Tina, an Icelandic Horse owner, in Norway, on Billsbook list posted: Hi everyone , I'm working with a seven year old islandic mare whom I startet as the forst horse i've been starting in my life with horses.
I would love to understand some things about the relationship between me and that mare a little better - she is just so incredibly fantastic with loads of potential. I don't feel I know enough yet to match that potential of hers all the way, there is so much sensitivity and feeling interaction between the two of us going on all the time, she just reacts on tiny shifts of focus, is soft and flexible in the neck when I ask the head around, and mostly a very relaxed, happy and and attentive horse both on the ground and under saddle. Her learning attitude is great, she seems to really enjoy it unless i come to things about girting and direct pressure and weight on the wither: There lives a kind of deep brace inside her connected to her withers, and I don't know how to handle that. I would love to help her to let go of that brace. I appears in certain situations. Each time I want to get on or off, she really lifts the head and clamps inn her tail, gets tense and braced through her whole body. I really watch my breath and body language and move softly and relaxed. I have been working at that in all kind if ways. I have done a lot of gentling wih putting on and off the saddle ,and when girting her. The girting gentling she finds really boaring now, I seem to have overdone it in a way that wasn't effective. But the brace is not only connected to the saddle, she reacts the same way when I ride her bareback. Even if I only slightly move my weight forward towards her withers she braces up / stops/ gets tense. What is that about? Bill writes on page 302: ..." This is where selv preservation comes in , and survival is one thing those horses are sure about." (When I observe Svala in her herd she also braces up - lifts the head and stiffens in the body, when annother horse comes at her in order to move her from a spot of hay. She braces up then, and if the other horse comes too close she can kick wtih an icredible blow of force... the other horses have learned that and don't dare to bite her in the tail. Her position in the herd is relatively low but at the same time she doesn't seem to accept that position - she will always try to eat together with the horses of higher rang instead of waiting for her turn. And she seems to get it the way she wants). So Bill goes on: "The best thing to do is not to allow the brace to get started in the horse in the first place ...those spots that get missed, why they aren't the best, I'll say that. But if one's been in there a while, you'll take your time with him so it doesn't get confusing for him when you start to get his thinking changed around. We try not to get in a hurry because it's going to be conrfusing for the horse when we do. If this confusion isn't taken care of, other things can happen that you don't expect. " I have taken things slow and gentle with her. She stands still when I get into the saddle, but she doesn't seem completely relaxed about the girting and recently has started to napp at me when I move at the girt. So my question is: how can I take care of that? Thanks very much for your time to read my question! Tina http://www.dreamvalley.no/ ____________________________ Hi again, Leslie answered my question so accurate and precise - I have to put it out here, because it just hit the nail to the point...: "Svale has probably a pinched nerve in or through or across her withers, It is not the saddle, although it was likely to be made worse by wearing one that does not fit well and carrying a person who is far too haevy. You could be too heavy for that situation, and probably are, SHe is not comfortable , this is physical and ir could also come from having flipped over or pulled back and broken a rope and tipped over backwards, and forced to land on her withers...I have seen this quite a lot. Rest is the answer, and it could be that it is never right. Kali was like that I rode hjer less and less beciause of it. If she acts like she is in pain, always ALWAAYS BELIEVE the horse, they do not lie. OK, have to get some rest now.. did you get the apprenticehip letter? I hope it was clear and also inmtersting." Svala broke a halter once in her childhood, as a two year old, that was before I started working with her, The vet and the owner struggled with her because of a damaged foot then. She fought back and broke the stall halter above her neck. I often wondered if it could be connected but thought I might be exagerating that event. Now I understand it IS connected, and I have to think if I could find something else to do for Svala than being ridden. What about becoming a draft horse for light draft jobs such as fetching firewood og dragging a little slade in the winter? Would that put less pressure on her withers? Anybody who has experience with that? Tina _____________________________ Check out Tina's website: http://www.dreamvalley.no/horses.htm She also does Movement and Chi (Qi), Feldenkrais and Alexander. http://www.dreamvalley.no/movement.htm Her trail rides description: Ride on barefoot Islandic horses with rope halters or bitless bridles - no metal in the mouth or underneath the hooves. Judy http://icehorses.net http://clickryder.com
