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[RC] How do I train my horse to be braver? (long) - Deanna German

I'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)




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