I'm so disappointed in Mag right now, but this is why I have a trainer, and I'm glad I do. Last year at this time I was completely hopeless, and without help.
Now at least I have the help.
We did a typical little trail ride (with her walking and pointing to trees, logs for me to circle, etc) and it was great, she said, "You haven't done anything with him in 3 weeks, this is so good!"
Then we ran into a huge Noriker (?) mare (Appy draft). I wanted to chat and let Mag have that experience, of chatting to another horse on trail. After a few minutes of that horse politely standing there, Mag decided he'd had enough, it wasn't in his program today, so he started to fuss.
Kati was right there at his head to reassure him, but he was done. I realize this is the exact way Baasha used to behave up until the day of his retirement. He never learned to stand still, completely my fault.
Then we said our goodbyes and a few seconds later Mag spun around, because the mare started to trot away. To be fair Mag has never experienced this before. No horse we've encountered has ever moved away at more than a walk. He lost his mind and started jigging, fussing, sliding sideways, and biting his reins. All the tricks he knows, including...
attempting to rear with me! This is the third, fourth time Mag has done this and it is punishment behavior. I did that thing you're not supposed to do and yanked one rein hard to the side, while slapping him on the cheek and yelling at him "Quit!"
I felt like a horse abuser so I explained to Kati there are only four things that earn actual punishment, and all of them involve behavior that can injure a person. Rear, buck, bite, kick. What I found interesting was that I was relaxed at the moment of his half-rear - I was actually sitting back, loose rein, and talking. He was just pissed that he wasn't getting his way.
He did quite a bit of pawing the ground today but that gets no reaction.
Kati agreed with me that he was actually angry. Tantruming.
I found myself unable to really calm down after that so I asked Kati to put the lead line on.
She told me it would be a really bad time to dismount (*sigh*) so I had to stay on, but she would help. She told me to circle her and Mag kept sliding sideways and biting his right rein. I was worried he would crash into her because I had very little steering/brakes.
It took us almost the entire way home to get him calmed down. We just kept up with the lesson of the day which was walking, stopping, standing, walking, stopping, standing. I've been told this is too much to expect of a young Arabian out on trails but I am determined to do it, and lucky for me, my trainer seems to be on my side in the debate. Whenever I ask if she wants to get on him, the answer is always no. : )
She started talking to me about her life and I love that I can relax into listening mode. Intensely listening to someone is almost as relaxing as talking.
With her help, we made it to the street and since he was calm by then, I got off, one of those "kiss the ground" dismounts.
I paid her and said it was a good lesson, and we should do exactly the same thing next time, in 2 weeks.
I'm supposed to go riding with Ani tomorrow and dreading it, but I know that Mag is usually good with her ancient mare.
And then.....
Saturday: https://arabianhorseresults.com/all-nations-cup-09-2017
It's the All Nations Cup - Europe's biggest Arabian horse show. They call it All Nations but I don't think I've ever seen a horse from America there, so that's not accurate. There is actually a dressage and jumping competition too, all purebreds (no half Arabians allowed).
If I'm lucky, I'll see some of Mag's relatives. If I'm really lucky, I'll see his dad (last year he won senior stallions!). I'd love it if I got the chance to talk to some people from Mag's breeding farm.
I'm sure the whole thing is corrupt, and that I'll see some rough treatment. I see several classes are sponsored by sheiks, and a stud in Saudi Arabia has decided to pay the entry fees for every horse entered in the German National Championships. Oh, that just makes me wonder!
Aachen is much closer than Poland, so I'm excited.
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11 comments:
You know what? YOU DIDN'T DIE!
That's my new measurement. It was scary! But did you die? LOL
I've been wondering if you and Mag will return to the boarding barn this winter. You made so much progress (and some friends!) last year. I know it costs money, but it's such a good investment for both of you....
