Jools2345
Well-Known Member
my mare that has only been backed for 3-4 months was a star, she can be stubborn and backward, but today she had many things a more experienced horse would have created at happen and she was so good.
we hacked out where there is a known bogey point for her, (lots of tree roots and a small concrete bridge with running water under it) as we went off rode to go up the track to this i could see other riders ahead so i pushed her in to trot and by the time we got to the bridge we had almost caught up, this meant she did not look at the bridge or the roots. hurrah number one
the 3 riders i caught up with were heading the same was as us, they did ask if we wanted to go in front but i declined, telling them she had not been backed long and i though it would be a bit much to ask of her to trot away from the horses we had followed up a single track for a little way, so we tagged along, they were not at all chatty so i figured which ever way they went at the next junction i would go the other way. which we did my mare was slightly reluctant but did not argue about not following them. hurrah number two
going that way meant we had to go under another bogey point, under the A12 at a point it is so low you have to duck or you would be knocked off, its noisy and i can understand why she hesitates when she is alone but today no hesitation just straight under. hurrah number three
on the other side is the ford, she has only been through water 3x before under saddle but again straight through. hurrah number four
when we met the road again the three riders from before were about 50yards away (behind us) so i pushed into trot as i did not want her to start dragging her heels and me struggling to keep her going on the road, off she went again no hesitation. hurrah number five
its days like today that remind me that despite her slight mareish streak i always said that i loved the fact this girl was not too bothered by other horses, i have also realised that i need to ride her more positively and more forward and when i do it brings out her enjoyment of being out and about if you allow her to slob along she gets bored and looks for trouble.
amazing ride and i am grinning from ear to ear so glad i waited 4 yrs to get in the saddle with this one-she is my keeper.
am also so grateful to my friend Rosie who backed her for me despite having 4 horses in for clients and 6 more elsewhere to ride as well as her own-could not have asked for a more honest no frills approach to what could have been a nightmare mare if done the wrong way
we hacked out where there is a known bogey point for her, (lots of tree roots and a small concrete bridge with running water under it) as we went off rode to go up the track to this i could see other riders ahead so i pushed her in to trot and by the time we got to the bridge we had almost caught up, this meant she did not look at the bridge or the roots. hurrah number one
the 3 riders i caught up with were heading the same was as us, they did ask if we wanted to go in front but i declined, telling them she had not been backed long and i though it would be a bit much to ask of her to trot away from the horses we had followed up a single track for a little way, so we tagged along, they were not at all chatty so i figured which ever way they went at the next junction i would go the other way. which we did my mare was slightly reluctant but did not argue about not following them. hurrah number two
going that way meant we had to go under another bogey point, under the A12 at a point it is so low you have to duck or you would be knocked off, its noisy and i can understand why she hesitates when she is alone but today no hesitation just straight under. hurrah number three
on the other side is the ford, she has only been through water 3x before under saddle but again straight through. hurrah number four
when we met the road again the three riders from before were about 50yards away (behind us) so i pushed into trot as i did not want her to start dragging her heels and me struggling to keep her going on the road, off she went again no hesitation. hurrah number five
its days like today that remind me that despite her slight mareish streak i always said that i loved the fact this girl was not too bothered by other horses, i have also realised that i need to ride her more positively and more forward and when i do it brings out her enjoyment of being out and about if you allow her to slob along she gets bored and looks for trouble.
amazing ride and i am grinning from ear to ear so glad i waited 4 yrs to get in the saddle with this one-she is my keeper.
am also so grateful to my friend Rosie who backed her for me despite having 4 horses in for clients and 6 more elsewhere to ride as well as her own-could not have asked for a more honest no frills approach to what could have been a nightmare mare if done the wrong way
so can fully appreciate your joy and what a success !