What a Brilliant Day! (New Horse Update)

[Trundlecat]

We had a huge breakthrough yesterday folks & I am so thrilled it's unbelievable.

I'd given him a dose of oxyshot calmer (that stuff is awful, most of it went on the floor) & I gave him a talking to ("for the next couple of hours we are working & until you get back into your field you will do as I tell you") as recommended by a poster on another board. Well, how do I describe it, he was unbelievable.

Thing is... & here's where it gets hard to explain so please bare with me.... I felt great. I don't know if it was due to confidence in the Oxyshot, attitude from the "talking to", my sod-off-everyone attitude cos of the hassle I told you all about in my rant but something in myself had changed as well as the horse. I'm not a shout & beat rider in any shape or form but even though he got his kisses & loves yesterday he also got severely reprimanded from the minute I put his head collar in the field for the slightest bit of messing about. By the time he got into his stable I think he conceded to the fact I was going to make him do exactly as I said so there was no point even trying it on. By "messing about" I mean minor things: moving before I said he could when I opened the gate, shouting his field mate, slight hesitation when going into the stable. He kept that obedient mental attitude throughout his work & we really seemed to click & bond in a big way. I could see that he was waiting for my lead rather than anticipating what was coming next & needing correcting, there was no mistaking the fact.

I of course feel a bit bad now cos maybe my excusing his minor bad manners due to him being new over the last couple of weeks made him feel insecure. He then got edgy when I was riding due to that. I've always believed that horses, like kids, need to know exactly where they stand & if you don't give them clear boundaries thay'll misbehave to try to get the attention they're lacking. It's been a reminder of that fact & also a reminder to look at myself & what I'm doing 1st if ever I have a problem with him.

Anyway, needless to say I'm really pleased & can't wait to get back up there today. I always knew in my gut he was the right horse for me & yesterday confirmed it

 

[robbitybob]

thats fantastic trundlecat, i think horses are like young children in that way and actually feel safer and more secure knowing the clear firm boundries.

Well done to both of you for the progress.

 

[orbvalley]

Well done you. I also believe in setting clear boundaries and sticking to them. (Most of my riding issues spring up when I start dithering!) I believe that this is the kindest way with animals and is when they're at their most comfortable and relaxed simply by knowing where they stand. Congratulations for believing in yourself, your own confidence and your horse.

 

[BlackBess]

Fantastic - great to hear your brilliant progress. Agree with you entirely about setting the boundaries. Well done you, you're a real inspiration.

 

[perkypinky]

thats great news! what a breakthrough. DavidH told me to have that attitude and i can vouch that it works! i sometimes slip back into my old ways of being the 'follower' and thats when the problems come back. So keep it up!! well done!

 

[posie]

brilliant news - good on you x

 

[Hippyhorse]

Glad to hear things are starting to go right at last. Sometimes we just need to give ourselves a kick up the a**e and get on with it! Definately agree that horses are like kids, boundries and pacients work wonders. Be firm and fair and it (nearly) always works. Hope you ahve many more great days to come!

 

[palmerlover52]

That's fantastic. Firm but fair is always best (Though not sure I agreed with that when I was made to sit on the stairs about a billion times a day when I was little - until I learnt more attention could be gained by *throwing* myself off the step )

 

[kturner]

I'm off to try it with mine tomorrow, the little blighter is always trying to be boss.

Sometimes when I'm not feeling well (often as I have had a long illness) he knows and plays up more on those days, because I am too tired to put my foot down or have an argument. That is on my mentally tired and weak days.

On the other hand he is an angel when I use crutches, he walks so slowly when I am 'lame' which he can recognise, but is a swine if I show any mental lameness.

They definately know what is going on inside us better than we do. He reads me like a book.

Now I have another trick to try on him. lol.