well its 1.45 am and I have just got back form 2 days helping at Hartpury, still "buzzing" so thought would get this down.
Quite an emotional rollercoster really ........ Rembrant , well how can one not be ashamed, angry and sad at the treatment this horse has had from humans .
Yet the heart soars when you see how much this horse is willing to forgive when he finds humans that will listen to him.
This is the "electrified" horse seen at Addington so I thought those who saw him there would like an update ........
At first the mere sight of the measuring stick being carried was enough to send him into a spin so that was removed and the bamboo cane brought in. MOnty explained that at the end of the previous session Rembrant could only tolerate about 1/3 but after about 15 minutes Remrant was accepting the full length of the stick in view and being rubbed on his "sweet spot". As he said ...... still a waaaaaaay to go yet but what amazing progress for Rembrant.
(I think most of us would join with Monty in the sentiment that the "people" who do things like use electric prods on horses deserve jail
)
Adrian the got on and walked Rembrant around the round pen with poles on the ground .......... then in the arena over poles laid in patterns on the ground. You could see how anxious R got when he touched a pole and MOnty explained some other "treaments" used on horses to get them to clear the poles .. like nails in sticks etc
). Adrian rode him in a dually and on a loose rein so that R would get the message that NOTHING, not even pressure on his mouth, would happen when he touched a pole... Adrian then started to put oples up inot little jumps .... first one at a time then back to circling in walk over poles then two before circling again. At first he rushed as soon as over the jump ... but gradually he began to relax a little.
This horse is just soo amazing ....... to begin to pick up so readily that THESE humans will not cause him pain is just so humbling , could we humans "forgive" so easily.
Another that had two sessions was a little dun welshie called Biscuit....... such a sweetie and despite his "issues" I think a few of us were tempted to smuggle him out.
The intitial main issue was loading, apparently the only way he'd get in a trailer was blindfolded and having the ramp shut on his btm
He was also deemed unridable .... he'd explode as soon as anyone on his back ..... and four people failed to catch him in the loose box.
On the first day Monty did join up and dealt with some spooky issues via the plastic bags on the cane , setting up the "stand still to make it go away" tactic etc....
Cut long story short........... Biscuit went up the ramp by himself at the end ;D.
Day two and Biscuit had lesson two with the plastic bags but the ante was upped...... more of them, higher above his back and flappier
Saddle on ......... Heidi on ..... and oh boy ws that little fella full of energy, he looked like he would explode ;D.
and indeed when Monty brought in the bags again Biscuit decided they needed a double barrel or two, or three, or four
( I must say Monty did a nifty move or two to avoid those flying back feet !)
However it was not long before he realised the bags only left if he stood still..... clever pone and he soon had the long lines on.
Then
came
Adrian
and bless Biscuits little heart ... not only did he walk around and back up .... they had him trotting ..... and even a step or two of canter . Biscuits 12 year old owner said he was "gobsmacked"
one "spooky" blanket apaloosa called Sandy might have looked like a steady cob .... but he proved appearances can be deceptive
and presented one of the most physically challenging demos of the two days for Monyy and Adrian.....he reared and spun so violently he almost had Monty over and Adrian for safety reasons went in to assist on the line. But true to form it was not long before Sandy learnt how to cope in an altogether much better way with this spooky stuff .... ;D
There were others of course , some of whom I did not see totally or couldnt hear the full details of ( cause I was busy "helping"
) ........ starters like a little black welsh who had been "unbackable" but of course Adrian not only got on board but had backing up ...... The large cheastnut mare , the last horse of the tour, that Kelly had loading within minutes , sorry if I have fogotten anyone.
I have not forgotton George though, doubt I will
Geaorge is an absolute gem ..... brough in for starting having had NOTHING doen apart from being caught to be wormed , the put in a stable / brushed one day before before coming . Had had his feet picked up but never had farrier or trimmer.
Lovely coloured medium weight cob
Basic intro went like a dream ........ he let MOnty do all the basics like pick up his feet etc ......... all the way to Adrian on board with hardly a murmer.
BUT
owner came back after the interval and said several members of the audience had approached her to say they did not believe the process and doubted that George was a genuine starter. She wanted to address the audience
Monty in response asked if the sceptics would be prepared to tell him their reasons and two ladies did stand up and come forward to say why they thought how they did.
They said that the horse had appeared soooo relaxed during the process and it was soooo quick that it was just not possible. One said her two year old would not tolerate the process and it had been handled more that Georges owner said he had. Monty ressaured her that horse can tolerate the process more than most owners think they can ...... then I missed a bit ( hearing going
. Cant remember of it was there or later cause he said it a coule of times .... but he did say about the research project happening in February to evaluate the effects on stress levels , heart rate etc .. of the join up process.
He said he was willing to take any lie detector test to the effect he had never seen George before and that he believed the owner about him rarely being handled prior to coming to the venue. She had bred him and he'd been on the same farm since birth.
Lovely two days..... I can put a face to Brenda from the office now
......and to Sue Brown
met up wiith John Jones yet again ;D ....
and made loooooooooooooods new friends