I'm not sure if I've really introduced Pete properly?! He's the love of my life and I've had him just over 3 years. However, it's not been quite the 3 years I expected. After losing my last horse in a field accident, I decided I wanted something low key, fun and that could dabble in a bit of dressage, sponsored rides and RC things - basically the horse everyone wants! Step in Pete - who is pure New Forest and had been born and breed on the forest, started under saddle and he was 4/5 years old at the time and although much greener (and smaller) than I wanted, he basically seemed like a sweet, quiet horse who with a bit of bringing on could fill that criteria.
To cut a very long story short, he wasn't quite 'as advertised', shall we say. I actually think he was drugged when we viewed hom, but that's very much by a by. After some investigating - it turns out he's been through a whole host of trainers and instructors, even putting one into hospital with quite significant injuries ...
It became evident very quickly. that he had a whole host of issues - ranging from stabling, handling and riding. He had two settings: argumentative & well, explosive and was dismissed by quite a few people as 'dangerous' and after struggling on for 12 months doing our best but not really getting anywhere, I decided to give us both a break. He absolutely wasn't a 'people's horse' when I first got him - unless there's a chance he can mug people for treats - in which case, he's totally mastered the 'ears forward, nuzzle into them and look as cute as a button' look - but he's never seen people as being trustworth or worth building a relationship with (I actually think, in the past they've caused him a lot of stress ). We joke, that his default setting was 'no', no matter what the question. If I asked him to turn left, he'd want to turn right and if he couldn't turn right, then he'd throw himself on the floor. If I wanted to walk, he'd want to canter. If I wanted to trot, he'd want to halt and would buck if you put your leg on ...
He had l by chance we came across Natural Horsemanship and Parelli, which I had never really known much about - but I was at the end of my tether, I was scared of him and I figured I had nothing left to lose. (P.S. I really don't want to turn this into a 'how great is Parelli thread' - I know it's not for everyone and I'm by no means evangelical about it )
It's been slow progress and not without its ups and downs, but these last few months, it feels like he's really turned a corner. He's still quirky, but I think he may always be. I've come to terms with the fact he'll never be the happy-go-lucky dressage pony I had hoped and we just try to have fun together. Please, excuse my terrible position, it has totally gone to pot in the quest to try and make my pony happy under saddle. But, I'm so proud of Pete & just wanted to share some photo's, as we could have never have ridden in the school so stress free a year ago ...
Our trot work is still very much a work in progress and it doesn't take a lot for him to become tense and bracey - as these photo's show! <Mind you, given that we have four feet on the floor, it's still progress
His 'everyday' cheeky side is beginning to come threw in his ridden work, after a long time of being shut down or overly emotional about working - here he is, trying to pick up and move the cones ...
A few seconds after this photo was taken, he tried to disarm me by attempting to stick his tongue down my throat, so he could mug me for polo's. Obviously, my laughing hysterically at him, is a great deterrent. Not.
Tea and tiffin cake to all that made it through, without loosing the will to live x
To cut a very long story short, he wasn't quite 'as advertised', shall we say. I actually think he was drugged when we viewed hom, but that's very much by a by. After some investigating - it turns out he's been through a whole host of trainers and instructors, even putting one into hospital with quite significant injuries ...
It became evident very quickly. that he had a whole host of issues - ranging from stabling, handling and riding. He had two settings: argumentative & well, explosive and was dismissed by quite a few people as 'dangerous' and after struggling on for 12 months doing our best but not really getting anywhere, I decided to give us both a break. He absolutely wasn't a 'people's horse' when I first got him - unless there's a chance he can mug people for treats - in which case, he's totally mastered the 'ears forward, nuzzle into them and look as cute as a button' look
- but he's never seen people as being trustworth or worth building a relationship with (I actually think, in the past they've caused him a lot of stress ). We joke, that his default setting was 'no', no matter what the question. If I asked him to turn left, he'd want to turn right and if he couldn't turn right, then he'd throw himself on the floor. If I wanted to walk, he'd want to canter. If I wanted to trot, he'd want to halt and would buck if you put your leg on ...He had l by chance we came across Natural Horsemanship and Parelli, which I had never really known much about - but I was at the end of my tether, I was scared of him and I figured I had nothing left to lose. (P.S. I really don't want to turn this into a 'how great is Parelli thread' - I know it's not for everyone and I'm by no means evangelical about it
)It's been slow progress and not without its ups and downs, but these last few months, it feels like he's really turned a corner. He's still quirky, but I think he may always be. I've come to terms with the fact he'll never be the happy-go-lucky dressage pony I had hoped and we just try to have fun together. Please, excuse my terrible position, it has totally gone to pot in the quest to try and make my pony happy under saddle. But, I'm so proud of Pete & just wanted to share some photo's, as we could have never have ridden in the school so stress free a year ago ...
Our trot work is still very much a work in progress and it doesn't take a lot for him to become tense and bracey - as these photo's show! <Mind you, given that we have four feet on the floor, it's still progress
His 'everyday' cheeky side is beginning to come threw in his ridden work, after a long time of being shut down or overly emotional about working - here he is, trying to pick up and move the cones ...
A few seconds after this photo was taken, he tried to disarm me by attempting to stick his tongue down my throat, so he could mug me for polo's. Obviously, my laughing hysterically at him, is a great deterrent. Not.
Tea and tiffin cake to all that made it through, without loosing the will to live
x
