Susanne tries to ride Mag

Today was our monthly riding lesson. Ani and I share a lesson and split the cost. This time Ani wanted to take our lesson at TP's fancy arena (Hawaiian Silver, I call it). It costs 7 Euros each for us to ride there and Mag is always explosive there so I don't go there much anymore.

     



     

Also, TP has a seriously annoying young Airedale who not only jumps on you continually, but today the dog bit me twice. In play, but it freaking hurt, the teeth went right through my gloves.

As I arrived, I saw TP across the street with her dog, talking to Ani with Rudi. I waited for them by the main entrance and finally Ani made her way over. She told me we're not supposed to put our arena fee in the mail box anymore. "And when no one is home?" I asked, and she shrugged. I asked,"Why?" She replied, "They're getting a divorce and she doesn't want her husband getting the money."

WHAT!? Oh dear. On the one hand I am happy for Charly because she runs his life and complains about him behind his back. But what will happen to their lovely farm?

I noticed they had a new boarder in a pen, and had lost another. They can't seem to keep people because 1. They want 450E per month (with your horse living in a stall and if the weather is nice, another stall with a 20X10 foot pen) and 2. TP herself.

     

Ani said, "TP asked me if I'd help her out around the farm because she's divorcing her husband and needs help." I said, "I must warn you - you know how picky I am about my farm? She's worse. It will NOT be pleasant."

     

This place is perfect for you if you think horses should be protected from the outdoors. Apparently there are people who believe this. There are times in Winter when their horses don't even get to be in the outdoor stalls - they are tucked away indoors.

Their little fields are gorgeous and their 4 horses have not been on them yet this year. It disgusts me how the grass is more important than the horses. Also, how on earth could they not have learned their lesson when their horse almost died impaling itself on a fence post made of REBAR? I noticed more than one piece of rebar still being used as posts today. (Remember me freaking out about the poor TB's subcutaneous crepitation?)

     
Their property is on Hohestrasse, the main drag through town, so we drive by anytime we go anywhere. You never see the horses out on grass except for a few hours a day in late Summer.

I saw Charly talking on his cell phone a ways away and I needed to go into their supply area by their horse pens and get my lunging whip. I very carefully positioned Mag so he couldn't touch the nearest horse, and tried to reach the back corner. Suddenly Charly shouted over at me, "Get your horse away from my horses!"

I thought this was strange because I'm always careful to not let Mag near them - that's a farm rule of theirs. I asked him, "Can I just get my things?" And he shouted the same phrase again at me. Hrm. He didn't have to be so mean about it!

So I backed up a few paces and just stood there, waiting for him to get off the phone. I don't dare tie Mag up at their place - they have the most dangerous fencing - metal bars that would hold rabid elephants and Mag would kill himself on them.

Finally TP came and rescued me, she went and got my whip and told me to stop keeping it there. Huh, OK. It's been there for 3 years because it's not convenient to carry back and forth every time I wanted to lunge Mag.

Ani and I joked later, "For a 2 Euro fee, we'll let you keep your whip here. 2 Euros per day."

As Ani rode Rudi around, I politely lunged Mag in a small circle keeping out of her way.

At first Mag did this weird bolt and tucked his tail into a J shape and almost ran into me. What was that? Right, he always explodes here on the lunge line. It's what he's "supposed" to do. *sigh*

So I carefully lunged him at a walk until he was bored to tears. I also did a lot of hindquarter-disengage to walk "transitions." Then I let him jog, very carefully until he was bored again. I didn't ask for any canter because I wanted to show him he can remain calm on the lunge. And it worked.

Susanne showed up and started schooling Ani. Then she came over and I said, "I'm not riding today. But you are welcome to ride Mag if you like."

I was surprised when she said she would!

She went and got her riding helmet AND back brace. Safety first.

Then she spent a very long time lunging Mag, I guess to build a relationship. I thought it was odd that she did it for so long when she was supposed to split the hour between Ani and me.

Then she asked me to remove my saddle bags (that I always ride with) and she carefully removed the 3 carabiners from my saddle. I had to smile cuz I remember Mag's seller doing the same thing - removing all the crap from my saddle before I was allowed ot ride him. (Carabiners!)

Then she said, "Please take the lunge whip out of the arena." I thought that was an odd request but then flashed back to my old trainer Katrin who, when she rode Mara, had me remove the lead line that was hanging from the arena fence.

They are scared these items might provoke a spook. Hm!

She took Mag to the mounting block and he lined up properly.

She climbed up there and as soon as she made a move to mount, he sprang away. One jump, just enough to say, "No, you will not get on my back."

She tried a few more times but he just stepped away, "I said no."

Susanne looked at me and smiled, "He's afraid of things that are above him!"

I said, "No, it's not that."

She said, "He'd do the same if you tried!"

I said, "No he won't."

To prove it I lined him up again, stood on the mounting block, and Mag dropped his head and relaxed. She said, "Oh! He's a one-person horse!" She went on to say it's an Arabian thing, but I don't buy that. All the Arabs I've known, none of them were like that.

I got on just to show her he's fine, although I have to admit, it flashed through my mind, "What if it's not OK for me either!"

She told me she'd need months of solid work with him to fix him. That he needs rehabilitation. A "korrektur-pferd" she called him.

Makes me wonder why she's OK coming out only once per month, but oh well.

Then she went back to teaching Ani and I folllowed them around, watching. It was as exciting as wet paint but I think Ani was happy about the lesson.

Susanne told me I need to reimburse Ani for half the price of her lesson because she spent so much time with Mag. Annoying cuz she was the one who decided to lunge Mag for 20 minutes straight!

As we were leaving the arena Ani stopped to pick out Rudi's hooves. It's a German thing. They don't want to lose the precious sand so they attach a hoof pick to the arena gate. She tried to hand me the hoofpick and I said, "Quatsch (BS), I'm not picking his hooves, I'm paying 7 Euros!"

Rudi ate grass as Ani picked her hooves, and gathered up her things. Ani said, "I wonder if they'll charge me for the grass she's eating." *lol*

I'm curious what will happen to this picture-perfect, horse-unfriendly farm.