I rode him last Saturday and he was for the most part perfect. We did some baby jumps and a few low cross rails before he got REALLY fussy.
Or conversation went like this
Me: Walk!
Pinecone: NO! *ears pinned*
Me: Ok buddy. Please walk? *leg squeeze*
Pinecone: I said NO! *cow kick*
Me: WALK! *leg squeeze, light tap with crop*
Pinecone: FINE!! *buck, kick, buck*
Me: Thank you, now quit being a creep! I CAN and WILL bring you back to the ranch where I got you and you can sit there for years where no one will adopt you and love you and give you treats.
This happened one other time and then I figured something was wrong. He NEVER gives me that much attitude. I hopped off and then felt like a huge jerk when I realized that his saddle was pinching him. He’s put on some weight and I had forgotten to resize the gullet in my saddle. There were telltale signs on his pad and gel pad. I’m a horrible mother and I suck at life sometimes.
Someone said that he must have just really been excited to jump if he was willing to work through the pain for the first part of our ride. And we’ve all come to the conclusion that he wants to be a jumper. I see some of the horses at the barn jumping and they never really seem excited about it. They are just going through the motions because their “person” wants to jump. Do you think that it’s true that some horses like to jump more than others? Or is that something I’m just telling myself. I’ve ridden cutting horses who LOVE to chase cows. The moment they see a cow they just light up. ( I never actually got to cut cattle and I’m sad about that!) I’ve worked with racehorses who love to run. They get so pumped before the race they basically drag you to the paddock to tack up and then parade around it like a champion before the race(even if they come in last place durring the race.) And I’ve worked with racehorses who basically do a death march to the track. My friends horse LOVED being a Roping horse and she eventually had to sell him to someone who was going to rope more than she did because he just wasn’t happy not being used. I think some horses love having jobs, while other horses love being unemployed lol
just for fun i wanted to post pictures of my Pinecone...because I love him...
I totally believe that some horses love their jobs, and others do not. My Missy mare was a beginner trail horse for 2 years, and that job was hard on her. I think mostly because she had so many different and inexperienced riders and that ended up being too hard on her, physically and emotionally. Maybe it's just me wanting to believe it, but she seems much happier only having to deal with me...
ReplyDeleteI think all horses have a job they would like to do, but us humans get in the way and don't always let them do that job!
Go Piney!
Don't feel bad about the saddle - we all make these mistakes. At least he told you about it instead of suffering with it - good that he trusted you enough to do that.
ReplyDeleteI do think some horses love to jump. When I was growing up, I had a large pony who really loved to jump. I know this because she never, ever, refused a fence AND because when she was turned out in our ring where a course was set up she would jump the fences BY HERSELF!!!!
ReplyDeletePinecone is adorable.
Thanks for stopping by my blog. I, too, wish I could take Found in the Fog.