hacking out tomorrow :0

[kya]

Have you an instructor to help you where you are? What about an RA?

[karenandco]

hi Kanga, how ya doing?

i did have an RA out once, and she did boost my confidence, as she said that he really trusts me, but if that is the case, why is he doing this??

as for instructors i don't have one that is NH as i live near Newmarket it is very old school round here,

also i don't have a school or anything, i have to rent one, and not having much money at the moment, everything seems to have come at once, my oh had a car accident and the van was ritten off, so we had to buy a new one, then my big fridge/freezer broke down so now i have to replace that,

all in all, this has not been a good month for us so Todi being good just lately was a real bonus, then yesterday that all went out of the window

karen and co

[dawnb]

Hi Karen
I used to have the same problem with Roche. Alot of it was my own insecurities rubbing off onto him which are still there a little. I just wanted to say that he had alot to deal with that day, new bridle with a new principal - not having been out on a hack since christmas, new sounds sights etc. Dont be so hard on yourself - you've alot of things going on in your life at the moment and as hard as we try these things do affect our riding and our horses. Deep breath, and reassess - you've done so bloody well and come so far. Is there another horse he gets on with particularly well with ? Maybe hacking with another will give him and you a bit more confidence. Roche will take me out alone but I feel so much happier when his field mate is with us. Wishing you all the luck in the world, and I truely mean that I really hope you can reach a happy medium lotsa love to you xx

[karenandco]

hi thanks for the kind reply Dawnb,

he doesn't have any herd instinct at all, when i used to hack out with others, it was almost like he was saying every man/woman for them selves, he doesn't even acknowledge other horses, doesn't look at them, and when they do their body lauguage pulling faces.swishing tails, that has no effect what so ever, now people won't go out with me any more because of the way he acts, also because he backed up into a moving car(which i might add, still kept coming even though they must have seen him reversing ) and one of the mares i used to go out with, is like the mother hen of all new and old horses (nice cobby Nanny) actually ended up kicking him because he wouldn't listen, and still he took no notice

now that i have actually stopped crying, i think i might walk him out tonight instead of riding, and then maybe toward the end of the week, i will long rein him down the road, and see how that goes,
i think i just need to get my head around it all, and go back a few steps,

yesterday/this morning felt like the end of my world, now maybe not

thank you all so much for your helpful suggestions, infact that in its self has helped me think about what he has done and what he has overcome, as to what he can't do, and i suppose in the great scale of things, jogging is nothing, compared to where we were a year ago

thanks guys/girls you come up trumps again

karen and co

[dawnb]

Nothing wrong with taking a back pedal every now and then. If it helps you get your head round it then in my book thats a great thing. One thing I have found to help with joggers is to sit and bear down as much as you can, really open your thigh up so that you're sitting on your seatbones and hard as it may be dont be tempted to hoik the reins. Remember that your hands will be communicating the anxiety which will make the jogging worse (or at least seem that way) I am absolutely sure that he isnt doing it to un nerve you, he is probably just as worried as you too . Chin up love I just wish I was closer as I'd be more than happy to come with you on foot as that really does help too - let us know how you get on Ok and SMILE you're doing a great job xx

[angblue]

Oh karen I'm so happy that you now seem to be a bit more positive ;D It really does give you a kick in the guts when something goes wrong but I find if I give it a few days(or hours) then the failing feeling passes & I then work out how to proceed, which you have done yaaaay ;D
Walking in hand & then long lining sounds like an excellent plan to get your confidence back. By the sounds of things he DOES trust you & I hand on heart think that he just finds hacking terribly exciting & he is doing what he has been trained to do in the past ie; trotting along at breakneck speed whilst pulling a cart!
Now we have to work out a way to say that he cannot do that when you are riding him.........anyone got any bright ideas??
How about if he starts jogging turn him in tight circles until he walks? This can be done in the DC as I did it with Blue when he was nappy! Only let him walk on when he stops jogging & be really firm, he'll soon learn it's easier just to walk

[karenandco]

hi Dawnb and Angblue,

thanks again for being possitive for me,

Angblue, the only thing i'm worried about turning the circles (i did used to do this on lady when she napped ) is that he is such a bright spark that he will do this at will, and then we will start spining, then i will be worried and dizzy he did do this last night when i asked for him to stop (have read and seen how parrelli do the bringing the head round to stop) and it makes sence stop on side running the other side can't run by itself but it does worry me a tad

Dawnb yes the hoiking of the reins is where we got into a fight last night, so i know exactly where your coming from, but i will try sitting further into the saddle i have been sitting further back, touching his rump with my hand to make sure i have my balence point and making my legs light and no pressure (being a drive horse we do have trouble with leg aids, ie left leg means go fast, right leg means go fast and both legs mean go even faster lol)

thanks again

karen and co

[kya]

That's great... try something, anything to get yourself in a more positive frame of mind. Sounds like a truly rotten ride. That aggression you talk about.. my boy spends time with any other ridden horse trying to take a sizeable chunk out of their arse, shoulder, tail, whatever's handy and he sticks his nose in front regardless, so you are not alone there. I don't take it too seriously. Horse herd stuff. How and ever, every horse has to learn to go in front or behind as well as is possible for them. Sit up, sit back.. my mantra from the start of hacking out. Once you start curling up in fetal 'argh' position you are finished. All the best.

[Casper]

Hi Karen, only just seen your update. Sorry that things didn't go as well as planned yesterday. How about doing more work in the school? Is he food orientated? If so clicker training might help. Alexandra Kurland has got some great books, and I believe this is one specifically related to riding now, although I haven't got that one.

The two of you have hacked out before hun, and I am sure you will again. We are all here for you and will help in any way that we can xx

[karenandco]

ok thanks kanga, *she says sitting up at the computor* lol

casper i can't do treat training with him as i have only just got him out of biting, so now nothing is fed out of hands, for fear of loss of hands arms legs, ummmm buts if they are in chewing range

but i do let him walk along (near home) and eat grass (which is a real treat for him as we don't have any) dandylions, and weeds etc but now i must remember not to let him eat at the same place as he is now dragging me there

karen and co