She looks nice and relaxed, Andrea...not at all hot and bothered. A couple of small disagreements between you, but otherwise you looked like a team...not master and mount. Love it!
I've never posted here before, but I do enjoy reading about your hard work with GoGo. Congratulations on your win - very much deserved!
I'm actually writing because I've noticed that you've had on and off issues with GoGo rearing under saddle. Unfortunately, I'm having that same issue with my just-turned-four OTTB gelding. I'm curious about what you have tried to stop the behavior.
With my horse, it seems to be mostly a symptom of freshness, but I am loathe to work him too hard due to his young age. I've never encountered behavior quite like this before. When it is happening, it is intense (5-10 rears/broncs in rapid succession with some random flailing about if I manage to kick him forward out of the sequence), but when it is over, it's over, and he carries on like nothing happened. In fact, we often get some very nice work after the explosion.
Sigh. Very frustrating because he is a total rock star on other days (a lot like GoGo!). Any thoughts you have are very welcome, or feel free to ignore my comment if you do not have the time or inclination to respond.
Hi Anon, Is it possible to put freshie on the lunge for a few minutes before you get on? I fully believe in the lunge as a training tool and not as a way to burn energy, but sometimes it's better to just get the boinks out first before you get on. Or maybe a lengthy turnout before you ride? Sometimes young freshies are just that, young and fresh, and by strongly riding forward out of it and praising when he's being a good boy, he'll start to understand that it's much more fun to go to work instead of be fresh and spunky. Good luck!
Thanks for your response - I do stick him on the lunge sometimes and that does help. Adequate turnout also pretty much eliminates the problem.
Part of the problem is that I'm at a decent-sized hunter/jumper boarding facility where turnout is limited (and, unfortunately, sometimes nonexistent due to weather, lazy staff, etc.). Another part of the problem is that my job doesn't allow me to get to the barn until after 6:30 or 7:00 p.m. When I get there, there are usually people taking lessons (which I can't interrupt by longeing). Combine this with the fact that the barn closes at 9:00 p.m., and we're pretty much set up for disaster on the days he gets no turn out.
Your response really reinforces the conclusion that I already pretty much reached, so thank you for that. I'm just going to have to figure out a way to make it work so that he gets what he needs before I get on him.
Green beans can be so much fun and so rewarding, but my goodness, so time consuming and frustrating sometimes! Good thing I'm patient.
Again, thank you so much for your response, and keep blogging about your adventures with Gogo. Your blog is a great read and your devotion to your mare is inspiring.
My, what a lovely uphill canter!
ReplyDeleteAgh! we missed the brush fence of doom! I'm really glad i went to UNH instead. ANYWAY...That was fabulous. GoGo is such a nice mare
ReplyDeleteShe looks nice and relaxed, Andrea...not at all hot and bothered. A couple of small disagreements between you, but otherwise you looked like a team...not master and mount. Love it!
ReplyDeleteI've never posted here before, but I do enjoy reading about your hard work with GoGo. Congratulations on your win - very much deserved!
ReplyDeleteI'm actually writing because I've noticed that you've had on and off issues with GoGo rearing under saddle. Unfortunately, I'm having that same issue with my just-turned-four OTTB gelding. I'm curious about what you have tried to stop the behavior.
With my horse, it seems to be mostly a symptom of freshness, but I am loathe to work him too hard due to his young age. I've never encountered behavior quite like this before. When it is happening, it is intense (5-10 rears/broncs in rapid succession with some random flailing about if I manage to kick him forward out of the sequence), but when it is over, it's over, and he carries on like nothing happened. In fact, we often get some very nice work after the explosion.
Sigh. Very frustrating because he is a total rock star on other days (a lot like GoGo!). Any thoughts you have are very welcome, or feel free to ignore my comment if you do not have the time or inclination to respond.
Hi Anon,
ReplyDeleteIs it possible to put freshie on the lunge for a few minutes before you get on? I fully believe in the lunge as a training tool and not as a way to burn energy, but sometimes it's better to just get the boinks out first before you get on. Or maybe a lengthy turnout before you ride?
Sometimes young freshies are just that, young and fresh, and by strongly riding forward out of it and praising when he's being a good boy, he'll start to understand that it's much more fun to go to work instead of be fresh and spunky. Good luck!
Andrea,
ReplyDeleteThanks for your response - I do stick him on the lunge sometimes and that does help. Adequate turnout also pretty much eliminates the problem.
Part of the problem is that I'm at a decent-sized hunter/jumper boarding facility where turnout is limited (and, unfortunately, sometimes nonexistent due to weather, lazy staff, etc.). Another part of the problem is that my job doesn't allow me to get to the barn until after 6:30 or 7:00 p.m. When I get there, there are usually people taking lessons (which I can't interrupt by longeing). Combine this with the fact that the barn closes at 9:00 p.m., and we're pretty much set up for disaster on the days he gets no turn out.
Your response really reinforces the conclusion that I already pretty much reached, so thank you for that. I'm just going to have to figure out a way to make it work so that he gets what he needs before I get on him.
Green beans can be so much fun and so rewarding, but my goodness, so time consuming and frustrating sometimes! Good thing I'm patient.
Again, thank you so much for your response, and keep blogging about your adventures with Gogo. Your blog is a great read and your devotion to your mare is inspiring.