Grumpymoo
Well-Known Member
Well it's been 4 weeks since I posted about how I was feeling at my wits end with my horse. Well the following Monday I met with the freelance groom who works at my yard and told her everything that had happened since I bought D in June and all the dramas and problems we had been having. She was lovely and after a long chat we decided that she would bring him in every day that week to feed him and pick his feet out and get to know him a bit. Then at the weekend we would take him out with my share horse just down the road and see how he was.
He was good coming in and leaving the stressing Shetland and when we rode other than spooking at a dog as we came out the yard he was fine. The following day she rode him on her own with me on foot. This is when he showed his bad behaviour (I was starting to think I had imagined it) he tried to spin and do a mini rear and they ended up on the bank in a bit of a battle but I think he scared himself to be honest and they ended up back on the lane walking happily along.
Since then other than the odd spook he has not put a foot wrong.
He has been lunged hacked round different routes at the village on his own with one horse and with three other horses and he is back to being the horse I bought.
I had taken over the day to day handling of him and just let the groom do the riding. I was still pretty certain that I would not be able to ride him as I just thought he would remember bring naughty with me and would do it again and I would not be confident enough to deal with it.
Anyway this Saturday came and she suggested that I rode him out with her. I was not sure but pushed myself to do it. I got on him and I could not believe it I felt releaved to be back on him in my comfy saddle. We went out for a 40min hack round the village and other than a spook at a bike (which didn't scare me and was able to push him forward through it) he was perfect. I honestly cannot believe it.
She thinks I will be hacking him out on my own by the end of the summer! She keeps praising him saying that all he was saying is that he was worried and lacking confidence and needed me to tell him its ok and push him forward. I of course was reacting in the worst way possible by panicking too! Now I know he is not nasty and not trying to kill me or get me off I feel amazing!
He had his shoes put back on yesterday and my farrier commented on how much happier and calmer we both seem now.
I know I have a long road ahead but it just shows with the right support and people around you that anything is possible. I am glad I have given him this final chance and of course I know it is early days so he could still turn out not right for me but for now it looks promising!!
Thanks for reading I have cake and tea on offer
He was good coming in and leaving the stressing Shetland and when we rode other than spooking at a dog as we came out the yard he was fine. The following day she rode him on her own with me on foot. This is when he showed his bad behaviour (I was starting to think I had imagined it) he tried to spin and do a mini rear and they ended up on the bank in a bit of a battle but I think he scared himself to be honest and they ended up back on the lane walking happily along.
Since then other than the odd spook he has not put a foot wrong.
He has been lunged hacked round different routes at the village on his own with one horse and with three other horses and he is back to being the horse I bought.
I had taken over the day to day handling of him and just let the groom do the riding. I was still pretty certain that I would not be able to ride him as I just thought he would remember bring naughty with me and would do it again and I would not be confident enough to deal with it.
Anyway this Saturday came and she suggested that I rode him out with her. I was not sure but pushed myself to do it. I got on him and I could not believe it I felt releaved to be back on him in my comfy saddle. We went out for a 40min hack round the village and other than a spook at a bike (which didn't scare me and was able to push him forward through it) he was perfect. I honestly cannot believe it.
She thinks I will be hacking him out on my own by the end of the summer! She keeps praising him saying that all he was saying is that he was worried and lacking confidence and needed me to tell him its ok and push him forward. I of course was reacting in the worst way possible by panicking too! Now I know he is not nasty and not trying to kill me or get me off I feel amazing!
He had his shoes put back on yesterday and my farrier commented on how much happier and calmer we both seem now.
I know I have a long road ahead but it just shows with the right support and people around you that anything is possible. I am glad I have given him this final chance and of course I know it is early days so he could still turn out not right for me but for now it looks promising!!
Thanks for reading I have cake and tea on offer
even I'd began to doubt it'd ever happen but reading this gives me fresh hope that we make a partnership of them yet.
