Is it the time of year? Something in the water? The grass?
We took Radar to the farm ride and he was so hyper I had to find a piece of baling twine and fashion a makeshift martingale. I know he's fit, and missed his hunt on Saturday, but he was just bursting out of his skin to gallop and jump. The weather was beautiful too, and we enjoyed hurtling through the woods and along the all weather track. It's such a brilliant facility to have nearby. With a Maccy D on the way as well - bonus!
So I have excused Ace a little, as they are both behaving as if they have ants in their pants. I'm also getting some issues with separation anxiety with both of them since Jazz has gone. I'm definitely feeling more and more in favour of buying a third. I've just been offered a 16.2 Cleveland Bay x 1/4 Arab for £1700. I think I'll go and see her after our holiday. She's only 3 and I really wanted 4 or 5, but it's a stud dispersal and at that price how could I turn her down if she's nice?
Do you think a mare would cause more trouble between the boys than a gelding? They are such good mates now that I wouldn't want to risk that.
My strategy for Ace is to continue his work over the winter. When he settles he is progressing really well. I just need to be able to control his initial napping and spooking, because he is fine after 10 or 15 minutes. But at my age, those first 10 or 15 minutes are just not pleasant to be on :-(
To cope with that, I intend to ride him in draw reins. Let me emphasize again that I am emphatically NOT using them to create an outline. His outline is entirely natural and superb. I am using them as a martingale, only one that does not turn the neck upside down if he pulls against it. So if his head is in a nice place, the draw reins are slack. Only if he raises his head significantly does the slack get taken up.
Today I started out in a walk, and he saw a bit of white letter flapping in the high wind, flicked his head up and hit the draw reins. His attitude was immediately different and it was then easy to get him to give me a slow and relaxed walk. It wasn't his choice, he would have preferred to march and skip in the wind, but he allowed me to slow the walk down and stretch it out.
He did a lovely session. He is now completely letting me sit on his back. That makes it much easier to consistently keep him in front of me and in turn reduces the spooks. He got some smashing shoulder in, in trot, and some good lengthening, and some beautifully balanced canter and canter trot canter transitions on a circle. His walk to canter is fabulous now, just a step straight into a balanced, rythmic canter.
He was silly, very, twice. Near the blue barrels of course! Each time I put him on a small circle for a while to make him have to work hard, and then brought him round again. After three attempts I said to him "next time I will hold your head in with the draw reins so you cannot evade like this" and both times the next pass was really well behaved! How did he understand me? Did he pick up on my body language? Understand my English :-) ? Or was he just tired of small circles and deciding it would be easier just to canter past the barrels?
I don't suppose it matters if it works.
So I feel a lot better about things today. Sorry for the whinge yesterday :-) !
C
difficult one, mare or not mare ....it could be brilliant, mares generally being good at keeping geldings in line, but it could equally be a huge disaster...i used to keep both mares in mixed fields at one time and the only problem we had was Gaynor's Charlie mounting them (neither objected!) so that's something else to think about, you wouldn't want either Radar or Ace hurt doing that ... and then you'd spend the summer washing mare's legs before being able to do anything, every time...
ReplyDeleteDon't worry about the whinge. We are all entitled now and then.
ReplyDeleteI applaud the draw reins as long as they do the job. I'm for anything that does the job of keeping you safe and in control. And, ultimately, they just might cure Ace of the nonsense in the long run.
Hard to say about a mare. Some mares would be fine, others not. If she really is lovely, it's hard to turn down a good deal. I honestly don't know what to advise.
I'm not generally a "mare" person myself, but I do know they can be simply wonderful horses, often in ways geldings cannot--a little more emotional connections. My one trainer loves them.
Has the mare been out in a mixed herd at her present home? That might be a good indication.
I bought my first mare as a 3 year old and initially kept her separate from my 2 geldings ( one of whom can be quite stallion like and dominant) she kept putting herself in with the boys so I turned them all out together and after a few days of flirting,squealing and winking ( with horrid icky back legs) they settled down. One of the boys likes to move her around and the other just adores grooming her. Since mixing them she doesn't seem ever to be obviously in season, whereas before she was different when cycling, so that is also a bonus! She is very self sufficient and not a dominant type which I am sure helps, they are a great little gang now. So it could well work for you as well!
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