First of all, I am starting to wonder if Peanut is not a beginner's horse after all. Rick is of the opinion that he is not and never was. During the ride where Steph rode him as I watched his boots, he gave her hell. I have started riding with more leg than anything, and Steph hasn't learned to use her legs yet. Peanut was not a fan of this, and he was able to take advantage of her several times. At one point, he shot down a diagonal trail that headed back towards home and I had to run to catch up to them and grab his rein. If I could run and catch up then he obviously wasn't in a bolt, but Steph really didn't know what to do with him. The rest of the ride was spent trying to translate the riding language that has developed between Peanut and myself, and she was able to reliably ask for a halt by the time we got back.
I also realized how much I can anticipate some of his stuff, as what I saw seemed to be what I can normally nip in the bud with some leg cues.
So, Peanut and endurance.
Last Saturday, I rode out with two new people. One is leasing Secret the lovely bay arabian, and the other owns Secret's son. We headed out and had an absolutely perfect trail ride....
... until Peanut, who was in the lead, bolted sideways.
No big deal, I stopped him, turned around, contemplated the pain in my neck, and we headed out of an open (but secluded from being tucked behind a grassy hill) area into the woods. No big deal.
Soon Peanut lost all the marbles he had, and I realized what had spooked him: Endurance Riders! Not only the riders, but their horse-eating horses too! They were in the rolling, open field right beside a thin screen of woods. The palomino wonder was not having it, and after a fight where I realized that all he wanted to do was run run run or dance dance dance, I got tired and jumped off. We went on for a while, I got back on, and we gave the field the endurance riders were using the stink eye.
I do think that they realized that their presence can spook other horses, as I heard several of them remark about the three horses in the woods, and I think I heard one person say she wasn't slowing down.
As we were coming to the end of the woods, we could see down the trail to a large number of trucks parked right where we were hoping to ride. We decided to turn around, especially as Alex (owner of the gelding son) was having her own battle. We rode back, and her horse started rearing. So, she got off walked for a bit, and got back on.
Later, as I was in the middle, I looked behind me to find Secret giving her rider a run for her money. She was trying to rear too, and after a call for help both Alex and I were back on the ground. Once fatty got turned around on the tight trail, I went back to her and grabbed Secret's rein. She dismounted, and the three of us walked.
Peanut had calmed down very quickly, and got back to his goofy self. Baski (Baskie? Basky? don't know how the gelding's name is spelled) was unhappy and Secret was a wreck. After probably a mile of walking, we decided that we didn't want to lead the horses across a stream and mounted up again. All of the horses were pretty chill by then. Peanut, being Peanut, was being a doof about remounting - perhaps memories of the yellow jackets buzzed through his head as I was using a rotted log yet again. Eventually, I hauled myself up and we rode out... passing the 15 mile sign that had been erected for the riders.
Boot status: still on.
Funder, why didn't you ever tell me that endurance horses were cannibals?
3 comments:
what is it with our silly horses? SInce there is never anyone to ride with at Tory Hill, D and I often ride solo (as much as I'd rather not.) I go out while Mrs W is teaching lessons, open the gates so he can get back to the barn, and she knows that god forbid he come back alone, to go look for me! :-)
Two weeks ago, we were riding by the farm next door, owned by Mrs W's son and daughter-in-law. They board the tiniest brown and white pinto pony. This thing isn't much bigger than my Rhodesian Ridgeback. Daniel BOLTED forward, snorting and puffing the whole time. I finally calmed him down, made him walk over the the fence for a better look at this tiny little thing that he thought was gonna eat all 17.2 of him.
Sheesh!
Hahaha I meant to warn you about Foxcatcher but I forgot! I think the people in your region are mostly ferocious racers who can't/won't slow down for anything. Glad your Fearless Leader calmed down from his scares pretty fast!
Lisa - long time no see! Glad to find you here. :)
If it makes you feel any better, the goats that Peanut can sort of see from his field, the goats that he watches as he's groomed, and the goats that he's walked past countless times still sometimes give him the heebie-jeebies. What is a wee goat going to do to an immense horse????
Funder - Foxcatcher! That's the name, I forgot. I actually volunteered there in 2008, long before I boarded closeby. It was at the end of April that year. And yes, those riders TORE out of the trailer/vet check area and back onto the trails. Woe to anyone who walked across the parking area in front of them, because they meant business. Most didn't even stop when they crossed the road to the rest of the trails, even though brush hid most of the road.
I was eventually stationed at the finish line of the 50, and one rider was having trouble getting her horse to move on. The poor thing looked like he couldn't take another step. Over our protests that she get off the horse that was too small for her and walk to the finish, she pulled a branch from a tree and proceeded to use it as a whip. We all hoped she failed the vet check.
So, it's more chill where you are? Because what I saw, other than a few people who were being silly at the end of the 50, endurance is treated as Serious Business.
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