Welcome, Hermosa

[ycbm]

I imagine this is true of Deza as well then?

I get the impression it's true of most of them, they are just very, very sensitive horses. When I bought my new one it brought her into stark relief. Ludo can be over sensitive, but the contrast of Deza and the mongrel Joe is a real eye opener. And I've realised how much I value that calmness.

I hope you learn to enjoy Hermosa's sensitivity better than I've managed.
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[Caol Ila]

Are you still thinking of selling Deza?

I think I can, in part because she's sensitive, but not a drama queen. When the pigs were galloping up and down their field, she stopped and stared. Then walked calmly onwards after a pat. Today, when I got to the yard in a flap (I was late to lesson due to a stuck lorry on the main road out of Glasgow), she caught easily, but planted on the road down to the yard. Planting is annoying and not ideal, but it's not scary, like a horse trying to tank off in the middle of the road. I feel there's plenty of potential for us to meet somewhere in the middle.

On the other hand, if I get a project pony of riding age, it will not be a hot breed. One is enough!

 

[milliepops]

My crackpot welsh has been the greatest Ghandi teacher I've ever come across. I was never very flappy before, that PRE i rode before was a good rehearsal but even so, i was far too flappy for her to begin with. I had a reminder of this the other day when I got to the yard really late for a lesson for reasons out of my control and she absolutely hoovered up my emotions and well and truly erupted. I'd forgotten how extreme her reactions could be to my frame of mind. Back to zen. sounds like a useful thing to be able to practice now before you want to think about backing.

 

[CanteringCarrot]

Ah yes, my Spanish horse has taught me all about Ghandi He is the coolest of horses and the hottest of horses. I love his sensitivity. Not necessarily his occasional drama queen antics, but the fact that he's so easy in other ways makes up for it.

Ground work is very fun with these horses. They're so in tune with their handlers body language. You can teach them so much. I also started lateral work on the ground in the beginning with him. He also loves tricks. They want to please so badly, sometimes too badly ?

I think you'll learn a lot from each other. My horse really teaches me to "leave the BS at the door" so to speak. It's actually a good exercise for me, mentally.

I'm excited to read more updates. I want to start a youngster (specially another Iberian) so badly, but it's not in the cards at the moment.

 

[ycbm]

Are you still thinking of selling Deza?

Yes, I think so. There are other things, like her stride isn't a fit for my body like the breeds that swing their backs and use less leg action. And I have to split the barn to stop her having too much food and that means I can't ride in there and winters are getting so I can't work them for days at a time unless I can ride/do in hand in there. And I've realised that I only really want one horse in proper work, and if the other horse is going to be mostly a companion, it's ridiculous if that horse is worth a fortune and could break a leg or get colic tomorrow. I have a holiday soon and I'm going to decide after that.

I hope Hermosa works out for you but if not you've got a lovely filly who will sell easily.
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[milliepops]

My horse really teaches me to "leave the BS at the door" so to speak. It's actually a good exercise for me, mentally.

same, it's really grounding having to just park the stress and be in the moment for a while.

Though I am very very much hoping the next horse is rather less sensitive! I want a bit of carefree time, haha.

 

[Caol Ila]

It will probably be good for me. Could do with being more grounded and finding my inner zen. I like the filly more and more, and I love how quickly she learns things. She thinks about stuff. Not bogging off and asking questions later. Super smart wee horse. Plus, she's pretty.

Gypsum makes up her own mind about stuff and doesn't really care what you think. The nice part of that is that you can be pretty carefree around her. And she agrees with you (enough) about whatever you are doing, she is pretty bombproof. The downside is... good fkucking luck teaching her to do something she does not want to do. Hermosa has coped with pigs and cows with very little drama because she wants to tune in and believe in her human. Gypsum was always like, "See ya later."

Never ridden a PRE, so that will be interesting, but what I *didn't* want was another big, bouncy warmblood-type mover. I've felt much more effective as a rider on the assorted Welshes, Arabs, Highlands, cobs, and Connemaras I've sat on over the years. In the US, Spanish horses have become very popular amongst dressage riders who don't want to sit the warmblood paces.

 

[palo1]

My crackpot welsh has been the greatest Ghandi teacher I've ever come across. I was never very flappy before, that PRE i rode before was a good rehearsal but even so, i was far too flappy for her to begin with. I had a reminder of this the other day when I got to the yard really late for a lesson for reasons out of my control and she absolutely hoovered up my emotions and well and truly erupted. I'd forgotten how extreme her reactions could be to my frame of mind. Back to zen. sounds like a useful thing to be able to practice now before you want to think about backing.

