Can ponies have temper tantrums...cuz I think mine just did. I managed to get out to the barn and get Bay taken care of early. I had planned to longe Boo on Monday, but Bay's injury put a hold on that, so I figured I would do it today. He needed a bit of a clean up so I did that and tacked him up, took the longe line and the longe whip and headed for the indoor.
Almost as soon as I attached the longe line he gave a little squeal and he was off! I don't like that kind of longeing. I like to start off at the walk, then go to the trot, and finally go to the canter. Normally Boo listens to me on that but not today. I managed to bring him back down to the walk but it took some time. We proceeded to walk and then to trot. Once I knew he was warmed up a bit I stopped him to attach the side reins. Then once again we headed out at the walk, then the trot. He was giving me a really nice and forward trot. I worked him in and out on the circle a couple of times then sent him back out and asked for the canter. That's when it happened. He started cantering, then he started cantering a little faster, then he went into an all out gallop and completely ignored me on the other end of the longe line. Around and around and around he went. I had to keep looking away from him to keep from getting dizzy. I kept asking him to trot, but he just kept right on doing what he was doing and he seemed ticked off! Since he wasn't listening I just stood there and let him circle around me at top speed hoping he wouldn't end up falling down. I let him run until he began to slow. Figuring he was tiring himself out I asked again for the trot and then an immediate WHOA!
I won't try to tell you he stopped on a dime because he didn't. It took some time to get him to slow the trot and then stop the jigging and finally to come to a complete stop and let me approach him. Once I was sure he was calmed down a bit I switched sides and sent him out again at a walk, then a trot, and finally a canter. We mirrored everything we had done in the first go round except this time Boo didn't start galloping like a mad hatter! I think he was just to tired. He used to do this to my previous trainer a lot. As a matter of fact he got so worked up he even started backing up on her and one time reared up and went over backward. With me he's always been a lot calmer. I don't know what his trigger was today. Maybe he was just expressing his irritation at having to work that hard. It's been awhile since I've longed.
I'm not going to stop, however. Next time I'm going to work the opposite side first. He's going to get longed at least once a week until he goes back to obeying my voice commands like before. It wasn't that the side reins were to tight because they were on the very first ring. I think he just had a temper tantrum. Today he was lazy Boo and he ended up working harder and longer than he would have had to otherwise. All his choice.
As I read the horsey blogs...it is going around.I will find out if I add my words to the general theme tomorrow!
ReplyDeleteYou look so beautiful in the photo...the both of you!
KK
Love the photo, too!
ReplyDeleteI always start my horse out slow on the longe line. My sister's horses always start out fast, I think her trainer had them do that so that is what they know. I wouldn't start my own workout or a run fast right off the bat, so I don't understand why a horse has to. I believe in doing a lot of walking and trotting to warm and loosen them up before asking for faster gaits. I am lucky, even when he's full of it, my horse is pretty mellow on the longe line. Once I get him going, he'll act crazy and I'll be like "I knew you had it in you!" ;)
I'm glad Boo finally slowed down and stopped. I saw a gelding my sister was longing at the stable she works at, run so fast and hard at the circle, he almost fell down. He was like the energizer bunny, he just kept going and going and going! He's stalled all day and I think he just gets out once a day for a ride/turnout in the arena, so he was feelin' his oats!
Great picture!
ReplyDeleteMine will both do a bit of that if they've been cooped up. I wonder if there's a way to let them get that energy out when they've been cooped up without compromising training? I don't know much about it, but it seems like it be helpful.
Glad he didn't hurt himself.
Stinker is in a pasture all day long :)
ReplyDeleteI LOVE the picture above. I have one horse who gets racey like that--he was bred to be a race horse and used that way when he was young, so it's still in him at the age of 18 and being FAT--memo to Shadow, you're not a racehorse!! But I think it's the time of year, too--Beautiful was a bit wound up the other day and she made grooming a very difficult chore. That's the great thing about lunging before you ride--you see what you've got that day--it seems, it's always a little different.
ReplyDeleteKim said Finn did airs above the ground this week, and I placed Phantom up for sale momentarily on Wednesday. Do our equine kids have spring fever?! It isn't exactly "cougar weather." Sheesh! Oh well, better to get it out of their system on the longe line than under the saddle. As long as they don't hurt themselves. Love your series of portraits with him!
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