Wednesday, June 3, 2009

Rode Top Today


Poor Top. The day just didn't start well. He was kind of 'big' as soon as he got tied to be tacked up. Another trainer (yeah, use the term really lightly) was there with a passel of kids. None supervised, all cleaning and watering...and acting like unsupervised kids.


So, I'm brushing Top. This kid comes up at mach 5, and starts to pull the hose on the wheel right behind him. He looks around behind him, body all tight. I ask her if she needs to do that right now. (My hose, and my wheel by the way). Kid looks at me blankly. I say..."You're standing directly behind my horse...you didn't say anything to him, and started pulling the hose with no warning. If it had been another horse, you may have been kicked." One of the adults with that crew told the kid to just fill the bucket later, when I was done. (Gawd forbid I mess up their routine).


This is the same 'trainer' that moved Top from his stall, and is unkind to him when she thinks no one is around. Yeah, I'm waiting...something will present itself. At this point I just feel invaded, and am close to nutting up on people. Things go missing. Stuff is moved. They are just rude, rude people. Did you know that wash racks are tie and tacking racks?


I'm apparently not the only one fed up with this woman. She left a halter and lead out...someone threw it up on the roof on the barn. Man, someone even pettier than me is ticked at her. She leaves her infant in the truck while she gives lessons. More times than not the truck is running. I just want her to go away. She's not safe. Her lessons aren't safe, the kids are at risk...it's just a mess. Okay, I may be overly cautious...but dang. She has a mare in, that belongs to an acquaintance of mine. The mare rots in a stall. Rarely gets out. Stall if often filthy. The mare is now cranky, and lunges at people and horses as they walk by. Oh, the mare is in to be marketed and sold. The woman is getting paid for this. Un-freaken-believable. She is worth less now, than when she came in.


Okay, back to Top. Got kind of sidetracked on my rant. Well, the clouds were coming in. Figured I had some time. We head to the arena. Top is having a hard time keeping it together to even get the lunge line on. Allrighty. One of my students is in there lunging. I tell her..."Move down, now." She takes one look at Top, and scoots down. Top explodes forward just as I clip the line on. Just couldn't contain it anymore. Then had no clue where to go (typical Top). Turns and looks at me like, "Did you see that ghost bite my butt?" Uhmmm, no Top, I didn't see any ghost. So, he is of course semi explosive on the line. Starts to settle...then some girls decide this would be the perfect time to practice walking their horses over the wooden bridge used for trail classes. Top thought this was very very wrong, and would bounce...halt and stare at the girls. Make a circle...bounce, halt stare. Enough already. We had to go see the bridge. 'Oh, it's some jump standards, and a bridge...heh-heh...it looked different from over there. '


Well, he starts to work pretty decent. (God is not on my side today) It starts to rain, lightning and thunder. (Really glad he had the Wintec on). So we then have to get used to this. He does. We are both soaked. My intent was to ride, and by gawd I'm going to ride. So I lead him over to the fence...climb up and on. I'm sitting on a giant coiled ball. Oh, this just does not feel good.


We start to walk, making large soft circles. Working toward even connection and forward. Lightning...little hop, followed by thunder...a scoot, with a bigger hop...and back to work. I really did feel like I was on a giant Arab. A little inversion here, a drop and scoot there. And one good bounce. Finally got some decent forward, even horse in both reins and called it a day.


Oh, and just an FYI...did you know that jeans, and a wet Wintec makes for a really grippy seat. Your butt does not move.

11 comments:

nccatnip said...

Uhhhhhhh........... rain, lightening and a big, scary horse. Sounds like, uh, fun?


FirST!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

autumnblaze said...

Ugh... so that's the kind of crap I have to look forward to at boarding barns. *gulp* I am so nervous.

I have to admit I like riding in the rain a bit... Gator isn't a fan. :) The lightening and thunder though... skeery.

Dena said...

Ummm...HP? Must you ride when there is lightening?
Things aren't that bad are they?LOL

I suppose I could substitute rope halter, first ride for me on green green horse, in the yard with no fence, bareback.
Sometimes it seems cheaper than a gun huh?
LMAO

Today we will be in the pen. Properly bitted.
Can't promise a saddle. I love the way she feels under me.
She fits and I did not see that coming.

Is Lap coming into some latent personality and expressing himself?
We see a lot of that here. It is the beginning phase of trust. Testing, testing...
Will you beat me now? What if I do this? Hmmm...How about this?
This always guaranteed a good whupping.
Wait until you get back to the confused, okay, you won't beat me, so, what am I supposed to do now?
Rehabbing the mind is a gas isn't it?

secondwindacres said...

Gee hp. I'm so sorry that you have to deal with that mess at the barn. What a bunch of insensitive, clueless kids and adults. And it's not your job to educate the ones not in your care, but it looks like that is what you've started to do. Thank goodness they have someone there who CAN educate some of them. Poor Top. He was probably thinking God wasn't on his side today either.

Thunder and lightning=horse going back to his stall and Mary hightailing it into the house. :) :) You are a very brave woman.

horspoor said...

Oh, the woman out at the barn is one of those, 'oh so sweet' to your face, and a snake in reality.

I'm not going to educate those kids. I'm just going to try and steer clear of them as much as possible.

She ended up riding a horse I'd trained. He's a sensitive, tries too hard kind of guy. She is jerking on the reins, with sharp quick tugs. Her explanation to the owner was, you have to do this to get his attention so he'll go on the bit. WFT? You ignorant twit, you're knocking him off the bit. Oh, but she lived in Germany. Therefore she must be a great rider.

Says to me one day, how nice the horses I've trained are, the ones she's ridden anyway. Then says, we ride alike. UH, no. I don't have a chair seat, nor do I hang on the reins. And I certainly don't knock horses off the bit, unless they are dragging my ass out of the saddle, or running off with me.

Dena said...

Here is one for you HP.

Life is an unscheduled skill test.
For everyone.
Now that IS scary...

twhlady said...

You are definitely right wet jeans hang on to any saddle better. You do not slide anywhere and you are stuck to that seat. I hope your days go better. I am off to my reining lesson tonight thankfully it is a private facility with no children or know it alls, just the owner and his clients who are there to learn reining.

horspoor said...

twh, that sounds wonderful. Have a great time.

bhm said...

Thank the Lord for wet jeans and extra grip.

Unsupervised kids in a barn is always bad news. I hope no one gets hurt.

GoLightly said...

10th, and picture deprived.

TYPical;)

Kudos to Top for not flattening a few skulls.

Horses are such saints..

(sigh)

Drsgjunky said...

HP..

Is this a trainer where your at? More Details?

Sorry for not keeping up.