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Post by carshon on Jun 1, 2015 13:59:05 GMT
My daughter and I went for a ride yesterday. There are some grasslands about 1/2 hour from us that we wanted to try out. Due to the excessive rain we have had the last couple of weeks most of the state parks are closed to equestrians. We rode along a really great trail and came to a large puddle of water in a low spot. The water was brackish and smelled awful. But you had to ride through it to stay on the trail. Well after almost 45 minutes of trying we FAILED! The water at its deepest was probably over the knees and probably 30 feet or so across. You could not go around as the grasslands are actually a marsh and the trail is just a winding high spot through the marsh. I could get Steve to put just the two front feet in but he would not go any further - he pawed at it and smelled it *(and stirred up all of the bugs in doing so!) but he would not go any further in. I have to admit  I was so MAD! I probably got a little too aggressive with him - and it did no good. We cross water each and every time we ride and he and Gracie just would not cross this water. I hated to give up - but it was getting dark (about 7:15) and the bugs they stirred up were eating us alive! On the plus side we got to see a gorgous tom turkey with his full fan out strutting his stuff for the ladies. At first all you could see were the top tips of his feathers moving through the grass - the horses did not know what to think. Once we called out to it his fan went down and his little turkey head popped up like a telescope and we headed for the brush at the side of the creek. I guess I was lucky that Naughty Steve did not launch me into that nasty water - I really was after him - kept his nose facing the water at all times rewarded head lowered - but he just would not go in. I didn't feel much like a trail rider when we were done |
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mistersmom
Junior Member
Abita Springs, LA
Posts: 3,749 
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Post by mistersmom on Jun 1, 2015 14:05:56 GMT
You know, sometimes you have to trust the instincts of your horse. Since he normally walks through puddles with no problems, perhaps he sensed something was wrong with the puddle. But I do understand your frustrations. I'm assuming your daughter's horse wanted nothing to do with the puddle either?
Don't feel so bad, we've all been there and we just have to learn from the situation. But maybe find a puddle somewhere else and make him go through it just so he doesn't start to think that he can get his own way.
I love the part where you said the turkey popped his head up like a telescope, that gave me a good chuckle.
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hugs
Junior Member
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Post by hugs on Jun 1, 2015 23:50:41 GMT
I have to agree with MM; if you didn't actually walk across it yourself it could very well be that there was something that just was not right. Bussy wouldn't walk onto a trail from the road once and later I found out that a bear had been hanging around there. I'd be finding other puddles that you know for a fact are safe and see if Steve is okay with them. If he is, I'd figure he was keeping you both safe. Maybe it isn't as satisfying but if we trust their instincts in those situations it seems to me its kind of like having a superhero for a friend.
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redzip
Junior Member
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Post by redzip on Jun 2, 2015 0:09:13 GMT
Agree with MM too. My ole Reddy saved me a few times on trail rides. He was always so willing, and the few times he wasnt, he was right and I was wrong  Miss that old guy  |
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nhg
Junior Member
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Post by nhg on Jun 2, 2015 16:13:51 GMT
I had the same thought as MM. It would make me wonder what the real problem was. It also made me think of a friend's horse that she forced to go through some standing water and he cut himself and within a week was dead from lockjaw.
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Post by horselover4life on Jun 2, 2015 16:58:50 GMT
I don't think of it as a fail either.
I see a horse who was unsure of something and kept his rider and himself safe....
You all returned home safely, astride and unhurt....
That to me is never a failure!!
To be able to return and ride another day....sure sounds like a success story to me. 
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Post by horselady on Jun 2, 2015 17:49:08 GMT
I am going to tell a short story,
several years ago before houses were built near me i trail rode all the time. one day me on my hubbies arab mare. my son, his wife. and a friend were on horses just meandering around. we were about 45 minutes into the ride going across a field. my mare stopped. well if you know her, she decides to do something (or nothing) there is no making her. i let her have her head and said "just go" i did not want to get embarrassed as she was beginning to shake her head and throw a temper tantrum. sooooo she made a right. walked about 15 feet. made a left and walked about another 15 feet, than made right..yup she walked around the spot i was trying to get her to go thru. the next horse followed her lead. BUT the 3 rd horse a tiny little mare about 13.3 sunk up to her hocks in mud. now we all had to dismount and push and pull that mare out of the mud. This mare was smarter than i or any human
and i learned a lesson that day
moral to this story is easy. trust your horse and perhaps they did not like the footing. or smell. it is not failure to allow a horse to WIN. in fact they kept you safe from harm .
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Post by carshon on Jun 2, 2015 17:51:16 GMT
Aww thanks everyone! I get clinician shows in my head and I think - Naughty Steve and I have come so far and then something like this happens and I think - Well Maybe not so far! I really did lose my temper and for that I am ashamed. Made my daughter laugh because I am usually very calm and easy with my horses. I felt it was a teaching moment for her and her horse (which she lets get away with far too much) and then I admitted defeat.
