ridecamp@endurance.net: Re: Horse/Rider Compatibility/Mismatch?

Re: Horse/Rider Compatibility/Mismatch?

JBagford@aol.com
Fri, 7 Feb 1997 22:39:30 -0500 (EST)

I can relate to this. I bought my mare in 89. She was an unbroke (though not
untrained) 2 yr old. She was always halter trained to death, never spooked
while I was on the ground. NEVER. After a year I began her saddle training.
She was scared of everything. Gradually we got over it no rearing or bucking
(still an occasional Arabian Death Snort) For the next 4 years we did
everything. Dressage, Trail Class, Barrels, Vaulting. We never had any kind
of bond. She never did the things other peoples horses did, like nickering
when she saw me comming (not even when I had FOOD). Technically she was very
good, even kind of a push button horse. She did what I asked, no more no
less. Then one day I got up the guts to call AERC and have them send me some
info, 2 weeks later I was a member. We started seriously conditoning. I
didn't have a trailler so most of the work was done on the side of the road.
Around the block 2 times every morning before work. I think we made it out to
a trail three times before our first ride. Nothing changed between Brenna and
I. I asked she did. When I went to get her in the morning for our ride she
would let me catch her, but she never came to me.

Our first ride, a 50 (yes I started with a 50, I figured I could pull at any
time). We started with the group, and Brenna is going along just fine
trotting nicely with the rest. The first vet check, she passes with all A's.
I'm enjoying the ride, relaxed, about three quarters back in the group. As we
head out of the first check something happens to my horse. Her ears go
straight up and so does her tail. She takes hold of the bit (a plain snaffle)
leans into it and starts to FLY. We are covering ground at a very fast trot,
we are a team. We move in harmony. She covers trail I would have considered
impossible to ride over at a walk, at a trot or canter. I can feel what she
is going to do before she does it. She is responding to my thoughts, rather
than ques. We don't have time for ques.The 2nd vet stop. Brenna comes in,
drinks like a pro. We untack and feed her. I run of to use the nessasary
(porta potty). I come out and Brenna is stareing at me, at the end of her
lead, and she by god NICKERS at me. Heck I'm not even carrying food! Most of
the rest is a blur. I remember struggleing to the top of a mountain on foot
beside her. There were tears streaming down my face. I couldn't belive that
after 5 years a bond like that could just happen. I rode with another team
for the last 10 miles. We stopped at some water about half a mile from the
finish. I was just about to say "race you" when he looked down and said
"you're missing a shoe" I said some bad things, jumped off and started to
lead Brenna in. Brenna wanted nothing to do with that. She stomped, lashed
her tail and GROWLED as the other horse troted off. Three more horses passed
us, Brenna is very angry now. We came accross the finish her dragging me. The
next day I went out to see her. I limped out and she galloped from the other
side of the pasture, yelling her greeting the whole way. Brenna and I have
something special now. Not every horse will have that kind of a dramatic
change. I think that Brenna just found something she loved and "that made all
the difference". Now Brenna is a different horse, and I'm a different rider.
We have a lot more fun now. I think I will always be in love with the sport,
even if I never have another horse like Brenna, because I found out what kind
of bond a horse and rider CAN have.
Jane UT

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