Ace and I have been on a "proper" hack. 40 minutes, mostly walk, all on the roads. On the way home the heavens opened and it poured! We both got absolutely soaked. I just love sitting in a saddle in wet knickers, don't you :-) ??
He was totally sound but very spooky. I think he is having quite a bit of trouble mentally adjusting to the new herd dynamics with Jazz missing. I took a judgement that mollycoddling him was not the right thing and that he would be more reassured by leadership, so he got a flick with the whip at times. His worst problem is not wanting to walk over damp patches on the road, or beside running water in a drainage gully. Which is just not acceptable for a horse living in one of the wetter parts of the UK during the wettest spring on record!
I think my decision was correct, because he changed from attempting to turn and run home to only mildly flinching. At any rate, that was better for me, and I had quite a nice time looking at the countryside.
He's being really silly about a couple of things. He has been promoted to Jazz's stable, to leave the smallest one on the end empty. But although he's now been fed in the new one over 2 weeks, he is still waiting at the closed door of his old stable and having to be told to move to the one with the open door with food inside. It's not the brightest behaviour I've ever seen, but I know he is not an unintelligent horse, so I'm not sure why this is a problem for him.
I haven't ridden Radar. He doesn't need it and I don't feel like it. In fact I'm about to go and have a snooze right now :-)
C
I'm sure there is a lingering memory of Jazz's dominance in the new stable. One thing about horses is that habits take a long time to break. Ace will catch on about the new quarters soon, I'm sure.
ReplyDeleteI hate riding in soggy breeches. Yuck. On the other hand, sounds as if a hack out was just what you both needed. Ace needs to get some confidence built up. It's a little harder when you are by yourself, but you have plenty of experience to convince him all is OK without another horse to support him out there.
He was even worse when I tooko him out with Radar and Ace last year, Jean, it was VERY surprising!
ReplyDeleteI think you are right about the lingering dominance of Jazz in the stable. SH suggested exactly the same thing and it definitely would explain things because he is not a stupid horse, quite the reverse.
C