Training Thoughts

Saturday, May 29, 2004

A Helpful Friend Suggests: Maybe if he's been ridden in a bosal he might like a bitless bridle,
perhaps a side pull....???.

Actually yesterday I DID start with a bosal, but didn't even get on him. As soon as we got into the arena, he started flinging his head around and rearing up...that worried me, so I chickened out, and put the snaffle on him. He's VERY light in the mouth, needs very little contact at all, which was a Bad Thing when he spooked at the outside trail gate, I had to spend valuable nanoseconds gathering up the slack, by which time he had already spun 180 degrees.

I hear bosals aren't real good for steering...he neck reins nice, but how good is that in a panic situation?

It'll take a while for ME to get used to going from a hard-mouthed, heavy-headed, stubborn horse with a floating hunter trot, to a soft-mouth, light, cuddly horse with a prissy little horse trot, LOL.

I did try some research on ring sourness on the web, and they all pretty much concur with the Wise Friends...work outside arenas, vary the routine, etc. We WERE doing a lot of circles and serpentines yesterday, and he did work best away from the gates. Trouble is, the indoor arena has 4 gates (one on each side), the outdoor arena has 3 gates...gates gates everywhere!!

Can always work on a flat piece of lawn.

I like the idea of giving him treats IN the arena, that's a very good idea. I haven't given him anything treat-wise...I spoiled Tez because he was old and deserved it, but this guy has no such excuse...but I'll try that.

I think today I'll just concentrate on ground work...lunging, leading, etc, maybe "in-hand" trail...I noticed he wasn't afraid of the tractor and cultivator when I was leading him to the outdoor arena, but when I was RIDING him back, he was terrified of it...so perhaps he has more confidence in me on the ground than on his back.

Gonna pop the question to Bob today...."How Much", LOL!

I had thought I should take the summer off from horses, but they're right, "there's nothing better for than the inside of a (wo)man than the outside of a horse"...I still cry for Tezlu, he was a damned GREAT horse (for me), but now that empty, paniced feeling I had last week is replaced with "what to do with Cusco" thoughts...

I have a feeling I'll be at the barn this afternoon instead of planting my vegetable garden...