Supertrooper
Well-Known Member
Took the horse I share (16.3hh shire x cob) into field this afternoon to school him, all well as normal so decided to take him into top bit of field to school him on a slope so could help his muscles going up and down hill.
He was a bit backward thinking but ok, did walk/halt transitions, turns on forehand going up the hill, and went up and down like this a few times with no problems. It was very very windy and alot of rustly trees near top, anyway was up near the top of field and he whipped round and took off with me, little love stuck his head down by his feet so how I didn't fall off I don't know but I didn't! I managed to pull him up fairly quick, turned him round and he wasn't going (his favourite trick is to plant) so I have to admit i verbally told him off and gave him a smack on the bum with the whip, he bucked but then moved forwards! Got him up near the top again and he whipped round/bolted again! So I turned him round again, went back up hill but zig zag line and got him to stand still and then turn when I said and walk back down doing walk/halt transitions, did this a couple of times so he doesn't think he's got away with it.
Do you think i did the right thing? He's too big to mess with so I want him to know I'm the one in charge of what his feet do, not him! I'm 99% sure that the bolting was because a) it was spooky up there and b) he didn't want to go up.
I'm pretty god dam impressed I didn't fall off TBH, and he doesn't scare me at all so not worried on that score!!
He was a bit backward thinking but ok, did walk/halt transitions, turns on forehand going up the hill, and went up and down like this a few times with no problems. It was very very windy and alot of rustly trees near top, anyway was up near the top of field and he whipped round and took off with me, little love stuck his head down by his feet so how I didn't fall off I don't know but I didn't! I managed to pull him up fairly quick, turned him round and he wasn't going (his favourite trick is to plant) so I have to admit i verbally told him off and gave him a smack on the bum with the whip, he bucked but then moved forwards! Got him up near the top again and he whipped round/bolted again! So I turned him round again, went back up hill but zig zag line and got him to stand still and then turn when I said and walk back down doing walk/halt transitions, did this a couple of times so he doesn't think he's got away with it.
Do you think i did the right thing? He's too big to mess with so I want him to know I'm the one in charge of what his feet do, not him! I'm 99% sure that the bolting was because a) it was spooky up there and b) he didn't want to go up.
I'm pretty god dam impressed I didn't fall off TBH, and he doesn't scare me at all so not worried on that score!!