I was pretty angry at my horse yesterday. I had no tears, I just drove from the barn mad. I do everything for this horse. Board her in a beautiful facility, give her the best supplements, constantly educate myself on how to make myself a better horse person and her a better horse. I have given her a pretty good life. But she doesn't understand all that, she just knows she is scared all the time. I just want a "normal" day with her. One day where I am not worried about her fracture, one without rearing, without quivering, a day where her feet stand still. Yesterday was not one of those days. She was a complete mess. Just touching her, you could see adrenaline build. We left the arena on a positive note, and once she was in her stall, she was content, but I was secretly writing my free horse ad.Free Horse
Issuing a trainer's challenge! What do you truly know about training horses? This six year old mare is beautiful, but new baby, moving, illness, too many horses, death in the family (why not use all the typical sale reasons?) forces sale. This horse will put you to the test. She can walk forward and backward on two hind feet. She is aware of everything. If left in the wild, this is the horse that survives...stomping things that frighten her, running as fast as the wind. She operates on constant adrenaline. More "go" than "whoa." I like to refer to her as "over eager." Of course the tag line to any horse ad, with time and patience, this horse can go in any direction (especially if something scares her:-).
It feels good to vent. There are days I wish I had just turned the car around and never made the journey to Yreka, California to look at her. I know horses have no time line, but there has to be a point when things get "fun" again or I can't keep doing this to myself.
23 comments:
You should ask Callie about Dakota , he had 4 lots of expensive training she loved him dearly but rarely in too many years did she get to the point where she felt in absolute control , it broke her heart to have to let him go but looking back I think it was best
By The Way she is pretty .
I suspect only YOU will know when the time is right but maybe do what Callie did set a time say X months and if no change make one of the hardest decisions you will make
best of luck
steve
Thank-you for commenting on my blog! No, that horse in the picture is not mine. It's just a picture I found on the internet. I don't have any horses, but I'm saving up!
Are you really giving your horse away for free?
I just read your profile.Do you really like Turkish pop music? I am from Eugene but have been living in Istanbul for a long time. I have just started a new blog at http://www.kizgikate.blogspot.com
Kate
Oh Gosh...I hope the days of stall confinement are almost over so you can let some of this nervous energy be put to good use. Silly horse, her mom's just about at ropes end!
Ohhhh, you're having one of THOSE days. I know THOSE days, yes I do!! On the plus side, you don't have a draft that magically grows to twice his size when frightened!
I totally agree with another commenter in your previous post that sometimes you just don't end up being a 'match'. Time will tell for you, I'm sure.
Well....This picture of her is definatly gorgous! If you were to sell her, I'm sure people would buy her if you only judged by looks! :-P
It'll get better...hopefully.
I bought my mare because when I tryed her out she had "spunk" and I liked that, and now she's never really bad anymore! I hope the same is for you, when she gets out of stall rest!
Good luck!
I hope you feel better about her soon. I think she probably just really, really needs to be in a regular work schedule to work the hijinks out. Hopefully you can stand it for a couple months until she's been rehabbed from the foot injury enough to do more work. If you did give her away, I'm sure she'd be grabbed up right away. I would be sorely tempted myself! But don't do that right now... See what she's like with real work, first. :-)
Sounds like a rough patch with Maddy, but chin up - maybe much of her tantrums are exacerbated by being on stall rest? Or has she never been relaxed at arena work?
I'm new to your blog, but have been enjoying reading the archives. Sounds like you grew up near where I live now.
You didn't mention what kind of supplements you have her on, but when I got my first horse I gave him Equine Junior and Equine Adult daily because that's what the breeder did with her show horses. However, my horse was too hot for me to handle. My hay farmer said that his hay has everything a horse needs, so I took my horse off the extra goodies and he settled down. Colder weather also gives the horses more energy, as well as being cooped up in quarantine as the others mentioned. Hang in there!
Been there!!! Last year in June I was done. I hated Abu, he was a big stupid headed jerk. I loved him but was feeling really limited and his super grouch personality was not helping. SO i started horse shopping, I looked at a suoer cute mare 3 times, on the third time the owner says shes green but would you like to ride her. I had trainer Tracey with me to evaluate and we agreed it was a good idea. 3 broken ribs, a collapsed lung that just happened to have a large punture where the ribs poked thru later. Oh yea and a few days in the hospital followed by several monthes of recovery. In fact just in November I was able to take a deep breath without pain. I did decide to just stick with Abu. I will say that under some really heavy medication I rode in a show only 4 weeks after the evil mare incident.
