HayleyDL
Well-Known Member
Bit of background on my boy..
I got him 5 months ago and he had been 'broken' (read: sat on) in a saddle that didn't fit and bucked off the child riding him. He was then sold. This has left him with several issues.
I've been working for the last 5 months to get him broken properly with mixed success. I've had one step forward and 2 back for a while though. Got his back checked as he was broncing with the saddle to find that he was in a fair bit of pain, so had that fixed. Had his teeth checked when I first got him as he hadn't had them done, they were filed but was told they were otherwise ok. Had issues with bridling so had his teeth checked again, once again told they were ok. Two visits later and a switch from the vets to an EDT I find out he has wolf teeth so have them removed obviously resulting in a week off work. The Friday I could put the bridle back on he goes and gets an abcess due to an infection right where the bridle sits so have a vet back out for that and another week off to allow that to heal.
Today everything is finally healed enough to reattempt work!
I go ahead and lunge him in a headcollar and saddle to start with and he goes perfectly, responds to my voice first time every time. He gets his walk, trot and canter transitions as near perfect as I've ever seen him do and even listens to "steady" a command that so far he's had a little trouble learning.
Decide to go ahead and try to put the bridle on. I have bought bit wipes that are supposed to make the bit flavoured.. not sure how well this works but it made it smell nice at least! Up until now getting the bridle on has been a real fight, I obviously expected the same today especially because of the amount of time it's been since he's had one on. He backed up into the corner of the stable but then stood there and let me put it on without too much of a fight. The whole process probably took no more then about 2 minutes rather then the half an hour it used to. Once it was on he mouthed the bit for a few minutes and went back to eating his hay! Gave him a treat, and dinner still with the bridle on and it didnt seem to phase him at all. Gave him another treat, took the bridle off and he seemed totally unphased by the whole experience.
Tomorrow, Im going to actually lunge and long-rein in the bridle and saddle and go from there! So pleased with him today.
It's been a really long few months with so many ups and downs and today is only a tiny step in the big picture but after months of issues with him it feels like a massive achievement!
Chocolates for anyone that's got this far!
Photo from today.. (sorry they're large. Can't work out how to resize!)
And a couple more, just because I love him!
I got him 5 months ago and he had been 'broken' (read: sat on) in a saddle that didn't fit and bucked off the child riding him. He was then sold. This has left him with several issues.
I've been working for the last 5 months to get him broken properly with mixed success. I've had one step forward and 2 back for a while though. Got his back checked as he was broncing with the saddle to find that he was in a fair bit of pain, so had that fixed. Had his teeth checked when I first got him as he hadn't had them done, they were filed but was told they were otherwise ok. Had issues with bridling so had his teeth checked again, once again told they were ok. Two visits later and a switch from the vets to an EDT I find out he has wolf teeth so have them removed obviously resulting in a week off work. The Friday I could put the bridle back on he goes and gets an abcess due to an infection right where the bridle sits so have a vet back out for that and another week off to allow that to heal.
Today everything is finally healed enough to reattempt work!
I go ahead and lunge him in a headcollar and saddle to start with and he goes perfectly, responds to my voice first time every time. He gets his walk, trot and canter transitions as near perfect as I've ever seen him do and even listens to "steady" a command that so far he's had a little trouble learning.
Decide to go ahead and try to put the bridle on. I have bought bit wipes that are supposed to make the bit flavoured.. not sure how well this works but it made it smell nice at least! Up until now getting the bridle on has been a real fight, I obviously expected the same today especially because of the amount of time it's been since he's had one on. He backed up into the corner of the stable but then stood there and let me put it on without too much of a fight. The whole process probably took no more then about 2 minutes rather then the half an hour it used to. Once it was on he mouthed the bit for a few minutes and went back to eating his hay! Gave him a treat, and dinner still with the bridle on and it didnt seem to phase him at all. Gave him another treat, took the bridle off and he seemed totally unphased by the whole experience.
Tomorrow, Im going to actually lunge and long-rein in the bridle and saddle and go from there! So pleased with him today.
It's been a really long few months with so many ups and downs and today is only a tiny step in the big picture but after months of issues with him it feels like a massive achievement!
Chocolates for anyone that's got this far!
Photo from today.. (sorry they're large. Can't work out how to resize!)
And a couple more, just because I love him!
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