Saturday, November 28, 2015

Grey Haegerhof Gelding: Mag

S went to check out some Haegerhof horses for me in September and wasn't too impressed with Mag, because he's not a very electric horse. That sounds good to me, so J and I went to check him out today. Another full day of driving, ugh. And again, in the snow. Why does it always snow when I drive to Haegerhof?

When we arrived no one was around but I knew where the training barn was. The first stall had Mag, and when he saw us he came and pushed his head toward us and wanted our full attention. He's a puppy dog of a horse, and when we went and said hi to the rest of the barn, only one other was as friendly, and it was a baby. A cat came running up to us like we were his long lost relatives and stayed with us, rubbing on us, until the people finally arrived from their lunch break. Since Mag was so enchanting, we went back to his stall, where he licked my gloves, nuzzled my chest, and let me scratch his face and ears. I looked through the bars of the stall and saw he had incredibly sturdy legs. No kidding, in his online photo, his legs looked like toothpicks. Cameras lie again. (That link also has images of the big bay Drzewiec and the big grey mare Hegra described below.)

The owners brought out the big ex-racing Arabian bay in the next stall, but that horse had refused to come to me and has this look in his eye like he's going to explode. I told them I was not interested.

They brought out a big grey mare and said it's their most trained horse, their most rideable horse. I stood there silently, there was nothing wrong with her at all, but I didn't like her. In fact, the owners, as they tacked her up, told me to go ahead and touch her and try to get to know her. J said I was acting standoffish as if I didn't like horses. I told him later I must be just burned out from horse shopping, but I also don't need to touch a horse right away. I like to observe first.

They rode her for me and after a few minutes I told my husband I just don't like her, and he called the owner over and said he didn't have to keep riding, she didn't appeal to me. I said, "I want to see MAG."

Well, I'd missed him being groomed and saddled because we were watching the mare in the ring, but somehow they got most of the mud off him, he was coated all over, both sides evenly. It made me happy that he apparently gets turn out. But when they first took him out of his stall and were talking with us, he fidgeted around and pawed the air a bit anxiously, but he never nosed the owner roughly like some horses will do to tell people to get a move on. These dealers seem to know what they're doing.

The owner got on Mag and did the same routine, the horse must stand still a few moments and only move off when told. Very nice.

There was quite a difference between Mag and the mare, she was very looky, and he wasn't. He did walk trot and canter both directions, and backing up. And halting from a canter, very nice.

Now I must admit even on the drive over I was dreading riding another strange young green horse. A 4 year old! This one has been under saddle for 4 months. I was actually kind of shaky.

And then it got worse. The owner got very serious and said I have to be very careful with Mag, that he has run off with several potential buyers, because he's insecure about having strangers on his back. He said, "I just want you to walk around on him (ok you don't have to tell me that) and then, when you are ready to trot, I want you to trot just a couple strides - 10 meters max, and then slow him to a walk. If you don't, he may run off with you."

I got it, I nodded and said "verstehe." I understand. No, he said, it's very serious. You must be able to make a transition from a walk to a trot in a way that he finds acceptable. If you shift around or are uncertain, he will run away and I will try my best to catch him but I may not be able to."

I said OK I understand, and now that I've been given more warnings than every before in my shopping experience, I cannot say I'm feeling very brave!

In fact I was not even together enough, or fit enough to climb up on his back. The owner said, "I'll throw you up there" and I started to let him, but felt wrong and said, "No I would rather use a mounting block." In fact, he was probably astounded at my weight and how ineffective he was at getting me on the back of that horse. I was mortified. I have not been so mortified in memory. I said to J, "Hey, I haven't ridden since August." But honestly, if you always use a mounting block, you start to rely on it, it turns out: ( How embarrassing. Never in my life has someone failed to give me a leg up.

They said "He's never seen a mounting block before, be careful." Truly, the horse was staring at it like it was a torture device. I thumped it, bouncing a foot on it, to show him the noise it made. He relaxed.

I got on and didn't need to be told to take a deep breath, although they told me to.

Then to my astonishment, the owner took one rein in his hand and started leading me around like a pony show. This is only the second time in years that an owner has felt it necessary to *lead me around* on their horse. Hrm. Then he said, "I'm going to let go...." and he walked next to the potential-disaster horse.

Now I understand why he's been for sale for so long, and why he's not that expensive for his breeding.

I did my usual, riding walking serpentines, then stopping and backing and then doing turns on the haunches and I found myself on the most delightfully sensitive and willing horse. He would stop if I just thought the word. And easily cross his forelegs over when I asked. Mag was just perfect.

