Giving your horse a break

[lisan]

I gave May a few days off this week as we had a busy competing week the week before. By the time it got to the evening of day 3, brought her in, washed her off, groomed etc gave her her tea (couple of hrs of faffing) went to put her back out and she seem really fed up - head down, not walking forward, very quiet for her.

Thu am, (bob down every morn to fly spray and suncream her) she walked up to me gave me a 'dirty' look and walked off!! Ignored apple in hand! Caught her after a few mins, but again this is not like her, its our routine.

So Thursday eve tacked up and rode, down the lane, into the field - she spotted the jumps, ears pricked, nice forward walk, did a bit of schooling and some gridwork - she was loving it! And has been back to her normal lil self since!

Do you think she was just bored? I thought she would enjoy a few days to just chill.

 

[JaneSteventon]

Hello One of mine has been of work with an injury for about 5 weeks now and even though he is turned out he is turning back into the bolshy aggressive sod he was 8 months ago when i got him. He is also constantly careering about in the field spooking at nothing and constantly harassing my mare to play. She is completly fed up with him as she is working quite hard at the moment and just wants to chill and graze. Up until now i thought he was the sort of horse who was quite happy to just stand in a field all day eating and didn't care if he was ridden or not, but have since revised my opinion and think he is really bored. He also is following us around the field when we poo/weed pick desparate for attention and is even trying to play with our dogs. Cant wait to start riding him again, think most horses are better in work if possible.

 

[Moggy in Manolos]

thats lovely that your horse enjoys their work so much

 

[_jetset_]

Hannah is like that... she is sulking with me big style at the moment because she has not been schooled for weeks through being lame and pregnant! I took her into the school this morning just for a leg stretch (free lunge sort of thing) and she jogged and pranced about as we walked round the corner to the school... maybe she's missed schooling more than I thought!