I think that the really useful phrase for young horse riders 'never take fear to the saddle' should have a sister statement: 'never take 'flap' to the saddle'!! I have one horse who simply won't tolerate 'emotional' bad news; he is a very sensitive soul and it is profoundly upsetting to see him so bothered by his rider's 'stuff'. I learnt very early when he was a 3yo not to do that - he has never been naughty but definately can't cope well with extra 'stuff'. My young Welsh is very funny in that she responds with an attack of the 'bolshies' when and if I am flustered, wobbly, irritable etc but of course she is still young. Horses teach us such great life lessons, especially the sensitive ones and I am pretty grateful for that tbh I have never owned a spanish horse but have ridden them and they seemed to me to be very strong characters but not likely to 'suffer fools gladly'. I loved the riding I did with them - definately as much mental discipline as physical...

 

[shortstuff99]

I think the breeding lines of the PREs can really impact on how sensitive they are too. Ones from a bullfighting line tend to be really sharp but the dressage/sport bred ones tend to be more chill.

My 3 year old filly is practically horizontal, she never finds anything a problem and am yet to see her spook ?.

My older mare from very famous bullfighting lines can be an absolute hot mess in the wrong hands. It helps that I'm very chill naturally which is maybe why I've never found them that bad. Others think she is a lunatic ?.

I like horses that think for themselves as I'm too lazy to be telling them what to do all the time so we are well matched I think.....

 

[scopeybay98]

Late to the party and had to read through 13 pages BUT I used to ride at the yard that you used to have Hermosa at/Gypsums yard. Always thought once I got a horse I’d keep it there, but soon saw how not great it is. Yes the facilities are lovely and they’ve put a lot of money into it, but the treatment of the school horses isn’t great. The stables are small and they have way too many horses up there, and the cafe and soon petting zoo pose worries for horse owners up there. Very riding school driven which isn’t always ideal. We live in the west end too but have now sold as we’re moving to a property with private stables and arena etc. Was going to suggest looking at private yards round there and knock on every door you can but I’ve seen you’ve moved again. Hope this yard works out for you, good luck!

 

[Caol Ila]

Late to the party and had to read through 13 pages BUT I used to ride at the yard that you used to have Hermosa at/Gypsums yard. Always thought once I got a horse I’d keep it there, but soon saw how not great it is. Yes the facilities are lovely and they’ve put a lot of money into it, but the treatment of the school horses isn’t great. The stables are small and they have way too many horses up there, and the cafe and soon petting zoo pose worries for horse owners up there. Very riding school driven which isn’t always ideal. We live in the west end too but have now sold as we’re moving to a property with private stables and arena etc. Was going to suggest looking at private yards round there and knock on every door you can but I’ve seen you’ve moved again. Hope this yard works out for you, good luck!

Well done for making it through 13 pages. I knocked on a few doors around that area, but got nowhere. Some of the horse properties have huge, scary gates, so you can't knock on the door. Anyway, I think she's in a good place for now, albeit not quite as convenient for me.

I think it being riding school driven was one of the reasons Hermosa had to leave. None of the staff have the time to involve themselves with sorting out a potentially tricky livery situation. It actually wasn't. It took owner at current yard less than half a day of faff to safely introduce her to an adult herd of eight horses. But she had the time and willpower to do that.

A lot of us owners are hanging fire with regards to the cafe and alleged petting zoo (to be honest, we have no idea what the latter will look like or entail). Many of us are a bit worried, as you noted. Hermosa will definitely stay where she is for at least the next year, which gives me an opportunity to see if the chaos of the general public traipsing around the yard becomes stressful and untenable. It might not. It might be fine. The jury is very much out. If it's a problem, there could be a mass exodus. And my horse is already somewhere else, which means I don't have to scrabble for spaces at other yards.

 

[holeymoley]

I passed your place the other day, we actually rode around the park. Funnily enough on seeing the signs and explaining what was proposed, my husband said that it would really put him off being a livery there. And he’s not even the horsey one! It’s bizarre, i don’t think there’s really any need for it in the area. Who knows how it will pan out.

 

[Caol Ila]

There are two coffee shops in the Mugdock visitor centre and plenty in Milngavie (it's just that sort of place). Lots of competition. I will be really sad if it becomes unworkable as a livery yard. Despite them being totally sh1t about the situation with Hermosa, I still like the place. The liveries are great bunch, they have always done right by Gypsum, the facilities are brilliant, and I would miss hacking in Mugdock. It's also just up the road from where I live. But we will have to see.

 

[Caol Ila]

Very sticky feet today when being led away from her friends, and then some speed reversing. Not ideal. I didn't leave the field, but rather brought her to the gate and gave her a Lickit. She liked me a lot more after that. Did some really nice field liberty work, walking in a circle around me on command, without a headcollar. When I left, she pressed her chest against the gate and looked like she would have come, but I had the sense to leave it on a good note. She followed me on the other side of the fence when I walked back to the barn.

