set off early and got to friends before lunch. went to stable to see horse i'd come to see. a chilled sort, happy to be handled all over while eating hay. needed work, little muscle, been in field 6 months. not the best pose ever, but here he is:
i did have some better pics i'd been sent taken in the winter when he was in work but seem to have deleted them accidentally, sorry.after lunch went back and tacked up for hack out. my saddle - had discussed that in advance and told to take it, high withered (lack of correct muscle) so vogue with smart panel should be ok.
long ride round quiet lanes, about 5 miles altogether, all in walk. did try trot but his feet were't quite hard enough for that on tarmac. and he hated the bit that had been put in - one of those single jointed ones thick at the outside slightly thinner in the middle.
one incident when both horses were totally terrified of large roller that had been left behind a field gate - probably looked like a prey animal crouching to pounce! we both got off, and got enough trust to lead him up to the gate to see this large lump of metal close to. that was good - to trust a stranger to lead him up to such a thing.
had to walk a bit to find somewhere to get back on!
he was tired when we got back and not up for anything in arena.
had a sit on friend's Luso who would not budge for me LOL and i got totally stuck in her saddle!
went back sunday morning to try in arena. put different bit in! got some nice work - friend has some pics but not uploaded yet. knew he does minor buck on canter transition, sat it easily, nice canter. thoiught to be possibly remembered pain due to previous ill fitting saddle.
wanted to lunge. had to go to field to do that as yard now starting lessons.
stayed mounted to go to field - he didn't want to, napped slightly away, but i felt more than happy dealing with that - he hadn't been in this field for a very long time, i gather.
it had lots of baby x country jumps set up - mostly about 1 foot high!. walked him round to settle him so he could look at it all before doing anything else. after he was settled decided to try little trot - it was at this point he thought he'd have a wee ha moment and clearly thought i'd asked for canter.
minor buck which unsettled me but i got seat back & leant back to try slow down - although i probably did tense as not expecting it! also concerned re steering as looked as though we heading for jump and/or wire fencing - bucked again (not a huge one) - and friend said it looked as though it was the next canter stride that did for me
and off i came off to his right, must have somersaulted and rolled otherwise don't understand how left wrist smashed, it did not land first ..
they did wonder if he hadn't liked my saddle - apparently were marks under stirrups when they looked at his back !
Oh, dear! Sounds like everything was going pretty well up until that point. Might well have been the saddle if what your friends say is true.
ReplyDeleteOddly enough, when I went off PJ the day I broke my wrist we too were in a canter. I'd just jumped a tiny little log and a friend suddenly appeared out of a side trail in front of us. PJ bolted off and I'd let my leg go back--bad jumping habit--and in a few strides I was off THE RIGHT SIDE and I too broke my left wrist. Exactly the same. Never did figure it out, but I too thought I might have somersaulted. Strange.
That horse might not have been suitable since he did have a bit of an attitude. You need something happy to work for you with no fuss and napping. Yes, he had some excuses, but at this point, I should think you'd want to be done with that kind of nonsense and find something without that kind of challenge.
Not that you can't cope, but why would you want to when there are horses out there without the "baggage?"
aye well had it not been for that i would probably have had him - when i'm better natasha is going to look. would not have happened with the horse at middleham ...
ReplyDeleteIt was going so well up until that point.
ReplyDeleteOh dear, that's a shame that until that point you had been going so well :(
ReplyDeleteFWIW, I've also gone out the right door and broken bits of my left arm and shoulder. I've also gone out the left door and broken bits of my left arm and shoulder. Go figure!
What a shame! It all went so well before and you really did a lot of different things, testing his trust in people and versatility. Because he did so much for you, I sort of doubt it was the saddle, but maybe it was and he just ran out of patience for discomfort at that point. On the other hand those little bucks might be something to avoid. Perhaps he would resist more as he was asked to do more work? On the other hand, as he got more fit he might do less bucking? At our age though I think it best to avoid a horse that bucks even a little, despite your ability to handle it every time but the last. At best horses are unpredictable.
ReplyDeleteI agree with the others a buck into canter can be a sign of something else going on or possible more to come...I should know Polo could do it for England!
ReplyDeletehope you dont go too crazy while you heal...