EventingMum
Well-Known Member
It's such a hard time when you say goodbye to a horse, even when you know you have to do it. We had one pts today, he was 28 and had been on the yard since he was 3. The fact that I know it was the right thing for him is what's keeping me together along with my fabulous memories of him so I thought I'd share some with you as a wee tribute to him.
Initially he belonged to a friend of mine and I competed him for her, when she was ready to sell we bought him and I continued to have great fun on him and then used him as a schoolmaster to teach on. He was a brilliant schoolmaster and if people didn't apply the aids correctly he feigned ignorance and wouldn't do what they were asking! His favourite was to refuse to go onto a circle and do a perfect shoulder in down the long side or vice versa, or if someone swung their leg when cantering he would do a flying change but would refuse to do a change if someone thought it was ok to swing their weight off to one side when asking. The best trick was if he got disinterested when schooling was to turn down the centre line and halt and salute - he immediately switched up a gear, pricked his ears and showed off as if he was at a competition!
He could be horrendous to load, my friend bought a lorry that he took an instant dislike to and made his feelings very clear so she had to sell it again. He much preferred a trailer but things had to be arranged to his liking and it took a while to get him loading well away from home - four hours on a cold December night was one incident I remember well. We used to clip a lunge line on to one side and if he resisted we would pick it up and if necessary bring it behind him, it soon got to the stage we would just clip it on but didn't pick it up and he would walk into the trailer. However one day my friend clipped it onto the opposite side of the trailer and he had a complete meltdown - once I changed it to the "right" side he walked on perfectly!
He the only horse I've ridden without a bridle, after being at a Richard Maxwell demonstration I decided to give riding bridle less a try and bless him, he happily worked as if he was wearing all his tack in walk trot and canter, circling and turning perfectly!
When younger at times if he didn't want to be caught I pretended I was lunging him asked him to trot which he would do in a circle round me then I'd ask him to walk and halt and then he'd stand still while I approached him and put a head collar on! He could be horrible in the stable especially if anyone was a little tentative he would try to terrorise them with his ears flat back and teeth barred but the minute you were in the saddle he was always a perfect gentleman. His work load had obviously decreased with age and he was a little stiff however he still gave some small riders lessons in walk and trot as recently as a few weeks ago.
So run free Seb, you gave so much pleasure to so many I can't thank you enough x
Initially he belonged to a friend of mine and I competed him for her, when she was ready to sell we bought him and I continued to have great fun on him and then used him as a schoolmaster to teach on. He was a brilliant schoolmaster and if people didn't apply the aids correctly he feigned ignorance and wouldn't do what they were asking! His favourite was to refuse to go onto a circle and do a perfect shoulder in down the long side or vice versa, or if someone swung their leg when cantering he would do a flying change but would refuse to do a change if someone thought it was ok to swing their weight off to one side when asking. The best trick was if he got disinterested when schooling was to turn down the centre line and halt and salute - he immediately switched up a gear, pricked his ears and showed off as if he was at a competition!
He could be horrendous to load, my friend bought a lorry that he took an instant dislike to and made his feelings very clear so she had to sell it again. He much preferred a trailer but things had to be arranged to his liking and it took a while to get him loading well away from home - four hours on a cold December night was one incident I remember well. We used to clip a lunge line on to one side and if he resisted we would pick it up and if necessary bring it behind him, it soon got to the stage we would just clip it on but didn't pick it up and he would walk into the trailer. However one day my friend clipped it onto the opposite side of the trailer and he had a complete meltdown - once I changed it to the "right" side he walked on perfectly!
He the only horse I've ridden without a bridle, after being at a Richard Maxwell demonstration I decided to give riding bridle less a try and bless him, he happily worked as if he was wearing all his tack in walk trot and canter, circling and turning perfectly!
When younger at times if he didn't want to be caught I pretended I was lunging him asked him to trot which he would do in a circle round me then I'd ask him to walk and halt and then he'd stand still while I approached him and put a head collar on! He could be horrible in the stable especially if anyone was a little tentative he would try to terrorise them with his ears flat back and teeth barred but the minute you were in the saddle he was always a perfect gentleman. His work load had obviously decreased with age and he was a little stiff however he still gave some small riders lessons in walk and trot as recently as a few weeks ago.
So run free Seb, you gave so much pleasure to so many I can't thank you enough x
