Most of you guys know Rafe, my coming 5 year old Belgian x QH. I started him under saddle in, I think, June of last year. For the most part, his actual training has been rather sporadic and inconsistent just because I haven't had time. I might be able to ride him 3 days in a row and do enough for an actual day's training, then not get a chance to do more than a 10 minute jaunt for my own sanity for a month. He's been rode a lot over the winter but it was mostly bareback in a halter and plodding down a trail. I worked on his actual training very little on those rides. All in all, he's still probably got less than 75 honest working rides on him .
Anyway, today I actually put a saddle on him and decided to go for a ride out into some rougher country. He did great for the first little part of the ride, but about 2 miles from the house, I came to a nice open field; perfect for a few minutes at a nice easy lope :?. I asked for it and the horse that usually only wants to plod along at a walk, half asleep, took off at a long gallop :shock:. When you're riding something 16.2 with super long legs, that long gallop covers a lot of ground in a hurry LOL. I thought it was no big deal and that I'd just bring him back down and try again, so I sat deep and picked up my hand...nothing. I picked up contact and said "whoa"....nothing. I applied a bit of pressure on the bit....nothing. I wasn't terribly interested in getting into a tug-of-war with 1500 pounds so I didn't start to yanking on him like most folk would.
Some people might call that a "runaway". I call it a learning experience. :lol: :twisted:
I picked up one rein and we started in on some really big circles at the speed he wanted to go. Heck, I wasn't having to work, I was just along for the ride *shrugs*. After about 5 minutes of this, he was starting to get tired because after all, something his size with his breeding and being as out of shape as he is doesn't have much endurance. He wanted to stop but then I got evil; if he didn't want to stop earlier when I asked him, then he couldn't stop now. I kept him up in a nice long lope and kept him on the big circle for about 45 minutes until I nearly had to whip him to keep him in a lope.
BUT, by golly, when I sat deep that time, he planted his butt and didn't want to move again.
Next time I bet he won't take off so fast...or make me ask him to slow down more than once :wink:.
So, just goes to show that even the nicest of young/green horses sometimes have a moment where they think they might get away with disobedience. Most folks would have freaked out at not being able to get him stopped from a long gallop.
Poor little thing, I think this wet saddle blanket did him some good. Now I just hope we get some cattle this summer, he could use a few 10-12 hour days :twisted:.
Yes, all those wrinkly looking areas on his neck/shoulders/belly is dried sweat. He did manage to mostly cool off on the 2 mile walk/trot back to the barn.
Anyway, today I actually put a saddle on him and decided to go for a ride out into some rougher country. He did great for the first little part of the ride, but about 2 miles from the house, I came to a nice open field; perfect for a few minutes at a nice easy lope :?. I asked for it and the horse that usually only wants to plod along at a walk, half asleep, took off at a long gallop :shock:. When you're riding something 16.2 with super long legs, that long gallop covers a lot of ground in a hurry LOL. I thought it was no big deal and that I'd just bring him back down and try again, so I sat deep and picked up my hand...nothing. I picked up contact and said "whoa"....nothing. I applied a bit of pressure on the bit....nothing. I wasn't terribly interested in getting into a tug-of-war with 1500 pounds so I didn't start to yanking on him like most folk would.
Some people might call that a "runaway". I call it a learning experience. :lol: :twisted:
I picked up one rein and we started in on some really big circles at the speed he wanted to go. Heck, I wasn't having to work, I was just along for the ride *shrugs*. After about 5 minutes of this, he was starting to get tired because after all, something his size with his breeding and being as out of shape as he is doesn't have much endurance. He wanted to stop but then I got evil; if he didn't want to stop earlier when I asked him, then he couldn't stop now. I kept him up in a nice long lope and kept him on the big circle for about 45 minutes until I nearly had to whip him to keep him in a lope.
BUT, by golly, when I sat deep that time, he planted his butt and didn't want to move again.
Next time I bet he won't take off so fast...or make me ask him to slow down more than once :wink:.
So, just goes to show that even the nicest of young/green horses sometimes have a moment where they think they might get away with disobedience. Most folks would have freaked out at not being able to get him stopped from a long gallop.
Poor little thing, I think this wet saddle blanket did him some good. Now I just hope we get some cattle this summer, he could use a few 10-12 hour days :twisted:.
Yes, all those wrinkly looking areas on his neck/shoulders/belly is dried sweat. He did manage to mostly cool off on the 2 mile walk/trot back to the barn.