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Re: [RC] late start at rides - Don Huston

Hello Donna,

I had one of those "hot heads" that was terrible at the start. Rode him 5 years and he never gave it up but I did figure out a way to make him a lot better. When I got up to feed in the morning I put his saddle on so his back was all warmed up. 45-60 minutes before start time I started riding him around camp and then out the start trail at least 1/2 mile then back at the trot then out again fast if the trail was suitable then back and continued walking around camp. After I started this routine we could start with others at the back 1/2 of the ride which is where I wanted to be for doing my "To Finish Is To Win" riding and the "hot head" behaved fairly well.

He's 24 now, been retired for 8 years and still a "hot head". I still ride him every week or two and can ride out with others but I have to ride back home alone or he just becomes a brainless racing machine. By himself he is a blast, powerful, responsive, fast, forward, almost never slows on his own and never takes care of himself. That's why I retired him, he would not let me moderate his energy and was killing both of us.

Don Huston


At 12:12 PM 4/7/2009 Tuesday, you wrote:
What is the rule or general policy about starting late at a ride? I mean, you have already checked in at the pre-start time about 15 minutes early, either in person or w/ your horse. So how late can you then leave camp? Is there any rule or is it up to the ride manager? My new Arabian horse is having serious "emotional" problems at the start and for safety reasons I'd like to wait til everyone is WAY out of sight when I try my next ride. At least til he has had more starts and experience on trail.  He is difficult, to say the least, at the starts. Doesn't matter if other horses are around or with him or behind him. I can only imagine what he's thinking ... He acts as if the world is ending and if he doesn't GO this instant with all those other horses, he'll never see another horse again in his life (oh the terror of it all). Unfortunately, he's coming close to taking off with all those other horses without me.
 
Donna in Texas.