I thought about it, and I don't think it's entirely a young horse issue. Some of it is a different horse issue. I've got 21 years with Gypsum, who was either actually fine, in which case she would stand quietly, gentle and obedient, and do what you asked, or not fine. And if she wasn't fine, believe me, you (and everyone else in the barn) were going to know all about it. She was never ambiguous about her feelings. Hermosa is much quieter and internalizes stuff, so if she's bit a tense but not doing anything crazy, she's still not fine. She's just not a loud, opinionated drama queen who thinks the world revolves around her. I think she's quite worried about being in the yard by herself. YO had initially offered to let me catch another horse and bring it in with her, but because she was walking down there and seemingly coping, we didn't continue that conversation. Next time I see YO, I think I will reopen it.

 

[Caol Ila]

Went on a hack today with a calm buddy. Some curious dairy cows trotted up to the fenceline, and Hermosa spooked and flew backwards. I held her, and she pranced and dragon snorted, which set off calm buddy, and he started spinning and reversing (and in the meantime, a cyclist rode between two spooking horses... luckily neither one cares about bikes). Calm buddy's rider and I dithered over continuing onwards or bailing and going in a different direction.

While we flapped, Hermosa stared down the cows and decided everyone was clearly being a fanny, and we were going. to. pass. those. cows. She arched her neck and set off, and the rest of us went with her. When we passed them on the way home, they were still hanging over the fence, but she just gave them a disdainful look.

I guess she's a pretty cool little horse.

 

[PurBee]

Went on a hack today with a calm buddy. Some curious dairy cows trotted up to the fenceline, and Hermosa spooked and flew backwards. I held her, and she pranced and dragon snorted, which set off calm buddy, and he started spinning and reversing. His rider and I dithered over continuing onwards or bailing and going in a different direction.

While we flapped, Hermosa stared down the cows and decided everyone was clearly being a fanny, and we were going. to. pass. those. cows. She arched her neck and set off, and the rest of us went with her. When we passed them on the way home, they were still hanging over the fence, but she just gave them a disdainful look.

I guess she's a pretty cool little horse.

???

I often wonder if to horses, cows look like alien versions of them!

I’m so glad mine weren’t on the yard the day a huge pissed off cow crashed onto my yard space in desperate search for her just weaned calf. The snorts wouldve been so huge im sure theyd have breathed fire! ?

That little session she’s had with cows and deciding herself to pass by it is great testament to her emerging confidence and bravery....thats brilliant from such a youngster. ?

 

[Errin Paddywack]

She is showing she has a brain and is capable of reasoning something many horses don't have. She could be a star in the making.

 

[PurBee]

She is showing she has a brain and is capable of reasoning something many horses don't have. She could be a star in the making.

That’s something that was a bit of a shock for me to experience about horses. Having handled/ridden riding school horses for many years, they rarely ever showed a raised eyebrow at anything...so deeply trained, de-sensitised to everything.

Only by owning (hot blooded i will admit!...so different to chilled-out RS natives!) horses was it revealed to me that no, that flight instinct is powerful and when those flight chemicals are whizzing around that massive body in huge doses, they easily lose their minds, and that training them to better deal with that inate prey-driven response is just as important, if not more important than any other training.
It’s really nice when we reach the stage that during a stress moment, they have pause, assess, listen to us, rather than just blindly react.

 

[Casey76]

That’s something that was a bit of a shock for me to experience about horses. Having handled/ridden riding school horses for many years, they rarely ever showed a raised eyebrow at anything...so deeply trained, de-sensitised to everything.

Only by owning (hot blooded i will admit!...so different to chilled-out RS natives!) horses was it revealed to me that no, that flight instinct is powerful and when those flight chemicals are whizzing around that massive body in huge doses, they easily lose their minds, and that training them to better deal with that inate prey-driven response is just as important, if not more important than any other training.
It’s really nice when we reach the stage that during a stress moment, they have pause, assess, listen to us, rather than just blindly react.

I’d say that the majority of school horses are not ‘deeply trained’ and ‘de-sensitized’; they are shut down, inured to their existence... I’ve seen so many school horses blossom when they’ve been sold on and in a 1:1 relationship; to the point that their new owners suddenly don’t know what to do with their favourite mount, who is now showing some personality.

Tartine is a Mérens, a breed known for their tractability and calm nature. Tartine didn’t get the memo ?. She is an exceptionally sensitive pony, and not particularly people oriented. She has a fabulous levitate (not levade ) and raised voices or fast movements will have her jumping away to hide in a corner. She is very much a pony that you need to leave your baggage at the door when you are working with her. I’ve actually got a permanent disabling injury because I ignored my common sense and tried to force an issue because I was in a hurry.

Sensitive mares can be frustrating, but they are also immensely rewarding, and once you’ve got them onside and win their trust, they are *amazing*

 

[zandp]

Both my mares are sensitive, although the one who was in a RS for 2 years and passed from pillar to post for her life before I got her (5 owners before me and she was 10 when I bought her) didn't seem sensitive at first. The QH/TB has taught me to leave everything at the door and be in the moment and I'm grateful for the lessons she's made me learn. I think I'm almost ok to be her human now, she thinks I shouldn't have any other horse and puts up with the other one mostly.