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[RC] How do I train my horse to be braver? (long) - Deanna GermanI've got a question for you all that I haven't seen discussed. My mare wants to be able to see or smell other horses in front of her when working. This is fine for CTR or if/when we ever get to the middle or front of an endurance ride, but right now I'm looking at running back of the pack where you end up riding alone a lot. I think she's happy leading a group at a trot, but not fast, and can actually put some distance between us and the group, but as soon as she hears them coming up behind her again, I have to leg her on and leg her on, but she makes faces and slows enough to let them pass. Of course I don't want her to play chase the horsie, so I don't let her get swept up in their wake. And we end up going slower than if we would have just stuck with the group or stayed behind them. My only saving grace on the endurance ride I did is that the people who overtook me stopped for crew breaks. Not having crew, I just motored past them at a nice working trot. Of course, then the process repeated itself. This mare just seems to hate going fast when she's by herself or in the lead of a group. Spooks all over creation and beats the snot outta me. She has nice gaits when she has that carrot of being able to see or smell a horse in front of her but is so hesitant and tense when she can't and worse when she can hear horses coming up behind her. If I'm riding completely by myself, which I do most of the time since I don't have a training buddy, she won't go fast but can do a nice, even, trotting pace with some cantering mixed in now and again for a few strides. I can live with being able to count on an even pace, even if it's a back of the pack pace. I'd *like* to move up in the pack, but first things first. Of course, I can't count on being able to ride with someone else at an endurance ride and I don't want to have to! I want to be able to ride by myself, have a nice ride, not get the snot beat outta me with spooks or uncomfortable gaits and not worry about making time. We did our first 50 and it should have been easy for us, but our ride time was somewhere around 8 1/2 hours. At this rate, I'm worried about making time when we tackle more difficult terrain where the terrain dictates the pace and we'll have to really move out when we have the chance. It's not a fitness issue -- she hardly blows compared to her riding companions (when she has them), is sound as can be and her pulse drops easily and quickly when the workload drops. Always has plenty of energy. Probably due to the "spook aerobics" she's been doing for 4 years. How in the heck do I make this mare bolder and stop worrying about what anyone else is doing? (FWIW, yes she was in season yesterday and yes, there were two geldings in our group of 4. <sigh> But it was the same when we did our 50 last month and she was most definitely NOT in season.) An endurance rider we were riding with yesterday, who seems to have a naturally bold horse (gelding), tells me that she thinks mares are like this. Does anyone else agree with this? This mare is a coming 8YO in her first "big" ride season (200 miles so far, mostly CTR). Will this improve with age and with more endurance rides and fast work? Yes, I do lots of flatwork and this mare knows "give me an ear" and how to travel in a frame. TIA for any help and advice. Deanna (Ohio) =-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-= http://www.endurance.net/ads/seabiscuit.html Ridecamp is a service of Endurance Net, http://www.endurance.net. Information, Policy, Disclaimer: http://www.endurance.net/Ridecamp Subscribe/Unsubscribe http://www.endurance.net/ridecamp/logon.asp Ride Long and Ride Safe!! =-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=
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