We had another roundpen session, where I try to tame the wild horse I call "son", or maybe, honestly, just remind him of what he used to know. Like how to lunge. He has taken to running circles while I am still trying to fasten the gate shut. Huh!It is a test of self control, can my wild horse walk circles on a lunge line? Walk and not jig? Stop even? Get this, he was so fleety, when I yanked on him, he swung his entire body toward me like a baby horse would, eyes wild. What?
I was so mad at him for that, he has never been allowed to face me during lunging. I marched toward him and took the butt of the whip and poked his shoulder until he was properly aligned. I asked him what his freaking problem is, and I think the look on my face was worse than the scolding. That happened twice, and then he remembered. Oooooohhyaaaaah, stay on the circle, it's all coming back!
Now we've got it. Nice self control, he can walk and stop and walk and stop and then when he's utterly cool, I can cluck to him. WAIT, that means trot, not canter, you know that! Did your brain shrink?
OK now we've got it. All gears, including stop. Whew. I guess that lunging etiquette* must be refreshed from year to year.
(Question for readers: Do you say "Whoop" for a downward transition? I got that from my dressage instructor back home. Did she invent that or is it common? It totally works, btw.)
I just love that sand ring. The sand is just hard enough that he digs a print into it with each step, but not so deep he is gonna strain something. And no slippage whatsoever. I love sand!
I am also teaching him to stand still when I go clean up when he poops in there. That is also a good self control exercise for my can't-hold-still horse! "Just cuz you eat corn everyday doesn't mean you can't stand still for a few moments."
I have these brand new stretchy side reins, and I adjust them loosely as a suggestion, and I can see him start to get looser and swingier as we work. We mostly walk, but a little jogging is good too. He has sheep outside the ring as an audience, and big huge Bonito (chestnut warmblood) staring down at us from his paddock. This audience helps Baasha not become dizzy or bored from the circling.
Afterwards, Baasha was so flexible and free moving, I got on for the ride home. I purposefully took us through this mown field for a canter, but even before we reached it, Baasha was on alert, hesitating, and tense. I saw what it was, the field was torn up from wild pigs. To me, this is also worrisome because I have never seen a wild pig, I just see their digging as they look for roots/mushrooms. A frightening sight, Baasha is right. I have faced bears on Baasha, no problem. But this is a new foreign creature, and I dread the day we see one. I really hope it isn't in my own backyard, I might wet myself.(Note, say so if you would like to hear about the bear-facing experience!)
What a wonderful day. I kissed Baasha and put him in the pasture, he is one of the few horses left in this land out on grass now. Enjoy, Baasha, you deserve it!*Merriam Webster Definition of the Day: Etiquette : the conduct or procedure required by good breeding (You hear that Baasha? On your last doctor's bill, the vet wrote, "Purebred Arabian". That means you have to behave yourself.)
.JPG)
8 comments:
Feral hogs can be scary, especially if they are in packs as they often are. We have an introduced population of them here in Tennessee thanks to some idiots who released them some years ago. Thankfully the population isn't very large because the TN Wildlife and Resources people put a 12 month open hunting season on them and we have a whole buncha rednecks that like to shoot things in this state ! :)
Jason, PACKS???!@?@?@??@*#!
omgosh. why did you have to say that! i wondered how so much of that field was disturbed, so suddenly.
~lytha
I'm not sure how wild pigs behave in Germany, however we did deal with the Carpathian variety in Transylvania. Basically, they came out in family groups at dawn and dusk, and made a mess rooting up the ground looking for food.
In 20,000km of wild trails, we saw one group in broad daylight, and there was no problem. The horses stared and the timid pigs ran off into the forest.
Just like bears, you don't want to get between the sow and her young, but practically you aren't going to get in that situation. Their reputation for danger seems to stem from their thick, sloping skulls, off which a bullet can glance. A hunter who doesn't kill the pig first time is apt to find the pig, by now rather angry, charging at him.
But I never heard of any unprovoked attacks, and the locals seemed unconcerned about wild pigs other than not appreciating the digging up of fields. One neighbour had a small herd captive in pen, and it wasn't a good idea to put a hand through the mesh, but one could say that about most wild animals.
I would guess that, in Germany, the pigs know to keep away from people, especially if they are hunted, so you will be perfectly safe out and about. We have a few in Britain now, and the only danger is that, if one hits one on the road at night, they do a lot of damage.
We don't have feral hogs, but we do have wild boars, and they are very scary.
Don't you love it when they just go stupid on you like that?? Forget every lesson you ever taught them. Glad he remembered quickly.
It's so good of you to have these adventures so the rest of us can enjoy them from the safety of our own, wild-boar-free home zones.
And you will do me the favor of NEVER telling Fiddle that wild boars even exist. Right?
tell us about the bear!!
WHP, I guess sightings are rare. I see so many signs of them, but never see them. I hope they stay shy. I know they are hunted in our field, as well as lured in to a feeding station for their medicine, because we have some sort of swine illness in this area.
Leah, I honestly do not know the correct English term for what animal this is. I just know it sounds like "wild pork" when they say it in German. I wonder how long their tusks are, or even if they have any. I wonder what noise they make, or do they make noise?
Aarene, every new species is rough: )
Minus Pride, I thought it was a big black cow, but the I saw it walk. That was no cow! It was my first black bear. I was so scared, I ran my horse home. When I got home, I realized I could not let that bear control me, and not let me ride on that mountain. So I purposefully sought out the bear. I rode on the "bear side" of the mountain over and over until I found him one day. And I aimed my horse at him and chased him! And get this, he ran from us! After that, my fears were cured.
Until the time I found a mama and her babies. My heart almost stopped. She was between my truck and me (and my horse). I jumped back on the horse, and made LOTS of noise. And then very very slowly proceeded. I was so scared!! They politely went on their way. Whew!
I'm amazed that Baasha didn't try to bolt and take off when he saw the bear, when he was so alarmed about the dug up fields.
By chasing the bear, and it running away, you must have helped Baasha's fears, if he had any. But you're lucky the bear didn't turn and face you and stand up to the two of you. Whew. Scary!
~Lisa
Post a Comment