I started tacking her up to longe the yesterday, it's pretty ugly. Ugly enough that I'm sure not getting on her. She suddenly feels she should call the shots on direction, last night she tested it. Tonight she was demanding it and it didn't matter which direction either, when she wanted to change it, she felt I had to allow it. I'd get her going just fine. She'd suddenly be "no, I'm going this way now!" I'd of course not allow it, after a few times of this, her demands were accompanied with head shaking advances in my direction, some kicking out, (though not at me) she adding threats to rear as well. We kept at it until she realized her threats weren't going to deter me. Once she began listening without protest, I decided to longe untacked. Two reasons, one being I didn't want to reward her by untacking and just leaving her be, the other to see if it was her tack.
Started out with Beyoncé from the get go. It was getting dark, but once again I kept at it till she was cooperating. Then, I left her stand tied while I put her tack away, brushed her & let her stand a bit longer. While Clinton Anderson is not my hero, I brought him into play a lot tonight. I never felt in danger, but she most definitely felt like she wanted to intimidate me.
And here I was going to get her a pony of her own! I'll be talking to trainer Wed. at our lesson about putting her up for sale. Yes, I'll waiver, I'm sad, & disappointed but, I'm just to damn old for this shit!
I wish I had a good trainer who could interpret the behavior problems I see on the lungeline. With our without tack the horse pulls that same trick as Grace, and it's difficult because it ends up being more work for the horse (and person) but they insist upon doing it. It's crazy to me that I am now dependent on a whip and an enclosed area, otherwise I have no chance at simply keeping my horse moving in the direction I choose. The other day he reared straight up in the air in the middle of a bucking fit. If he was aiming his behaviors at me, I wouldn't be capable of doing it, I'd be in the hospital already. I do have to keep the whip between me and his hooves at times though for self protection. How crazy, I've never gone through this with a horse. Sorry for ranting here, I know exactly what you are going through.
ReplyDeleteTrainer feels it's several things with Grace. #1 being she was most likely a broodmare ridden occasionally producing buckskin babies, #2 now she's getting her health back, she's got the energy to test things out. She's not a bad or skittish horse just needing fine tuning under saddle in particular and more wet blankets. If I were ten years younger...
DeleteShe hasn't gotten totally out of hand longing "yet", she has directed the head shaking while coming in to me the past two nights, enough though that I chanted "this is a test, this is only a test!"
She's trying to be dominate and if you don't think that you want to work through it then selling her is a good thing. There are lots of sweet, easy going horses out there.
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