<< Just the other day he was acting out. And rearing some. Same tack I always use. Maybe he was just in a bad mood.>>
Lorraine, I have run into similar sort of scenerious with my 9yrs gelding. Never had a problem, anyone could ride him and this year he has turned into a strange little beast when going on group rides, he just became evil and will drop his head to his feet while cantering so to pull away from the reins, pressure and then goes into a full gallop, so I don't do anything different to bring this on then I find out that one of the borders at my barn has her boyfriend riding him like a bat-out-of-hell when she rides her TBD who is off the track and too looney for me to try outside the ring, the whole thing started this past spring and sometimes he will buck, crow hop, rear a little, but I have had him for 7 yrs and don't let him get rid of me. I just always thought a horse with a good mind is wonderful to share and I am having a dickens of a time getting him to stop this stuff. I don't let the young man ride him anymore and am hoping that this is going to resolve. My youngest son road him on our trails with a group of 4 other riders and he was the leader and he only tried to short-cut home once so we are finally getting some progress, although it took him almost 10 minutes to mount him as he was backing, side maneuvers and stepping into him when he wanted to get on, and my son always mounted him from the ground before without any issues, so after 5-6 perfect years of riding, one wrong person has done a lot of damage, so maybe if I just keep consistant with my old ways and not loan him out to anyone, we can get him back on track, and I bet the same will happen for you with Daggur with consistancy, even Mark Rashids latest mount was headed for the meat truck because he wouldn't let anyone on him without giving them the ride of there life, and Mark just said he kept a consistant work ethic with this horse and now he would stand anywhere Mark puts him whether he is on or off of him, and he stays there. Likewise, when Mark tells him to go after a bolting or rearing horse, he does it without hesitation and this is a horse in his upper teens, that was quite a turn around from his past, and Mark said that this is his horse, no one else can get this from him because of the way they tried to force him into "being good" by there rough training. This is an example of what can go wrong and become right with patience, and I know what my horse was good at before and I will keep up getting that guy back, but I certainly will think twice before I loan out my horses to people who want to ride and not know what they are about. I like to ride without training on the trail and do some work in the ring, like reminding my horses of good standing skills when we mount, seems they need to be reschooled on this at least once a year if not more and I am sure I am leaving something out that is always an issue but I think your riding alone in the ring, and around the pasture you keep him in would be a good start and gradually get it longer and farther out until you can get off of him and do some other chores. While on the trail. I have taken plastic bags on the trails around my farm and got off my horse to pick up trash and just lead them around or tie them to a tree while I got some big limbs and dead trees out of a path. Make you rides about more than getting him to leave the buddy although that is your main purpose, make yourself multi-task so you are putting less pressure on him and yourself for this one problem. Jeannette
