Bearing in mind that we've had several successful off road outings away from home now, plus the road safety course we did a couple of weeks ago which included an escorted road ride, I thought it might be time to take AJ on a quiet Sunday morning walk down the road. Disaster. Well not quite a disaster, in that we got home safe and sound but it did nothing for either of us confidence wise. I don't know why doing a route he's done before is so much more stressful just because it's on a road. He got excited in the first place because we passed two horses coming the other way and after that I think it was just trigger stacking. Ended up on the road with him so beside himself he stopped and bucked a little bit - not the first time he's done it and I don't think it's malicious, just that he's so beside himself he doesn't know what to do. Scared me on the road though, visions of a loose horse careering through the village. He went at the speed I asked but jogging on the spot, bucking and when I sent him on throwing his head right up as if to rear. I don't want him EVER to get it into his head that rearing is an option! So I tried all the exercises we know - side pass, flexing, turn on the haunches/forehand, backing up (towards home, that confused him!) He did come to a little bit then and calmed down, but we were off the road by this point and on the back lane to our yard, I could hardly do this on the proper road. Not sure how we're going to get round this tbh.
I'm really glad I've had the opportunity to go through this baby starting process. It's been very hard and I've learned a LOT but it's been very fulfilling. I sure as heck never want to do it again though!
I'm really glad I've had the opportunity to go through this baby starting process. It's been very hard and I've learned a LOT but it's been very fulfilling. I sure as heck never want to do it again though!