northernnewfiediva
Well-Known Member
I don't know how many will recall my post on our new horse- bought to mainly sj but absolutely devoid of passion and interest in it? Well here's a short update. I wish I could say he was completely transformed but he is making progress in the right direction. We now think he was not really soured through overjumping but just pretty much turned off because he'd been ridden in a very hard way - lots of hand and spurring rather than being a bit more responsible for his own body! we have hacked and hacked him on a long relaxed rein, he cannot canter without a contact yet though but it will come! he is turning into a bit of a dressage diva, with a few novice tests at the very top of the 60% range - he does undoubtedly get tense and worried if there are a lot of horses, noise etc which is reflected in his scores but his potential is pretty impressive. His previous owner did tell us he wasn't a dressage horse but now he is starting to work through and over his back, rather than dragging himself along, albeit with a mincing step which could fool you for a bit! We did advertise him but either people thought he wasn't for them or we hated the people so he is still here!
As my daughter works long hours, I am hacking him a good bit, he can now walk and trot down hills, cross streams, canter anywhere and his trot is getting longer and lower, using his bum with a bit of tail swing. He is a complete gent and is starting to look around when hacking rather than staring fixedly ahead. Took him on a mock hunt last weekend with two hours of fairly fast work and he was a total total star! On a scale of 1-10 he was a 12! we even jumped a few logs on the ground- nothing challenging as I am old and I was desperate for him to have a good time. He has a mouth like cotton, just close your hands and sit up and he stops nicely in a field of galloping horses. When schooling, the last twice we chucked some poles down and just worked him over and round them - he is definitely tense when he first sees them but once he realises its all fine he is going forward. This is a massive improvement! Interestingly the black/blue colour in his mouth and gums is also receding........
he goes in lorry first time, either on his own or with others, which is again an improvement.
His windsucking is still there but getting less, mostly confined to just after his tea as long as he has hay to divert him. he is better going to training or dressage on his own otherwise he panics and looks for the other horse.However, he will now easily leave the warm up and other horses without stressing. We'll carry on like this over winter and just treat him like a four year old about jumping in the spring, introducing very small classes, and see where we get to.
Again, I'd appreciate any hints tips or positive stories from anyone!
As my daughter works long hours, I am hacking him a good bit, he can now walk and trot down hills, cross streams, canter anywhere and his trot is getting longer and lower, using his bum with a bit of tail swing. He is a complete gent and is starting to look around when hacking rather than staring fixedly ahead. Took him on a mock hunt last weekend with two hours of fairly fast work and he was a total total star! On a scale of 1-10 he was a 12! we even jumped a few logs on the ground- nothing challenging as I am old and I was desperate for him to have a good time. He has a mouth like cotton, just close your hands and sit up and he stops nicely in a field of galloping horses. When schooling, the last twice we chucked some poles down and just worked him over and round them - he is definitely tense when he first sees them but once he realises its all fine he is going forward. This is a massive improvement! Interestingly the black/blue colour in his mouth and gums is also receding........
he goes in lorry first time, either on his own or with others, which is again an improvement.
His windsucking is still there but getting less, mostly confined to just after his tea as long as he has hay to divert him. he is better going to training or dressage on his own otherwise he panics and looks for the other horse.However, he will now easily leave the warm up and other horses without stressing. We'll carry on like this over winter and just treat him like a four year old about jumping in the spring, introducing very small classes, and see where we get to.
Again, I'd appreciate any hints tips or positive stories from anyone!