My very close friend and riding buddy has always said "Live to ride another day" so I guess that is true. We will try the water again this week - probably at a different park and see if he is still his willing self.
Daughter rode him in the back yard with halter and lead rope last night so he does not seem too scarred from my loss of composure.
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Post by lorddaxter on Jun 2, 2015 18:54:49 GMT
I must admit I do tend to lose it a bit when they wont go where I want to, Dax is getting better with puddles, thing is when do you know theres something wrong or if they are just being naughty?!
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mistersmom
Junior Member
Abita Springs, LA
Posts: 3,749
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Post by mistersmom on Jun 2, 2015 22:46:39 GMT
LD - I think a lot of it relies on how well you know your horse. Since carshon said Steve normally goes through water with no problems, I am inclined to think he "saw" something wrong with that puddle. If Steve was a horse that often refused or gave problems at puddles, then it may be more of an obedience issue.
I also lose my patience at times, I think everyone does.
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hugs
Junior Member
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Post by hugs on Jun 2, 2015 22:49:20 GMT
There are times we don't know if our horse is acting out of safety or belligerence. But at the same time don't they trust us that what we do is out of safety and they follow our lead and it ends up not so great for them? But they don't hold it against us and rarely get angry with us, they just take it as 'one of those things that happen'. I think we get too caught up in "being right" and "being in control". Can a person ever be in control of a horse?
It is all learning, there is no failure.
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Deleted
Deleted Member
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Post by Deleted on Jun 2, 2015 23:35:32 GMT
Every ride that ends with everyone home safe is a success in my books  Don't beat yourself up too much about losing your temper. I don't think there are many amoung us that could say we have never done the same. I know I would be one of those sheepishly raising my hand with the guilty. I would tend to agree that he likely just saw or sensed something not quite right about that puddle and acted accordingly. A few years ago I was out on a ride with Apollo who is very willing, point and go sort of horse. One of the bravest I have had the pleasure of owning. We were out in the middle of a field and he just stopped dead. He didn't panic, didn't try to leave just planted himself. It took me 5-10 minutes kicking and telling him to 'get up' before I finally spotted the huge rattler coiled up maybe a foot from where he had cemented himself. The snake must have just shed or had been in some accident or something because his tail was going, but he had no rattles. Apollo just waited until the snake went on its way and kept going like nothing had happened. I felt about 2 inches tall, which is still better than I would have felt if he had actually listened to his silly human and gotten bit. Hope your next ride goes we'll |
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hugs
Junior Member
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Post by hugs on Jun 3, 2015 2:31:36 GMT
Wow Apollo, just wow! I think the point is made now, huh?
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Post by carshon on Jun 3, 2015 12:48:35 GMT
Apollo - I thank God it was not that bad. Encountered a rattle snake once on a trail riding with my cousins. The horses could sense it before we saw it - and then you could smell it! We turned around and went back the way we came!
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Post by carshon on Jun 8, 2015 15:07:07 GMT
Finally got out again (it has been raining) and Naughty Steve lived up to his name. Came to a washout on the trail and he refused to cross. Doing the exact thing he did at the grasslands. My hubby got his horse to cross and then Steve went across. I had to run him around to make him cross it again - and he balked. I got after him and he went across. At the creek crossing I got after him before he could think about it. By the time we had to cross the creek again to return to the trailer he did not even blink an eye. Even when his easy boot got sucked off and was just haning on by the velcros gaiter.
So more water crossings and ground work for us I see!
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mistersmom
Junior Member
Abita Springs, LA
Posts: 3,749
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Post by mistersmom on Jun 8, 2015 15:54:00 GMT
Oh naughty Steve! I'm glad you were able to get him through the water and not let him get away with being naughty.
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Post by horselover4life on Jun 8, 2015 18:20:51 GMT
Testing the waters figuratively and literally....
Keep at it and be careful.
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Post by lorddaxter on Jun 8, 2015 19:14:25 GMT
I had a prob with my Irish Draft cross branny with water, one day I stood infront of a stream he refused to cross for weeks, I just kicked and kicked tried backing him through, what bugged me is he would lead through, I had lots of time this day so I persisted(I was alone so no lead either)Im not kidding when I say I was exhausted, bright red in the face, sweating, sore throat from screaming at him, then all of a sudden boom he leapt over the whole thing, yes, I did very nearly fall off, after that I tried again and he started just walking through and from that day I never had an issue with water, persistance will pay off for you lol!
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hugs
Junior Member
Posts: 2,647
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Post by hugs on Jun 8, 2015 21:59:41 GMT
Buster's cue was apoplexy too. Best to be alone for that.
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I was so MAD! I probably got a little too aggressive with him - and it did no good. We cross water each and every time we ride and he and Gracie just would not cross this water.
