pnalley
03-11-2006, 11:41 PM
No, I'm not really stupid (ok thats debatable).
Scooter is an App gelding I have owned since birth. When I leased him out he was dead broke & well mannered & never spooked.
He does however have some health issues. As a weanling he almost broke his neck, he was grade 2 ataxic in all 4 limbs. UGA said he would be a pasture pet and couldn't be ridden. Well Scooter didn't read the vets report. He is ridable although he does have his limitations. He handles flat ground fine, he can trot over cavelatti. He can go up hills, but moderatly steep downward slopes are a bit hairy. since he's so heavy on the front end. Due to the neck injury he cannot be collected or put "on the bit".
He was leased out for 5 years and just came back to us around Thanksgiving. I have a very good friend that organizes rides for out club, yet she doesn't have a horse to ride (1 to old, 1 to young). So I want to offer my gentle Scooter to her for around the block, flat surface riding. Yet I felt I needed to ride him & work on fixing any training issues he has.
So I took him on a 2.5 hour ride today. I should have pre-checked the terrain. It was fine for most horses but with his issues it wsn't the best ride for him, or me.
The last I rode a trotting horse was at least 5 years ago. Scooter was pe-od about being saddled, and then I learned what bad habits he has learned, or maybe I should say he has forgotton his good habits.
He forgot how to flex side to side with light rein pressure, He forgot WHOA means plant your Appaloosa feet & don't move or you will regret it (by trotting). He bowed his back when I got on him, thank God he's to lazy to buck.
We got to a creek crossing that was a steep downward slope & muddy knee deep, the other side was also muddy with stobs (from cut saplings). I decided to lead him across ( I have NEVER lead a horse across a creek).
He decided to jump it, slammed into me and knocked me into a slope. His back legs & mine were intertwined. he stood like a rock till I got untangled. He really tried to not hurt me. The 2nd crossing had a better entrance but the exit was slick granite. I was afraid if he jumped it he would slip & fall on the granite so again I walked him across. He did much better.
After the 1st hour on the trail ( I had ridden him in the arena for 1/2 hour trotting, leg yeilding etc.) he started to relax, by the end he was the Scooter I know & love. Riding in the buckle, relaxed, & wanting to walk.
It felt really WEIRD to ride a stock horse. I'm so used to the high headed Paso's, him carrrying his head wither level made me feel like I would tumble over his head.
My Arse is sore, my back is sore, my tootie is sore, & my knees are sore were I got slammed into the bank.
I will have to ride him some more to get him "right" again. Thank goodness he's smart & quickly understands who is smarter, him or the rider. Today I was smarter.
I missed my Ladda, and she will be my ride for the next group ride.
Those of you that think you can ride well, get on a trotting horse, it's a true workout. I could drop some pounds if I rode him every day for just 45 minutes.
All in all it was a beautiful day, and I now know what I need to work on to get him back "right". He's truly the sweetest horse, and does want to please, but he's a bit hard headed (but he was allowed to get away wuth that kind of behavior)
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v103/pnalley1/Picture300.jpg
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v103/pnalley1/Picture290.jpg
Scooter is an App gelding I have owned since birth. When I leased him out he was dead broke & well mannered & never spooked.
He does however have some health issues. As a weanling he almost broke his neck, he was grade 2 ataxic in all 4 limbs. UGA said he would be a pasture pet and couldn't be ridden. Well Scooter didn't read the vets report. He is ridable although he does have his limitations. He handles flat ground fine, he can trot over cavelatti. He can go up hills, but moderatly steep downward slopes are a bit hairy. since he's so heavy on the front end. Due to the neck injury he cannot be collected or put "on the bit".
He was leased out for 5 years and just came back to us around Thanksgiving. I have a very good friend that organizes rides for out club, yet she doesn't have a horse to ride (1 to old, 1 to young). So I want to offer my gentle Scooter to her for around the block, flat surface riding. Yet I felt I needed to ride him & work on fixing any training issues he has.
So I took him on a 2.5 hour ride today. I should have pre-checked the terrain. It was fine for most horses but with his issues it wsn't the best ride for him, or me.
The last I rode a trotting horse was at least 5 years ago. Scooter was pe-od about being saddled, and then I learned what bad habits he has learned, or maybe I should say he has forgotton his good habits.
He forgot how to flex side to side with light rein pressure, He forgot WHOA means plant your Appaloosa feet & don't move or you will regret it (by trotting). He bowed his back when I got on him, thank God he's to lazy to buck.
We got to a creek crossing that was a steep downward slope & muddy knee deep, the other side was also muddy with stobs (from cut saplings). I decided to lead him across ( I have NEVER lead a horse across a creek).
He decided to jump it, slammed into me and knocked me into a slope. His back legs & mine were intertwined. he stood like a rock till I got untangled. He really tried to not hurt me. The 2nd crossing had a better entrance but the exit was slick granite. I was afraid if he jumped it he would slip & fall on the granite so again I walked him across. He did much better.
After the 1st hour on the trail ( I had ridden him in the arena for 1/2 hour trotting, leg yeilding etc.) he started to relax, by the end he was the Scooter I know & love. Riding in the buckle, relaxed, & wanting to walk.
It felt really WEIRD to ride a stock horse. I'm so used to the high headed Paso's, him carrrying his head wither level made me feel like I would tumble over his head.
My Arse is sore, my back is sore, my tootie is sore, & my knees are sore were I got slammed into the bank.
I will have to ride him some more to get him "right" again. Thank goodness he's smart & quickly understands who is smarter, him or the rider. Today I was smarter.
I missed my Ladda, and she will be my ride for the next group ride.
Those of you that think you can ride well, get on a trotting horse, it's a true workout. I could drop some pounds if I rode him every day for just 45 minutes.
All in all it was a beautiful day, and I now know what I need to work on to get him back "right". He's truly the sweetest horse, and does want to please, but he's a bit hard headed (but he was allowed to get away wuth that kind of behavior)
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v103/pnalley1/Picture300.jpg
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v103/pnalley1/Picture290.jpg