I think when you are able to work her more and she has turn out she will get better. I know for me its always the darkets just before a horse break through. You will know in your heart of hearts if and when the time is right to move on. Its just like any relationship, you just know when its over and you just know when you are doing each other no good. Keep in mind that spring and the end of stall rest are just around the corner.
I think she may be cooped up too much or maybe something outside her stall is spooking her - she feels safer in her stall.
Do you saddle up and ride every time you come to see her ?
Sometimes the best thing you can bring with you is a lawn chair and a book. Try turning her loose in the arena and take a seat with your book. Just spending some time with her and not working might do the trick.
Been there with my first horse, Dakota........Spent 6 years with him and loved him too much and he knew it and it became constant work and expensive training. Sponged in all the advice given and even practiced it and finally came to the conclusion that he was too hot for me. I wanted another horse just like Misty, reliable and calm, so as hard of a decision it was, I sold him to a good home and to someone that could handle him easier and that he would be happier and it worked. And then I went shopping and found Kola. I discovered along the way that I do better with mares. Some people get along better with geldings. You might want to set a time line. That is what I did. Sometimes we're just not a good match. It takes the joy out of it when both of you are on constant edge.
You've both been through some stressful times with all this stall rest. I can only imagine how I'd be feeling about my horse after months of stall rest. I tremble just thinking about what a mental mess he'd be! Give her a chance to remember what normal is. Being isolated and confined is so far from normal, I'm sure her world is kinda messed up right now.
Having said that, remember that if you two aren't right for each other that's ok, too. You aren't giving up on her and you're not failing. Not every horse and rider are a good match. It's important to find the horse that enjoys and excels at the work you want to do.
Well, I am there right now with Blu. She is on stall rest due to a splint. She is a complete whack job and like a dolphin at the end of a rope. I didnt bond with her right away and its taken sometime. We are going to start endurance riding, and if I find out she is not suited, she wil have to be for sale. Don't give up, and give it time, but it is OK if it doesnt work out and you have to find another soul mate.
Jocelyn
At this point I dont have that problemt with Sam, but I do with one of my dogs. She is as sweet as pie in house, but get her outside and she is a freaking challenge.
There have been times that beating her or euthanizing her where the best options of the day. Challenging is an understatment. Managing her can be exhausting. But trust me, when she snuggles on my lap, I forget all the bad stuff.
But Lavy is still here and we keep working forward. For the love of her. Keeping working, it will get better.
Ooh, and I too set a time line for Lavy and gave it my all. I'm happy to say that it was worth it and she is still with me.
I know exactly how you feel. I just went through the same exact situation this last year and it was heart-breaking. After a year of trying to work things out with my gelding, I finally came to the decision to find him a new person. It was just not fun anymore and it was becoming a bit dangerous. I started to dread going out to the barn but I had to because if I didn't work him then it was even a bigger mess. I agonized over the decision to find him a new person but after many tears and many tries with my horse and the trainer it just didn't seem that it was meant to be. I found him a new person and I am happy to say that they are really good together. I have since found a new horse and am totally in love. I just wanted to let you know that there are others out here that have gone through the same thing and that I definitely feel your pain and wish you all the best in whatever decision you go with. Best of Luck
My comment is here:
http://learninghorses.blogspot.com/2008/02/moments-of-sheer-despiration.html
Sorry to hear you had a "bad horsey day". They sure have their off days, just like us.
I'll take her...
:)
Okay, dear, go back and read my Sunny posts, okay? I truly feel for you. And you know? Some horses just don't ever get it. Don't beat yourself up over it.
My horse had a leg injury that kept him in his stall or in a small paddock for about a month and he really acted up during that time. I did a couple things that I think helped. One was to start him on Omega Horseshine - this was primarily for his coat and to help him gain weight but the omega fatty acids can help calm horses (and people!) down. The other thing I did was learn some basic Ttouch moves. My horse will lower his head and calm down immediately when I use the ear Ttouches.
I know this is an incredibly frustrating time - wish you both the best.
((HUGS!!)) Ohhhh...I've had those days but the good weeks thankfully outweigh the bad ones. ((HUGS!!)) again and I hope a good day comes along here for ya soon!
I went through a time with the arab/TB I am on that was awful. He would buck and spook and gallop off. We switched his feed, let him run alot before getting on him and it seemed to have helped. He still has fits so am not sure how to solve it all but hopefully with training it will improve. Sometimes it is so hard - but it helps when they are as stunning as yours is! :) good luck! And be safe!
I am sorry you're having a hard time. I know this has been going on for a while. Once she gets back into the regular swing of things (which means regular exercise) you will know much more about what's really going on with her.
And I"m with Steve, if and when the time comes, you will know it.
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