it's either anchors down and refusing to move, then suddenly trying to spin back the way we came, or dramatic leaps with the bum tucked under and shooting away. Over things like daffodils. And a tree stump. So not quite the happy hacker, switch off and chill ride I was hoping for, but I am having a work out for sure!
He was a lucky find. I hope you have lots of fun together.Thank youa lady I used to work for as a groom years ago has downsized drastically, and due to land sales needs to downsize some more. She said due to his age and experience, people wanted him for nothing, and she didn't want him to be sold for pittance, then mis sold and passed around for profit, so she thought that if she's giving him away, it's have to be somewhere that he wouldn't leave and would get time, patience and understanding, so I'd be the one to give him away to, which was very kind of her.
(we are all contained, no roads or pedestrian places involved luckily). We had a disagreement about leaving the yard. He walked backwards, he spun, he bucked, he reared, he sometimes tried doing it all at once... I only got off when he nearly fell over. Led him out, got on and off we went... He didn't put a hoof wrong, but it was like sitting on a coiled spring. With lots of head shaking, snorting etc. Also, this was the second ride in a week where we had a very close shave with impatient drivers pushing past too close. You can't miss us, he's huge and we are hi vis'd up to the eyeballs, it's just rude people. We live in a touristy area, and the roads will be getting worse, and I have lost all faith in humanity being considerate. We got back to the yard in one piece, with no more tantrums, so we did finish on a good note. He is lucky to have found youA long winded update for anyone who is interested:
I think I have come to the conclusion that he is not that keen on being ridden, and I don't think I enjoy riding anymore. He's had everything checked and fitted, so pain is ruled out, but he just does not relax under saddle. I meanwhile, have been checked out and has degenerative discs (not much of one left!), so I am in pain, and I feel it a heck of a lot more after riding, for days afterwards. Last time I rode was Saturday. As soon as he saw the tack, he was fidgeting, head tossing, refusing to stand still... broke the equi ping and tanked off back to the field with half his tack on
Without tack or me getting on, he's a different horse. He's chill, he's polite and respectful, he's engaged. Happy just being a horse with the others (paddocks rejigged to encourage lots of movement, objects added/taken away to add enrichment. They can see the comings and goings of part of the village, and watch Mr A.D. do his bees... They think that's great, must be the funny suit and the smoke). Sometimes we do groundwork, and the contrast to if there was tack involved is night and day. I don't walk out on the roads anymore, and to get to bridleways we have to be on the road. So I don't think this has turned out how it was supposed to. Maybe I'm just meant to be a safe haven for the ones who can't/won't be ridden anymore, and just enjoy caring for and being with horses in a companion rather than "working" relationship.
I did feel a little bit of a failure or a quitter, but like @Mrs. Jingle said, I don't think the risk is worth it, just to say I still ride. @dorsetladette they don't want to do invasive intervention, so I'm just on pain management and have been given info on diet/lifestyle/exercise to slow the speed of progression. The main thing they stressed was avoid strenuous, repetitive movement, which is hard when you have livestock and a market garden alongside your job I'm hoping to set up a little "arena" to have a more dedicated space so they don't see it all the time so it's different. @Lucky Snowball he hadn't done anything for a long while before I had him, and we started off slowly back at basics. He just says nah, not for me anymore. The difference in him this past week because I haven't asked anything ridden of him says a lot. Picture of the opinionated handsome devil 
We have a sort of horse agility course set up at home @Widgeon
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We have a sort of horse agility course set up at home @Widgeon
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