing sorted asap. Had to put music to video as those nice hoofysand sounds went all out of sync

Well there's a nice bedtime story for you all, Maybe I should just highlight the interesting bits to make it easier to read ^^

 

[Spangie]

lovely horse and you ride him nicely. I would just try and keep a bit more outside rein contact on those circles in canter. Think of almost pushing him around with outside leg by shoulder. I have worked a lot with mine in the last few months on being straight, even on circles and they are feeling great for it!

he looks a super sort though!

 

[charleysummer]

lovely horse and you ride him nicely. I would just try and keep a bit more outside rein contact on those circles in canter. Think of almost pushing him around with outside leg by shoulder. I have worked a lot with mine in the last few months on being straight, even on circles and they are feeling great for it!

he looks a super sort though!

Thankyou very much, he is such a lovely boy- if not a bit too intelligent! i'm used to a thick horse haha. hoping to event him when he's done a bit more training. need to do pole exercises which im rubbish at !

 

[shellonabeach]

I'm a happy hacker by admission but there is a huge difference between when you tried him and this recent schooling video.

He looks great and I hope you continue to have fun on him.

As for his mischief I think that's him showing you his character, and training his human to his demands! My gelding in his younger years was a serial fence hopper, could never work out what the trigger was and often he would put himself back where he should be. Getting older and electric fencing (turned on) cured that!

Edited to say my lad is very clever which whilst it has it downsides (stable door opening, fence hopping etc) meant in his younger years he was one hell of a jumper, bold and brave got me out of many a sticky moment and at 14.2 beat a 17hh warmblood in a chase me charlie!

 

[charleysummer]

I'm a happy hacker by admission but there is a huge difference between when you tried him and this recent schooling video.

He looks great and I hope you continue to have fun on him.

As for his mischief I think that's him showing you his character, and training his human to his demands! My gelding in his younger years was a serial fence hopper, could never work out what the trigger was and often he would put himself back where he should be. Getting older and electric fencing (turned on) cured that!

Edited to say my lad is very clever which whilst it has it downsides (stable door opening, fence hopping etc) meant in his younger years he was one hell of a jumper, bold and brave got me out of many a sticky moment and at 14.2 beat a 17hh warmblood in a chase me charlie!

He is certainly a character! thankyou, still a looong way to go- he works well for so long then will get fed up of balancing himself and try and lean again- but all in good time I think he is rising 8, so still quite young. well fingers crossed he makes a good jumper! He gets a bit too wound up at the moment for any proper jumping and will panic a bit but his schooling soon came out of this phase so i'm hoping the jumping progresses just as well !
well then if he does as well as your gelding then I will be happy