Literally! This gelding is a blast! He goes from walk to canter to gallop totally under control! But I am getting ahead of my self, lets try and bring some order to this post.
So, yesterday I dove up to Healdsburg to try out the Arab gelding. All went well.
Loren and I got to play with him for a bit while his owner went to make lunch. He is a bit nervous but not too bad. Typical energetic Arab that didn’t want to hold still. We walked him around because we were not sure where to tie him.
He has bad ground manners (which she told me) but he seems to know it! He hangs his head when you reprimand him like he knows he shouldn’t do it but can’t help himself! He got along with Loren great! (gee I wonder why!? = )
He is VERY nippy! I hate that, but am willing to work with it. The more distressed he is (like while loading, or not loading as the case may be) the more he nips and potentially bites.
I think he will be better after a few groundwork sessions, which he will be getting a lot of next week!
Under saddle, he is very well behaved, other then that he does not believe in trotting! He has been allowed to just run full out and thinks its fun. I have to admit, it is kinda fun! He is very controllable, I never felt like he was going to take off with me.
BUT he needs to learn that I will ask for the trot and he needs to give it to me without a fight. On the other hand, I will be happy to let him canter a lot out on the trail if that is the pace he wants to set and he does well with it.
I think I will need a heart rate monitor to really know for sure.
So I definatly foresee a lot of arena work with him. I think it might help him to learn to relax and stretch his neck down. He is very high headed and his current bit does not help. I may try him a couple times on shorter at home rides in a hackamore to see if he finds it more comfortable.
I agree that this horse could be a top tener, and a 100 miler. Although we didn’t go for a very long ride, I just feel it! The horse has lots of energy, but seems happy to just amble along. Its just the canter thing that makes him so so efficient. But I think that is just because of how he has been ridden over the last two years.
Tomorrow his owner is bringing him to me. Why? Because he doesn’t like my trailer! But I am not worried, I think after some groundwork, he will learn to go in!
I guess another update tomorrow or Monday. I may not come back to town after I go home to settle him in.
2 comments:
Ha! you can tell I don't read your posts in order....so ignore my comments about the bit - you are right, it could be that it's making him high headed - Farley is the type of girl that (on the trail at least) she'll put her head down before she puts it up, which is why I think she'll do well in that type of bit.
Sounds like you are really excited about him. I'm sure you'll learn more as you progress. just a wee bit of advice (I'm so bad at this - always giving advice, wouldn't be offended at all if you skipped over this and gave me the finger!). Be really careful about letting him go to fast in the beginning. Cardio/muscle wise he may be fit, but it will take at least a year to completely leg him up to that pace over a long distance. If this horse has been doing mostly LD's, he's probably used to that distance - Farley got very racey after a couple of LDs. 50's and 100's are a whole 'nother ball game. Be careful! :)
Ok - enough of the mother hen thing! HAVE A TON OF FUN. I AM SO HAPPY FOR YOU :>
Don't worry, I take some and I leave some!
While I am worried about riding him too fast, I need to find a happy medium for teaching him to slow down. If that means allowing him to go fast at first, so be it. I would prefer to get him slowing down in the arena, but that just might not be the feasable.
We will see what happens! I might take him out for a ride Sunday depending on how well he settles in.
Thanks!
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