I kept interrupting my man and the owner who were talking, "He's wonderful, he's so light, look, watch me back him up, I didn't do anything with my body!"

I kept praising the horse and rubbing along his beautiful arched neck, telling him great he is.

Finally I got bored and said, "Can I trot now?" and the owner again repeated the warnings. He said, "I know I repeat myself, but you haven't seen what I've seen." I said, "I can imagine."

The owner stood in the middle and said for me to stay on a circle around him so he can try to catch him if the horse tries to run. Honestly from watching the man ride, I thought it would be no problem. And the owner told me about a one-rein stop, but I already had that in mind. OK, just do it.

I clucked to Mag and gave him leg and he bounded into a rough trot, and it was so rough in fact, I felt off balance in that slick leather saddle. I pulled him down to a walk and the owner said good, he's very tense in his back, he doesn't know you and he isn't sure what you want, so just do it again and again...

So I did, walk trot a few strides walk trot a few strides and I felt the tension in the horse but what could I do. Then the owner said, "You're good. He's fine, he's just tense and now you can let him keep trotting, he's not going to run off with you, you passed the test."

So I trotted him a bit but he kept hesitating and going to a walk, which is much preferable to his usual tactic - to run. I talked to him cheerfully, "You can do this!" and we tried  again and again and made a circle a few times without him slowing. I felt a brief moment of relaxation - hm!

I came back to the owner, interrupting again, and said, " How intensely odd, that he is so well trained, so light and responsive, but has an issue with transitions to the trot. Did he have a bad experience?"

"Not with us, he's just insecure under strange riders." I still thought it was particularly odd that he'd be such a lovely horse to ride until you ask for a transition, but oh well.

I wanted to try him on the trails, alone, with only J. That was the plan, I won't buy a horse without riding it on trails alone.

But I thought I should have a halter AND a bridle, because I was planning on leading him a ways, and then riding after seeing his reactions to the big world. Last time I was there, it went badly.

After explaining my plan to the owner, he decided to put the horse in just a halter and told me sternly, "If you want to ride him again, come back." Hm, to me that sounds like he doesn't think I'd manage to ride him successfully on the trails alone. I didn't argue, but that is something I regret very much now, because I like the horse so much, and have no idea what he's like under saddle outside.

J and I took him for a walk and I was so pleased at the way the horse stays behind me and doesn't try to pass me or pull ahead, he's only 4 and I'm sure he hasn't had extensive light leading training, he just naturally follows. He was snorting at snow drifts and things but kept his head very low to the ground, like a dog almost, sniffing, and occasionally grabbing grass until I tipped his nose up and said we're not eating. Not giraffing his neck ever was a very good sign for me.

We came to a field with strange horses in it and he looked at them with bright eyes happily, but didn't do anything. We came to a culvert where water ran under the road and he didn't like it, so I stopped and let him eat grass directly over the flowing water. We came to a single track and he followed politely on a loose lead, I didn't have to ever push him out of my space. We came to a creek and I crossed it and asked him to follow me but he looked at me like I'm insane. Then he put his nose fully in the water to test it. I wanted to pull him over - he could just jump it, it was tiny, but J said don't push it, you don't want to make this a bad experience for him. OK. But J found some puddles on the way home and said, "Make him walk in them!" so I did, and he did easily. I laughed, "I'm not scared of puddles, I make one in my stall every day!" (You can see now how my husband is becoming a horse person, unintentionally.)

As I led him along Mag kept sneaking over to J and putting his nose on him. Not intrusively, just curiously, and especially nosing my purse that J was so valiantly carrying for me as he does in horsey-situations. I kept laughing at Mag and telling him to quit bothering J! Mag would reach down and grab a branch in his mouth and carry it. 

Then there was the raspberry bush. Without my noticing, he reached out and grabbed a mouthful of raspberry bush. Then he sprang to the side in terror because the entire bush *moved*. I laughed so hard, "Yes, it moved because you bit down on it and pulled!" Do it again, take a bite of raspberry, yummy raspberry! He was too scared, snorting at the bush in long low gurgling snorts, entire body taut. I asked J to take a photo cuz it was so funny: horse scared of bush. I held out a branch and he nibbled it carefully, ready to flee. Then he took another bite, but still he didn't forgive that bush. Oh well, maybe next time.

