This message is from: john & martie bolinski <[EMAIL PROTECTED]>
I am sorry to hear about Tyr's problem training. I had similar problems
finding someone willing and able to train an older Arab some years ago.
The only Arab trainer in our nearby area (trained mainly for the show
circuits) gave him back saying he 'was not worth the time or getting
hurt over' before he even started working with him. He was older, I
think around 5 when we started riding training because he had had a
severe injury and 'emothional trauma' as a 2 year old and the vet
thought he just was not mature enough to train. Anyway, we tried 2
other trainers, one of whom trained quarter horses for reining and
pleasure and was extremely calm and patient. He did call shortly after
training started and say he 'had never been bucked so high in his life
and not fallen off'. At first he suggested the horse might never be
safe 'for a lady' to ride and wouldn't we prefer to sell him and find
something easier. When I said no I wanted Kissy trained he said OK, got
down to business and trained him as a 'push button' western pleasure
horse.
To make a long story short, not all trainers are capable of working
with all horses IMO. Keep checking. Kissy was trained to do an
immediate 'whoa' on voice or body command, and whatever else he gets
into I can alway say 'whoa' (or anything that sounds like whoa, like
'go', 'no', 'crow') in my 'command voice' (ha!) and expect immediate
response. that way I can dismount easilly in case there is reason to
believe he might run or buck or whatever. He is extremely shy and
spooky. silly even. But SO proud of his ability to stop on command
that he looks for excuses, even when the devil himself is after him (in
his mind) and the other horses are hot-footing it for home. Then he
stands with his head and tail in the air looking around and saying 'look
at me, I'm soooo good! and they're soo bad!'
For my Fjord, I use a draft horse trainer/driving instructor who seems
to understand Kilar and the ways he is the same and different from her
own Percherons and Appaloosas. He got very pushy when I first got him
because I treated him like the Arab. Kissy would not think of pushing
me around; he gets treats out of my hands. He is allowed to look in my
pockets. He understands 'no' means stop it now. Kilar did not. He
does now, but needs more constant reminders. Once he started to
understand that I was not a pushover he started behaving better under
saddle; he was always good in harness.
And one day recently I came home to discover that I have yet another
trainer. One I did not hire. Anyone else out there have horses
training other horses when you aren't watching? My pony, Wee Willy, is
training Kilar to stand stretched on command. He walks up behind him
and nips at his rump just about where the breeching would hit. Kilar
stretches and stands there. Wee wanders off laughing. When Kilar gets
tired of posing and moves, Wee goes back and sets him up again. I have
no idea what Wee gets out of this. Or what Kilar gets out of it that he
tolerates it. This morning when I went out to feed, Kilar had a goose
in his tail. Yes, a large toulouse gander hanging on to the long tail
and Kilar dragging him to the feeder. Kilar would stop and look around,
the goose would pinch, Kilar would 'pose'. Then the thought of food
would get too much and the show would move on again. I thought at first
that the goose was tangled in the long tail, but no, he was hanging on
by himself. Kilar even threatened him once with a hind foot, lifting it
and pushing the goose gently, but the goose did not let go until I went
after him. My horses are WIERD! So are my geese evidently.
Martie in Maryland where the ground is finally dry enough to drive; and
my harness is still too dirty to use.
