I just started a mustang that I got from BLM a couple years
ago.? When I got her, she was afraid to
be touched behind the shoulder and I’d seen her buck bigger than any
rodeo bronc, so I was never in any hurry to ride
her.? We did lots of stuff in the round
pen, eventually did some ground driving, all with big huge gaps in time because
I was focusing on other horses. ?
I just started riding her in the last 3 weeks (although I
got on her the first time a year ago).?
She is an amazing horse – very calm, never forgets anything.? Riding has been extremely easy.? She is balanced in a way that none of my
other horses are after years of being ridden. ?I don’t know if she’ll have the metabolics to be an endurance horse, but I have her signed
up for a couple CTRs. ?She was so unwilling in the round pen that I
thought we’d never do anything – but she just loves the trail.
The only problem we’re having is that while she loads
and unloads very well, she is not happy in the trailer. ?She sweats a lot – is dripping wet with
a half hour ride – and she just leans on one divider (slant load trailer)
to the point where she is black on one side. ?I have to admit these are not the easiest
rides, but we take things as easy as possible.?
Our driveway is steep (requires 4 wheel drive) and just getting to a
main road is very twisty and rutty.
I plan on spending some time just letting her hang out in
the trailer, eating, getting petted and fed treats. ?But I’m not sure that will really help
since being in the trailer doesn’t really seem like the problem.? Any other suggestions?? Maybe just taking her on a longer trip on
better roads?
This horse is really the calmest thing I’ve ever seen
in every other circumstance.? She just
had her teeth done with ½ the drugs the other needed, plus had some unexpected
wolf teeth pulled w/o extra knockout juice. ?The vet was amazed.
One other question (which may actually help this horse) –
for those of you with Exiss trailers, do you find
ventilation to be an issue?? I have a
2000 LQ 3H and I really don’t like the options I have with the
window.? I don’t want to drop the
windows as that is too dangerous but just sliding the small sliders doesn’t
provide enough airflow. ?When it’s warm
(I just got the trailer last fall) the front horse is frequently either very
warm or even sweaty with every single window and vent open. ?The first stall has a stud divider so maybe
that is the problem? ?The others are warm
but not as bad (and the mustang is usually hauled in one of the back stalls.) I
was thinking of getting some small fans – any thoughts on if that would
work?? Other
suggestions?