I noted that his (awful) bare hooves did fine on the rough gravel, he never chose the grass over the gravel. Oh my his hooves look bad, ok, I'm obsessive, they're not that bad, they're just overly long at the moment. And I think he's at least a size 2, he's got massive hooves. And doesn't really yield them readily on request, people come on!

When we came back, J had to use the restroom and instead of going back to the barn, I made Mag stand still with me as we waited. Mag didn't want to, but complied, just every so often he'd sneak closer to me than I wanted, and I'd back him up, and then rub his enormously bulging Arabian forehead, "Good boy!" When J walked up, Mag had a string from his battered up lead rope in his mouth, like a dog, "I'm leading myself!" and J thought it was stuck in Mag's teeth and he carefully removed it. I said, "No, he was just trying to hold his own lead rope." So I gave a piece of it to him, and he held it happily.

Then we returned and I asked to lunge him, to see if he can. Well, he can, but not well. He wanted to keep reversing, and I am finally clever enough to not allow that, and he would trot without my asking, and then when I finally asked him to trot, he wouldn't sustain the gait. And waving the whip around on the ground didn't help! Amazing the difference between Mara and this horse. I actually had to touch his body with the whip to get him to sustain a trot! I just flicked it on his tail or hocks and he was insulted enough to keep trotting, but he's lazy enough that it was a game for him. I'm totally not used to a horse who needs encouragement to move out. But I know how to handle lazy.

Then I brought him back to his stall, carefully trying not to disturb another buyer who was riding that same mare I was shown in the arena. Mag politely walked in slow motion the entire time so to not disturb that lady's test ride. It would have been horrible if something I had done had spoiled a sale for them, so I was as arena-polite as possible.

After they unsaddled Mag, I couldn't see his brand on his back, although I know he has one. He's from Janow Podlaski in Poland, and they brand all their horses on the back.

He's so incredibly hairy for a 4 year old, like a polar bear. The saddle pad had roughed up his back hair a bit. He remained beautiful.

The camera lied again. He's so homely in photos. Even our own taken today, he looks pig eyed and chubby. In real life this horse is breathtaking.  He has enormous bulging ink-black eyes a teacup muzzle, tiny ears and a jibbah. J said, "He reminds me so much of Baasha." I said, "Baasha never took anything in his mouth that was not food!": ) Mag carries his cute little tail up, although not straight up, but up enough for me, especially in comparison with all the other purebred Arabians I've seen who do not bother unless they're actually pooping.

He has the most incredibly well boned legs I've seen since, well, that Welsh D! In fact, it was freaky how huge his legs are, especially in comparison with his rather absurdly tiny head.

Although they say they ride him 3 times per week, he's not fit at all and needs a topline, but wasn't born with a bad one to start.

When I put him back in his stall I just wanted to join him and stay with him, but the owner wanted to ask us to coffee and show us his papers. I said, "If you have the papers, I believe you, I don't need to see them, I've already seen his pedigree." (1/4 Egyptian, 3/4 Polish, most of whom date back to Skowronek, the horse of questionable purity: ((((, *sigh* but so do almost all non-SE Arabians.)

On the way home J said he really sympathized with the seller, who does this for a job, and J said he could never do it, ride a horse in circles for people day after day even when people are not interested. I said, they are both breeders and dealers, a special situation, they are in the business of moving horses from Poland to German buyers. I don't have to worry about how they feel about me, even though.....um...yah...they remembered me from 2012, when I did not buy a horse from them because it left me kissing the ground after I dismounted.

J told them, in fact, that I was dismayed on my last visit because I was promised 8 horses in my price range and training level, and it came down to really only the one.

We told them we'd be in touch, thanking them profusely, and I hung over the front of Mag's stall one last time to see him, and he left his hay to say hi to me again. What a dear.

J said he reminds him of Baasha. I told him he looks nearly identical to Baasha's mother Sheriffa.

I'm mad that I did not ride him in the woods, and now I'm trying to think of alternative routes - trains, busses, drive-shares, to get over there again without the ordeal of such a nasty snowy drive.




Oh people, my favorite things!

Honestly the entire time we were wandering about, this was the face we got when we got to his end of the barn. In contrast, well, if you've been ignored by a horse....



Who are you then?



You taste like Bergisches Land.









I like you too!

He reminds me of Hayyathm, Baasha's brother. Deep dish tiny ear tiny muzzle carved face, born thinking humans are the greatest.



Still watching me?



I hate you, you lead rope biting neighbor.



Still watching me? For why?



In this photo you can see how big boned he is. And absurdly small headed.









Those ears. So small he probably can't hear to save his life.



Best condition tail.



