Latest Topics being discussed at the Horsecity.com Forums http://forums.barrelhorses.com/index.php Fri, 20 Nov 2009 19:14:54 -0600 120 http://horsecity.com/images/header/logo.gif http://forums.barrelhorses.com/index.php http://forums.barrelhorses.com/index.php?showtopic=47006303
No, it's not saddle fit or anything else. This is an attitude adjustment issue. Hard part is I'm usually alone out there because I ride daily and there's no one who seems to be able or willing to go with me. So I head out for a couple of hours each day and climb the hills.

Until Friday, things were fine. Mostly fine. She'd once in a while think she didn't want to go somewhere and do her little evasive act, which was lift her front feet about 6" off the ground and try to turn, but a short discussion and we were on our way. Those little moments disappeared and things were going swimmingly. Then comes Friday. We were starting up a new trail that she and I were both unfamiliar with. At first it was okay. Her ears were up and she moved along as though she were interested in where we were going. Then we got the face of the mountain.

Mind you, my mountain is covered in trees and the hillside is generally a lot of left over logs and branches from logging a decade or two ago. Basically a mess if you step off the trail. We started up this trail and it was narrow and steep. Because we'd already been out for 2 hours, which is normally when I'd be within seeing distance of the trailer, I decided I probably shouldn't push her upward much farther. When we found a place that was wide enough to turn around, we did. And this is where things became dicey, because she thought she needed to trot back down the hill. Obviously there is no one rein stop when the trail is 18" wide, so I was trying to get her attention by just telling her whoa and giving some left/right tugs on the snaffle bit. That irritated her and she began throwing her head into the air and doing her little baby rears; not something I wanted or needed on that steep trail.

By the time we got to the bottom I was pretty ticked off and had renamed her Alpo. I turned her around to go back up a bit, but she began the rearing thing (only much more than her baby rears) and throwing her shoulder and weight back in the direction she wanted to go. I won the battle and sent her at a trot back up the trail as far as I could and still be safe to turn around. This time she walked back down.

Later in the ride she tried to avoid a mud hole in the middle of the trail. Again she reared and threw her body off the trail and into the dense underbrush. Thankfully there was solid ground and not holes or rotten trees.

I never did get off. Stuck to her and prayed she didn't go so high as to flip us over backwards, but knew that was a possibility as her brain had completely checked out. She was nervous and agitated and I just had to do the best I could to get us both home safely.

Last night I took her back up a trail she was familiar with, thinking a shorter ride in a familiar setting would be good. Wrong. We started out fine, climbing out of the trees into the open where you can see over the city out to the bay and islands, when she slowed down to take a breath. At least that's what I thought she was doing. She'd trotted up most of the hill, so slowing there the last 20 feet as we rounded the bend was okay. But instead of just slowing down she did a 90 degree turn and threw herself off the trail and started down the steep hill that was full of slash beneath the blackberry vines! This time I couldn't stay on; too risky with all that unseen footing. I got her stopped, dismounted, led her back up the hill and we had a serious discussion the likes of which a horse of mine hasn't seen since I was 12 years old. I stomped up the hill ahead of her, got to a safe place and mounted up, smacked her sorry butt but good when she hesitated, and sent her up the rest of the trail much faster than she'd have liked to be going.

Now I'm going to be forced to do a lot of flat/arena work with her. But good grief...if she figures out that flinging herself off a cliff is going to create distress for me, that's not good. And here she'd been going so well. Wish I could find a nice, mellow trail that didn't have such dangerous side effects to her antics!

Sigh...guess it's off to the arena...]]> Sun, 07 Sep 2008 10:27:55 -0500 http://forums.barrelhorses.com/index.php?showtopic=47006303 Trail Riding http://forums.barrelhorses.com/index.php?showtopic=47006246 ....in the cool pines!....and was looking for advice on horse camping do's/don'ts.

So, the horse camp has: pit toilets, showers, water and individual horse stalls...2 per site. Too bad there isn't a toilet, shower and water at each site. Oh well. So, what are the do's and don'ts of horse camping?

Any help/advice would be much appreciated.

azgrulla ]]> Sat, 06 Sep 2008 17:04:33 -0500 http://forums.barrelhorses.com/index.php?showtopic=47006246 Trail Riding http://forums.barrelhorses.com/index.php?showtopic=47000681
Anyone got riding plans for this weekend? The Findlay Walleye Festival is this weekend, so Friday & Saturday nights we will most likely be in at the beer tent. I think the Decatur Celebration is this weekend too. Might try for a ride on Sunday.]]> Tue, 22 Jul 2008 16:08:23 -0500 http://forums.barrelhorses.com/index.php?showtopic=47000681 Trail Riding http://forums.barrelhorses.com/index.php?showtopic=47006128 Two copies of any letter should be sent to Governor Rod Blagojevich. one to 207 Statehouse, Springfield, IL 62706, and one to James R. Thompson Center, Floor 16, 100 W. Randolph St., Chicago, IL 60601. If you would rather call, the Springfield office of the Governor is (217) 782-6830 and the Chicago office (312) 814-2121
Thanks everyone!]]> Fri, 05 Sep 2008 11:41:26 -0500 http://forums.barrelhorses.com/index.php?showtopic=47006128 Trail Riding http://forums.barrelhorses.com/index.php?showtopic=47006594 All the training I have done on him has been in my back yard and on the gravel country roads. We also ride through the very small residential area in town quite a bit and hardly anything spooks him.

Anyways, there is a trail ride coming up on September 20th and everyone I talk to says I should go. My farrier was like, "uhh...you ride him out in the country down the gravel roads where you are all alone, but you are afraid to go on a trail ride where there are lots of people to help you if needed? That doesn't make sense..."

Now it kind of sounds silly to me.

But here are my concerns:
1. We have never ridden around other horses before.
2. He's not THAT broke. We have only cantered on two of our rides, and we were in a small area where we had to go a little, then stop and turn around, then try again. He never really settled into the gait like I wanted. I think we just need a couple times in an arena where we can do several laps and he can really get the feel for it.
3. He's only been in a trailer once--when I brought him home.

Should I wait and see if my trailer gets here in time to haul him into the arena a few times and if that goes well, then go on the trail ride?
Should I go no matter what?
Should I skip out and wait for next year?

I think it would be a great experience for him, but I'm afraid of holding up the rest of the trail riders if we run into a dilemma.

What would you do?]]> Tue, 09 Sep 2008 20:10:25 -0500 http://forums.barrelhorses.com/index.php?showtopic=47006594 Trail Riding