interesting and enlightening fact about my horse.....

[parsley]

My horse is extremely laid back and relaxed and very well behaved. This summer I took him to a show, where I was so nervous I thought I was going to be sick. Bomber was very quiet in the first class but by the second he was quite fed up and lapped everyone else when we were supposed to be cantering. In the third class we went to trot on and instead he started rearing and pawing the air. Eventually I realised he wasn't going to stop by himself so I shouted at him and he stopped and walked on as good as gold. However, I decided that we had both had enough of showing.

Recently I have talked to the person who used to own him (I bought him off a dealer). The person asked if I was going to take him to a local show and I explained that I got so nervous I made him rear. After a small pause she said that of course HE HAD BEEN TRAINED TO REAR TO COMMAND!!!!!!!!!!!!! and apparently he also pawed the air and clapped his front feet together!!!!!! The command for doing this is take up the contact, squeeze him on and say "hup", which explains why in my nervous state he thought I wanted him to go up as I picked up the contact more than usuall to trot and squeezed him on......

Apparently he was taught to do it for some promotional photgraphs for hunting and there is a lovely photo of him rearing right up and he was used to training the young hounds around rearing horses.

Now I wonder what else he can do ---- and I shall certainly give him a good kick if ever I think he might be laying down dead - just in case......

Has anyone else ever found their horse has been taught to do weird things?

 

[sojeph]

Crikey - fancy that!!

Now I wonder if my pony has been taught to head butt!!

 

[GTs]

WOW that sounds cool - definately do not let him forget that, very useful for riders to get their seat with rears.

 

[parsley]

Hes had his tooth out and I can start riding tommorow (HURRAY!!!!). I'll get him back into work and have a go. It was very easy to sit to (just very confusing

)

 

[GTs]

He sounds like an ace horse - I really like him!

 

[parsley]

[ QUOTE ]
Now I wonder if my pony has been taught to head butt!!

[/ QUOTE ]

LOL! It makes you wonder doesn't it

I wonder if my son's pony has been taught to nip unprotected backs, and tease his rider by going VERY slow

 

[rrose]

lol, wow... wish my horse could do that, she just rears genrally!! lol...

clever horse

 

[Happytohack]

How great! Maybe my old horse was taught to try and roll in large puddles - had to jump off once when he caught me unawares...

 

[PapaFrita]

Blimey Parsley! You'd think they might've mentioned that a bit earlier!! I'd've been bricking it!

I'm glad Bomber's tooth is better (didn't cost you several thousand pounds then, I hope?)

 

[Lynz25]

I taught my mums New Forest to bow by giving him food between his legs picked it up in a couple of minutes so I thought I was being really clever. Now whenever my mum brushes between his legs or put the front surcingle on he bowes - my name is now often sworn at along with my mums ponys
----Woops

Ps it would be a great trick for any family pony / showing class if the judges ask you do show what you have taught him / what he can do - a bit more interesting than dismounting on the wrong side

 

[parsley]

The odd things was that I didn't feel the least bit worried and quite happily hacked him home. Now I can see its because he wasn't at all edgy with it - in fact he was ultra calm and it felt really safe. All the people watching were impressed by my cool and calmness - little did they know it was really easy to sit to

To be fair I had never been able to speak to his owners before - I only got their number when I thought I might have to have him put to sleep. The lady was very kind - she told me he had previously had a tooth out as it was growing into his sinus and recommended Peter Ramzen at Rossdales. He did the operation for me - he quoted £500 for a straight forward tooth removal and trepaning of the sinus. I haven't had the bill yet but hopefully it won't be thousands of pounds.

 

[parsley]

[ QUOTE ]
Ps it would be a great trick for any family pony / showing class if the judges ask you do show what you have taught him / what he can do - a bit more interesting than dismounting on the wrong side

[/ QUOTE ]

LOL! That would be a great class!

Apparently his old owner was asked to leave the show ring after she started giggling when he bucked - the judge was annoyed about this and asked her to leave when she offered to make him rear

So I wonder if this wouldn't be a popular trick.

I would love to teach him to do other stuff. I went to the Spirit of the Horse and was quite inspired by Rosie Redsocks and Scout - the horse put him self to bed and pulled his bed covers up under his chin

 

[Chumsmum]

Chum's previous owner taught him to beg for food by raising a leg - if you make him put it down he just begs with the other. If I call him a 'good boy' he does the same - even if I'm riding him. It's a bit of a pain when I call him a good boy for loading and he's waving his leg about in the confines of the trailer though... Nothing as exciting as rearing on command