I'm like, "OK explosive one...."



His ears on me, whereas when the owner rode, his ears were always on his audience. I love his short fluffy tail. I could make it white in about two weeks.

Hey, aren't my stirrups too short for western riding? I felt totally over the horse today. I'm an English rider so I feel better so, but I felt too high above Mag today.









I remember my last time at Haegerhof, the gelding was scared of that speed bump. Mag keeps his head low, while he's a bit woried.




J took a shot of his hooves.




Raspberry bush, come on.




They taste great, here, try one.



No I cannot. It moved!











16 comments:

AareneX said...

he's a cutie, and definitely reminds me of Baasha (in a good way)! but young...he acts young, and moves kind of spraddle-legged when the guy rides him in the video.

And yeah, the hooves, eek, I hate the trim job there.

the only thing that **really** alarms me is the repeated warnings about bolting. As you know, that was a favorite trick of the Toad's, and I never completely cured him of it, not in 2,000+ miles and 8 years, I just lacked the skills then, but the thought of a bolting horse still scares me. Maybe you not so much?

when are you going back?




Camryn said...

Very handsome boy. He seemed so chill walking along with you. Hopefully you'll be able to ride him on trail soon. Before you drive yourself to crazy.

CG said...

I love his expressions!!! Nice horse and good bone.

Nuzzling Muzzles said...

He sure seemed interested in you. I wonder if that transition into a trot or the trot itself was throwing most riders off balance, which caused the rider to get scared, and in turn caused Mag to get scared and run off? I still haven't been able to ride G's transition into a trot without flying forward onto her neck, but fortunately her reaction is to immediately stop when I am off balance. The only problem with that is that since doesn't keep trotting, I have no opportunity to get into rhythm with her and learn how to ride her motion. I noticed that the man immediately began posting, and he had really good form. You are brave to ride after all those warnings, and I'm glad nothing bad came of it.

EvenSong said...

He's CUTE! And very sturdy. And elegant. But yes, somewhat green. But cute!
I thought you both looked pretty relaxed together. I think that you need to go back with your own saddle for the ride in the woods(after letting him get used to it for a bit).
I think you are rightfully smitten...

Anonymous said...

I think if you could get him to relax his back, his trot would be much more comfortable. He seemed to be more relaxed in the back for you than he was for the man. I don't know if you felt that way or not, and of course what I saw was brief. My gelding had a very tense back when I started riding him, it's hard to trust a horse that feels that way, though he never did anything bad. I used to remind myself of that every time I rode him I had a couple other people ride him, and they got scared too, so I took hold of the reins and led them until he relaxed. I can imagine why they would have a hard time selling Mag. He is beautiful.

lytha said...

Aarene, bolting is way more dangerous than the crap Mara used to pull. But I believe the seller when he says the horse does it under strange riders who get off balance, and if he were going to do it with me, he would have done it the first ride.

The only reason I'm considering a 4 year old is because S told me he's very laid back for an Arabian, and the owner says the same, and I interviewed their 12 year old daughter and asked her to compare the personalities of many of their horses and she said, "Mag, he's just EASY." The owner's sister, who spent the most time with us, said that I seem to be a very cautious rider and want a relaxed horse, so in that case he's a good fit for me even in comparison to their 10 year old sale horse. She said "When Mag was 2, he was exactly this calm, it's just the way he is."

So my question is, could it be true? I would be willing to buy a green horse if I knew it was a "normal" horse and not a freak.

Camryn, so many older more mature horses behave so much worse on the lead line, I was thrilled. I only swung the rope around a few times to remind him to stay behind me, but other than that he just did it naturally. I know what you mean about going crazy. I have no job and no horse and I need one or both: )

CG, seriously good bone, I've never seen the like of it on an Arab. His legs almost don't seem to belong to him!

NM, that is my understanding exactly, of the problem. Riders get off balance and scared and then he bolts. I didn't get off balance, but I certainly wasn't comfortable! He's just so green and the footing was deep so he was lurching forward. I wonder if someone can put Gabrielle on the lunge line to keep her trotting in a safe way for you to settle into her power trot? When you say I was brave, I think of the saying, "Bravery is being scared out of your mind and doing it anyway." : ) Thanks. Wish I could have mounted him without help, I am ashamed my husband had to see that.

Evensong, I am smitten, at this point, but of course will try to go back with my Wintec so I can feel better. Funny, the saddle that does nothing to help a rider is my go-to now for strange horses, simply because it can be adjusted to fit them on the fly. The safety stirrups make a huge difference for me mentally. Riding in hiking shoes in normal stirrups is so dangerous, but I don't own riding boots at this time. Wish I could bring my Specialized wonder saddle! That is the most secure saddle ever, but fitting it isn't as easy.

