I am planning on riding my 11 year old Quarter Horse gelding in a parade on Saturday. It's a small hometown one, and I am riding with a float for my brother-in-laws new business. I will be painting on glittery hoof polish, horse glitter, and horse paint on his butt with the phone number of the business.
Rusty is very good in traffic and went on a 30 mile ride from one town to a city a year or two back. He has no problem with vehicles - trucks, semis, cars, anything have roared past him - they scare me more than him! He doesn't seem to mind loud noises, and there was a time where I road him bareback double with a sign flapping in the wind down my road and it didn't bother him.
However, Rusty has previously gotten "worked up" about new environments. Usually he is worst on the ground, and I can work it out with him in the saddle very quickly. He nevers bucks, ever, but he does, ver rarely, do a rear threat if he feels cornered...but, once again, I can work that out of him. When he spooks, he either jumps sideways or foreward, but he has never bolted with me, and he's usually scared of things you wouldn't think a horse would be scared of ... big rocks. He's been to shows and stuff and has been totally quiet there.
I guess I am just rambling because I'm super excited but nervous. I know that most likely Rusty will do fine, especially since I unload in a different area than my crew and have to ride him over to the lineup, so he can kind of sight-see.
Any advice? Hopefully Rusty sounds ready to you all out there...I think he is. Tips or tricks?
Rusty is very good in traffic and went on a 30 mile ride from one town to a city a year or two back. He has no problem with vehicles - trucks, semis, cars, anything have roared past him - they scare me more than him! He doesn't seem to mind loud noises, and there was a time where I road him bareback double with a sign flapping in the wind down my road and it didn't bother him.
However, Rusty has previously gotten "worked up" about new environments. Usually he is worst on the ground, and I can work it out with him in the saddle very quickly. He nevers bucks, ever, but he does, ver rarely, do a rear threat if he feels cornered...but, once again, I can work that out of him. When he spooks, he either jumps sideways or foreward, but he has never bolted with me, and he's usually scared of things you wouldn't think a horse would be scared of ... big rocks. He's been to shows and stuff and has been totally quiet there.
I guess I am just rambling because I'm super excited but nervous. I know that most likely Rusty will do fine, especially since I unload in a different area than my crew and have to ride him over to the lineup, so he can kind of sight-see.
Any advice? Hopefully Rusty sounds ready to you all out there...I think he is. Tips or tricks?