Poor Gib is still very frightened, which prompted an explosive situation when I mounted. He doesn't buck or rear - he just tries to spin and run away - far away, as fast as he can. Poor guy. Bending his neck to one side and holding him with the outside leg works, but then he stands there and trembles. Once you get going, he's tentative, but okay. Today, most of what we did was get on and off , on and walk in a tight circle, get off and on....and hand walk all around the property.
It's going to take a lot of trust building until he doesn't panic when a rider mounts, the poor boy. Probably have to back up a few steps and do a lot of ground work - they seemed to have skipped a lot when he was young.
4 comments:
How do you know he is trained enough to ride? Isn't this dangerous?
I rode him at the place where I bought him.
His problem is the flight instinct kicks in when you get on. He was pretty tense when I got on, and when my 13 year mounted. He already loves my 11 year old, so by the time she got on - the problem was then he turned into a statue - he didn't want to take a step with her on - I think he was afraid he would hurt her.
I need to work with him on giving his head and lunging. I also need to take him somewhere small - like the sheep pen - and just get on and off a million times with his head flexed so he can't go anywhere. It will take patience - he really doesn't trust people.
Today, he came in when I called and took a step toward me when I asked him to - progress. The problem is - I just want to ride! I could get on and force the issue, but that would be counter-productive. I am going to have to force myself to be patient.
Poor Gib. He sounds like a kind horse though. Not wanting to hurt daughter.
I think under all that tense, statue-like, heads up in panic - there is a kind hearted horse. It will just take some patience and the fact that people are around all the time. He's been out in pasture for the last 8 months...
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