jesterfaerie
Well-Known Member
I am sure the majority of you aren't really interested in me or my horse so I don't expect many veiws or replies but thanks to the ones who do read it, I am just very happy and couldn't help posting. I appologise for it being very long.
I have been having a few issues hacking my TB out (he spins around and if you stop him he will just walk backwards until he wants to stop - it resorts to me dismounting, leading him past, remounting and taking him past the same part again because of cars trying to get past) and because of this I have been trying to keep the hacks very short (10 mins) and very close to home to build him up and also for just incase anything happens. He has had a holiday because I have been on box rest and on wednesday he has his first hack out in a while and I took him on a route he enjoys and he was foot perfect. Thursday I took him out on a route he isn't too keen on and we have had a few spinny moments however he was foot perfect again (and rather lazy!) This day I took him further along a road we normaly turn off from to go home, and he seemed to really want to go along the new part of the road so I took him along and then brought him back home.
I have just come back from a 'proper' hack with him. I set off on his good route however we had a few problems he kept stopping and not wanting to go forwards but this was not out of naughtyness he was just being lazy
took him back home and set off again this time armed with spurs and a whip!
He was very good, got to the end of a road and he gave me the impression he wanted to turn right (instead of left - we always go left) so we went right and this turned onto the new part of the road we rode down on thurs. Both days I had my brother with me for company.
Got to the end and he perked up and really took me forwards into this new route. We hacked out into unknown roads (to him) and he was very forwards and positive.
He spooked when a dog suddenly ran to the garden gate but after he shot forwards he went back to being very calm (up until and after the spook he was I had him on the end of the reins).
We then passed a field with a lot of horses in (with me he hasn't come across another horse out hacking) they started cantering around the field, he stopped and watched them wanting to play. I pushed him on and he carried on (very proud of him).
Sadly a bit further down the road he started having one of his moments. He ended up backing a good 50-100ft or so before he got bored and stopped, he then backed into a farm enterance and fannied around for a good 15 mins, refusing to go forwards, spinning and backing up.
Eventually after rewards for walking forwards and me trying my best to stop him spinning and making him walk backwards the way we were ment to be going he walked on happily. I am VERY happy at myself for keeping at him and for once not feeling worried about it. (Usualy worried of cars coming when he isn't behaving) I am just so chuffed I was so chilled out about it and he threw in the towel.
We carried home without a single problem after that and he actually started to come into an outline on the way home which he doesn't tend to do on a hack.
Sorry I am just sooooooo happy we went on a brand new 'proper' hack (around 40-50 mins) on our own!
With only one moment from him were he eventually relised that I was in charge.
Other than that he was on the end of the reins all the way around, I felt very happy and safe hacking him out!
We are slowly getting there I think.
Sorry it was so long.
I have been having a few issues hacking my TB out (he spins around and if you stop him he will just walk backwards until he wants to stop - it resorts to me dismounting, leading him past, remounting and taking him past the same part again because of cars trying to get past) and because of this I have been trying to keep the hacks very short (10 mins) and very close to home to build him up and also for just incase anything happens. He has had a holiday because I have been on box rest and on wednesday he has his first hack out in a while and I took him on a route he enjoys and he was foot perfect. Thursday I took him out on a route he isn't too keen on and we have had a few spinny moments however he was foot perfect again (and rather lazy!) This day I took him further along a road we normaly turn off from to go home, and he seemed to really want to go along the new part of the road so I took him along and then brought him back home.
I have just come back from a 'proper' hack with him. I set off on his good route however we had a few problems he kept stopping and not wanting to go forwards but this was not out of naughtyness he was just being lazy
He was very good, got to the end of a road and he gave me the impression he wanted to turn right (instead of left - we always go left) so we went right and this turned onto the new part of the road we rode down on thurs. Both days I had my brother with me for company.
Got to the end and he perked up and really took me forwards into this new route. We hacked out into unknown roads (to him) and he was very forwards and positive.
He spooked when a dog suddenly ran to the garden gate but after he shot forwards he went back to being very calm (up until and after the spook he was I had him on the end of the reins).
We then passed a field with a lot of horses in (with me he hasn't come across another horse out hacking) they started cantering around the field, he stopped and watched them wanting to play. I pushed him on and he carried on (very proud of him).
Sadly a bit further down the road he started having one of his moments. He ended up backing a good 50-100ft or so before he got bored and stopped, he then backed into a farm enterance and fannied around for a good 15 mins, refusing to go forwards, spinning and backing up.
Eventually after rewards for walking forwards and me trying my best to stop him spinning and making him walk backwards the way we were ment to be going he walked on happily. I am VERY happy at myself for keeping at him and for once not feeling worried about it. (Usualy worried of cars coming when he isn't behaving) I am just so chuffed I was so chilled out about it and he threw in the towel.
We carried home without a single problem after that and he actually started to come into an outline on the way home which he doesn't tend to do on a hack.
Sorry I am just sooooooo happy we went on a brand new 'proper' hack (around 40-50 mins) on our own!
With only one moment from him were he eventually relised that I was in charge.
Other than that he was on the end of the reins all the way around, I felt very happy and safe hacking him out!
We are slowly getting there I think.
Sorry it was so long.
