trundle
Well-Known Member
I was SO proud of my lovely Moose on Saturday (well, she is Cazza's Moose, but I share her). We have a new livery at the yard, A, whose horse is nervy to say the least. He's very sweet, no malice in him at all, but we think he was mistreated at some point in the past because he is literally afraid of his own shadow. He's starting to settle in at last, and they've been coming out on quiet little "plod-around" hacks with the Moose and me.
I had a couple of stonking falls off the Moose at Christmas and have been a bit wary hacking her in the fields since. She's been an angel though, and has behaved really well. Last week we went out with A and Nervy Horse, and the Moose was super, really calm and relaxed, which in turn helped Nervy Horse to relax. Even when a pheasant flew up right under our hooves, and Nervy Horse spooked a bit, the Moose just did her police horse impression and plodded on.
On Saturday, we went out again. Moose was her usual laid-back self. Nervy Horse wanted to RUN, but we thought he'd probably end up in the next county if he did that....All went really well until we were just turning onto the drive to come home. We met one of the neighbours, and his 5 perfectly-behaved greyhounds (on leashes). Moose has seen these dogs loads of times and takes no notice. Nervy Horse had never seen them before and the poor boy panicked. He leapt into the air (A did really well to stay on him - i'd have been on the floor) and then hooned off down the driveway. Moose was scared when Nervy panicked, took her front feet off the ground and whipped round, i lost my stirrup and ended up on her neck clinging on for dear life...and then she stopped, put her head up to help me back into the saddle, and we calmly went to look for A and Nervy Horse !
She gave Nervy Horse a nice quiet lead back down the driveway and he calmed right down by the time we got back into the yard. i was really proud of her - she can be a silly Moose at times, but she is a great nanny. She looked after me when I thought I was going to come off (and yes, Cazza, i KNOW I should have put her breastplate on!), and she looked after Nervy Horse really well.
Good Moose !
I had a couple of stonking falls off the Moose at Christmas and have been a bit wary hacking her in the fields since. She's been an angel though, and has behaved really well. Last week we went out with A and Nervy Horse, and the Moose was super, really calm and relaxed, which in turn helped Nervy Horse to relax. Even when a pheasant flew up right under our hooves, and Nervy Horse spooked a bit, the Moose just did her police horse impression and plodded on.
On Saturday, we went out again. Moose was her usual laid-back self. Nervy Horse wanted to RUN, but we thought he'd probably end up in the next county if he did that....All went really well until we were just turning onto the drive to come home. We met one of the neighbours, and his 5 perfectly-behaved greyhounds (on leashes). Moose has seen these dogs loads of times and takes no notice. Nervy Horse had never seen them before and the poor boy panicked. He leapt into the air (A did really well to stay on him - i'd have been on the floor) and then hooned off down the driveway. Moose was scared when Nervy panicked, took her front feet off the ground and whipped round, i lost my stirrup and ended up on her neck clinging on for dear life...and then she stopped, put her head up to help me back into the saddle, and we calmly went to look for A and Nervy Horse !
She gave Nervy Horse a nice quiet lead back down the driveway and he calmed right down by the time we got back into the yard. i was really proud of her - she can be a silly Moose at times, but she is a great nanny. She looked after me when I thought I was going to come off (and yes, Cazza, i KNOW I should have put her breastplate on!), and she looked after Nervy Horse really well.
Good Moose !