Have fun on your ride. Don't die. >wink<
Aarene, Your new measurement since riding "X-Girl" Standie?: ) : )
Oh please don't even bring that up, the boarding barn!!! It cost so much, I cannot even fathom it, and it wasn't so nice to our donkey to leave her behind. That experience was worth it, as you said, it was the key to our relationship, and the beginning of our real partnership. But what I got out of it was a trainer willing to come to me (from Wuppertal, so pricey enough I cannot have her every week). And what I got coincidentally was a riding partner (running into Ani at Aldi)....and those two people will help me succeed with Mag.
Because I don't need an arena anymore with Mag (I mean, I want, but I am not 100% dependent on a safe place to start him anymore). So I can go out on trail with these two very important people, and realize how blessed I am to have them.
OH, and there's the "odd duck" lady with the nice arena, anytime I want to pay 7Euros, I can go there and make divots in her perfect white sand. She told me yesterday to come any day at 3 PM. So that's key element 3. No, even if Wuppertal was cheap, I'd have to stay home, and be in our real life.
I must think about this sanely. I am expecting perfection out of Mag on his most difficult challenges. And when he fails to be perfect, I flip out. Why do I expect perfection? Cuz I'm a terrible mother. Today after I'd undone the girth, a pile of things crashed down in the barn (from the cat, probably). He stepped to the side but did not spook and drop my beautiful saddle and new saddle pad into the mud. Thank you Mag, that was great of you. See why I expect perfection, he's just so much better than the rest.
Have fun tomorrow? Ah, I can hope! At least I'll get to hook up with the sweetest girl in the region, and listen to her stories.
You handled that very well. And Mag learned that he doesn't get out of things because he's having a fit. when my horses have a tantrum I make them work and then offer a break. If they relax we're good. If not then back to work. I too would punish the rear- it's a non-negotiable.
Teresa, really? I'm glad to hear it. I wonder how you'd punish a rear (half-rear)??? Thank you. If I didn't have you guys, I don't know what I'd do.
Ugh! Attitudinal horses. Maybe it's the season. The Nations Cup sounds cool to go see even if it probably corrupt; sometimes it's fun to just go watch horses.
Even on the bad days I think you & Mags are doing awesome. Just getting out there, trying & learning things together.
Oh, my youngest son & his fiancé are in your neck of the woods. Munich for Oktoberfest & a friends wedding.
Back in the stone ages, I always met even the whiff of a rear with MAJOR forward movement and usually an instant "HYAH!!!!!" battle cry that would scare the crap out of them. And then? Immediate punishment of lots and lots of trotting. But to be honest I don't think I personally ever had an Arab that tried to rear under saddle, i can't remember a case, anyway. (On the lead god yes)
I looked up the Noriker, and it's a beautiful horse. How amazing to get to ride such a big horse. Was the rider a big person? The Central Texas Arabian Horse Club is having an open show at the end of the month. It is not too far from me. I wish I could go,but the lupus messes my immune so that I cannot handle dust. Would the Germans freak if you asked to hug a horse's neck?
You are not a bad "mother" to your horse at all. We all can get pissed when our horses act up,although it's always better to control that being pissed judiciously, which I think you do.
Haha, I was so worried about riding a super-green horse, but then I met Promising Girl and...nah. She wasn't gonna let either of us die.
Rearing: good, smart, quick response. He'll probably try it one more time, just in case the first time was a fluke, but you were right to stop that badness in its tracks!
When Kate gets frustrated, she first stomps, the. Shakes her head nastily, then if I don't move her forward, comes the half-rear. Although I CAN ride it, it's a signal to me that worse things are coming, so I usually dismount and work her HARD from the ground- that's when we get her "airs above the ground" bucking and rearing! Once she settles, which usually only takes five minutes or so,I'll get back on and she's usually fine. She's let me know she's upset, and I've let her know that not an okay way of telling me!
Not sure why you're not supposed to punish a rear. That's EXACTLY what I do. I bend them hard and fast to the side with one rein to get them down and then whack the crap out of of their cheek or neck - whatever I can reach. Rearing is a felony as opposed to a misdemeanor. If a horse does something that can hurt a human, they get both barrels. Just my two cents ... :0)
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