Redhorse, I couldn't really sense what was going on, I just knew I was uncomfortable. The owner said to me, "You know how you hesitated and wondered if you should sit the trot or post? That made the horse insecure." I said, "Well tell me, should I sit or post?" He said, "Either. No, post." : ) Wish I had a video of my trying to trot with him, my man was engaged in conversation and wasn't filming as much as I'd like. I feel hopeful that since he didn't bolt with me, but does for other buyers, that he'll be around a bit longer for me to see him a few more times.











lytha said...

NM, I wanted to add that I only rode him with one rein at a time. Meaning we were either bending or turning one direction or the other. If a horse has a tendency to bolt, having pressure on both reins is the worst thing you can do. I admit, I rode him mostly on the inside rein, because I wanted the option of a one-rein stop.

Kitty Bo said...

I must admit when I hear of a horse like this, I'd like to get a hold of him and start schooling him. I bought a 4 year old Arabian, Maguire, who'd been trained by a very good trainer and even had a kid ride him in an endurance race. However, he was green and once he was past the walk, would get excited. I will always regret that I sold him, because he was so brilliant, and I put so much work into him. However, my health was getting worse, and I was going through menopause and didn't know it, which was screwing with my mind, and in a stupid moment, I sold him. The man I'd bought him from acted as an agent to sell him, and he and his wife were amazed at what a well schooled horse (dressage) I'd trained Maguire to be. He could be silly on the trail, but he listened to me with the buttons I had put on him.Sigh........
I'd first teach Mag to yield to the bit, basically how to half halt and turn his head, from the ground. Then from the saddle. I'd school him in one rein stops from the walk. It is unfortunate that he knows he can bolt, but he doesn't look like a bad horse. If you have a good secure seat, I don't doubt that you can school him to understand yielding to the bit and half halts. The not maintaining the trot is probably due to his greenness and having to balance under the rider's weight. That is easily fixable with lots of transitions and transitions within the trot. I'd put lots of arena work into him before any major rides on the trail, just so he understands you and you can have a conversation with him from the saddle, because horses usually feel more insecure with someone on their back.
Ha! This horse has me so excited to school him. That hasn't happened in a long time. :)

2 Punk Dogs said...

I like your new horse!:) It would be amazing if your Specialized fit him without too much adjustment. Hope the trail ride goes well!

lytha said...

KB, unfortunately I have no arena or anything like it. I must only ride on trails. That's why it's so important for me to ride him on trails and get a feeling for him. Three different people said he's fine on trails, but I have to see. I will have to do all training on trail.

2PD, wouldn't that be nice!

Tina said...

I wouldn't be embarrassed about not being able to get a leg up. I think it worked out great that you didn't. The horse has never seen a mounting block so you had to bring one out and you, a stranger, introduced it to him and used it on him for the first time. I think it's a wonderful sign of the great mind Mag has and a sign of the trust that you two are going to have in the future.

The Kelly's Adventures in KY said...

He's Adorable!!! Asking if he could come home with you. Are you going to take your saddle back with you next time? I agree with most everyone, I bet the transition unseated his past riders enough that they did that air gulp stiffening up hesitation which scared Mag, and his natural response was to take off on them, because the wolves were coming. I can see you two together. Hope your next ride goes excellent!

irish horse said...

He is so cute, and I love the friendly/mouthy/silly ones (gee, I have one myself). I'd want to ride that trot until he relaxed, because an awful rough trot wouldn't be very fun on a trail/endurance horse. And like you said, take him on trail.

But as for the age thing, I wouldn't worry too much about it. Some horses are born sensible, or have just a high tolerance for oddities! Major was much younger than I wanted, and only green broke, but wasn't stupid or spooky, just untrained.

Can't wait to hear when you can go out there again!

lytha said...

Tina, I hope you're right! I like your perspective, but I'm still humiliated.

Kelly, I will take my saddle back this weekend if they invite us again. J seems to be anxious for me to find a horse. Air Gulp - exactly. I thank you for this!

Irish, I hope to be able to go through what you did with Major. He is so much like Baasha.

Achieve1dream said...

I'm in love with his personality just from what you wrote (at work so can't watch the videos right now)!! He sounds like he has the perfect temperament. Well perfect to me anyway. I can't wait until you can try him on the trail. So exciting.