Well, after my dirt sample I shortened my stirrups a notch. Seemed prudent. She has never bucked me off since that day. I shut her down immediately. I know I can't ride that ass in the air, shove backwards move while she walks on her front end. What was that Dirty Harry movie where he says, "A man's got to know his limitations." Well, so does a woman. I remember telling both Sabrina and Sheri, "I can't ride that move. She can get rid of me." They didn't get it. They hadn't met a horse with a move they couldn't ride if they were paying attention at that point. Well, just boot her forward, spank her. Or just ride it out, she'll quit. Uh, no she'll buck my happy ass off, thank you very much. If she starts to rise in the back like she's going to go...I just have to make the mean, "aaaahhhh" sound. She quits now. It wasn't always that way.
Cat can be a real jerk about picking up the left lead some days. Don't know why, she'll grab the right and immediately change, just doesn't want to depart on the left. Other days, no big thing. Bad days she'll hunker down, run backwards, spin, just basically have a fit about it. Some years ago I was riding in the indoor at RA with Sabrina, and her mom was watching from the rail. I'm circling left, working on the left lead. I'd ask, she'd start to buck. I'd shut her down, pull her face into my knee, and kick her in a tight circle till she quit. Then go back and ask for the lead again. Sabrina watched this happen about three times. She's irritated. Say's, "Give her to me, let me ask her." Allrighty, Cat you is in big trouble. I'm concerned, but Sabrina's mom is pretty confident she'll be fine.
So, Sabrina gets on and asks for the lead departure to the left. Cat starts to buck. I'd been riding with 8' split reins, Sabrina picks up those reins, and starts to spank her in an over and under motion on the haunches, and kicking. Cat stuffs her head and starts to go for it hard. They are making a lap around the perimeter of the arena. Oh yeah, that mare can buck, bronc bawl and all. They make a complete lap, Jeanne (the mom) says, "I don't know if she's going to be able to stick this much longer". Hey a minute or so of full on bucking is exhausting, it seems like an eternity. I'm thinking great, she loses this round we're all hosed. At about that moment Cat gives it up. Comes to a halt, and just blows...letting out all the tension. Sabrina says, "Okay, sweety, let's try that again." Boom, canter depart on the left, no problem. Cat can still be sort of a pill about the left, but nothing like she was. And she's never seriously bucked since that day. It is not a method I would recommend, except as a last resort, and you better be riding.
What did Sabrina say, "Holycrap my abs are sore."
Sheri has since met a horse with a buck she can't sit. She says, "About every six months like clockwork he just hammers me. I get what you meant". He's scary though, he'll come back and stomp on you while you're down. That's another story though.
Sabrina? I don't think she's met the horse yet. We all seem to sooner or later though. I watched her on a scurry run with her old horse Cowboy (amazing horse). He bobbled, or tripped, it popped her out of the saddle over the first scurry jump. Her right foot is stuffed behind the cantle of her barrel saddle, bent at what looks to be a pretty uncomfortable angle, it looks wedged, she still has a pole turn, and two jumps. They didn't even slow down, and ran clean. Yeah, she's crazy, but not as crazy as Sheri. lol
15 comments:
First:)
HeeHee!
Cool story. What a Cat Horse!
What a cat-like move.
Kudos to Sabrina,whoever the heck she is, for stickin' when she needed to:)
If Sabrina had hit the dirt, a very different Cat tale would be told, 4sure.
Probably a very different Cat. What a nightmare that would have been. lol
Great story. I had heard about that ride, but not in such blow-by-blow detail. Wow. Sabrina can ride, boy howdy yeah.
I wonder if Iris has that sun-fish-buck?
Oh Gawd, I hope she doesn't. I'm older now, like more than 10 years older. I wont make the first jump. lol
hp- why do you think she does that? and only on the left, huh?
does she still give you trouble with it now?
HP,
Have you had an equine dentist check her mouth? An other possibility is ulcers. There's a test for one type of ulcer, which I can't remember the name, but it's not usually given out. Some horses have had this type of reaction to the second type of ulcer I mentioned.
I'm so glad that Trooper is a trooper. I'm too old and sore to be bounced around. Good go though.
I've never had her scoped for ulcers. She has had regular dental work since I've owned her. She's only needed her teeth done twice. She doesn't live in a stall, and grazes pretty much throughout the year with supplemental hay and grain etc.
She isn't bad about it anymore. She is pretty much a hurry hurry kind of girl if at all worried (she get's rush-ey tries too hard and anticipates). Ulcers could be a possibility. Why uclers would affect just the left lead on the departure, I don't know. She prefers the left to canter...just doesn't want to pick it up. If you are cantering to the right, ask for a change it is a non issue. Left lead is not an issue in a flying change.
I have to admit when I first started schooling lead changes I wondered if she's be a hag again. Nope, non-issue.
She gets pretty regular chiropractic work. Sabrina even had the chiro out once since she's been at her place. I don't wait till I think something is out, or wrong. I just have her done about 3 times a year. Lately it's more like twice a year. She's been a pasture potato.
Hey HP do you think Molly and Cat could be related?
Oh crap running and ducking doesn't work well.
Tripped over the cat.
I was just kidding. I thought you could use a laugh
I don't know Dena. How do you think Molly will do on barrels?
HP I don't know. We are going to wait until she is 25 to start her.
We want to make sure she is done growing you know?
I know my guys are under the impression she is reeaaal fast, among other things.LMAO
I can sit a crow hop. I'm pretty sure you're all jealous. :) :)
Seriously, wow. I am always in awe of riders who have the talent to stick to a horse like that. I try really hard not to start shit I can't finish. I know my limitations too, and they are MANY. :) Like you guys said, the outcome can be very different and the horse that comes out winning the battle can be very hard to live with. :) :)
Dena, look at the fugly little poop in my avatar. I LOVE the little guy, he has personality plus, but you should see him when he's standing. I've never seen a horse whose back legs are attached like his are. It's unnatural I tell you! Cow hocked doesn't even begin to describe it. When he stands both of his back hooves are right next to each other and he places them under the middle of his belly. I don't even know how he remains upright. :)
So how did the weekend end up, for Cat and S? And George? I'm so glad she's running sound after all these years. Hope she's having a blast, too. :)
I know they finished in the money. I don't know if she won the average or not.
I'll probably talk to her this afternoon or evening.
(coughs loudly)
(looks around)
Sure is QuieT in here?
Did the fire go out?
(runs to get kindling)
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