Wednesday, May 6, 2009

Worst Ride

Last week was the worst of rides I have ever had, since I have been riding the mare. We had gone out to the tree farm next to the barn and then onto the private 80 or so acres beyond this to explore again...trying to make my way to the trails at the top of the road I trailered to once before. If I may do it without trailering or touching a road with hoof...that would be great!

We went in the Soft saddel since my creeking little jump saddle wne t back to it's maker for re flocking . She loves the Cashel Soft Saddel..it is treeless and cushy. I love it too...but I am not able to get off and on like normal..unless ther is a rather large tree stump.

The mare was a bit off, for lack of a better description...very needy, constantly neighing to her herd , not being able to listen very well... and wanting to trot the whole time. She was better going away the first hour or so...we went down by the creek and crossed it and found a rather large pond. Then ventured across another creek to a rather large old barn...what a beauty it is too!

I decided to go down the way I had cleared already in case of a surprise this new way that would entail me having to dismount. The days of old, with me leaping flat footed onto any horse, are sadly OVER!

We found the way across another creek and up to a driveway and YES!!! Over to the second 20 acre or so, tree farm! We have permission from the neighbor to ride these lands and what a JACKPOT it is to have them....I am finally able to do some cross training with the mare with how nice and level and LONG the footing is and goes...I wonder how many miles are in a 40 acre tree farm? I just have to get a GPS so I may use the heart monitor, as Stacey and Klein do..as well as the mileage counter!

o we made the trek to exactly where I wanted to go...I am so thankful for these wonderful trails that Trump any I have ridden to date..NO GRAVEL ROADS!
I may go barefoot hooves with the mare and not deal with boots!


So, on the way back, the mare was just frenzied and I did not know she could prance or "Jig" but she began to..it actually was comfy> but not welcome! I tried the one rein yield with her and she just won't give to that...as the times I tried it before..she never releases and almost keeps moving, feeding into to my fears of going over.


Well, she did...she tripped over herself and her right hind end crumpled and I was thinking of getting my feet out of the stirrups and they did come out as I slid off..she caught herself finally and I was relieved, as she may have gotten me if she had come backwards and down.


She looked dejected and we just stood there figuring out what happened. We just walked on home..it was within sight. She cut her hip and leg on something as she hit the ground.so I put some "Sore No More" liniment on it for a few days and she was fine.


I will not attempt that again..though all the natural horsemanship trainers teach it..my mare is silly and I won't go down again trying it.....her "calm down" is to stop moving...even doing patterns gets her riled up if she is already headed there. I have to just stop her and ask her to put her head down an shut OFF the Adrenaline!

I have had some very nice arena rides and also other trail rides since that ICK day..don't know what it was but, next time she can't stop whinnying..I am not getting on her!

8 comments:

  1. Sounds like a mare in heat to me, Kacy. I find the cycles to be more pronounced at this time of year than they are later in the summer. Glad you are both safe.

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  2. Yikes! I'm just so grateful that you weren't hurt. So scary! Good thinking on your part to slip off of her in case she could have fallen on you. And such wisdom on your part not wanting to ride her if she shows such behavior again. Baby Doll has done that screaming for other horses behavior once before and ended up doing the jiggy, nervous prancing, too. Not fun.

    I'm just relieved you're ok, my friend.

    (((HUGS)))
    ~Lisa

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  3. Kacy, glad you are back, missed you! The one rein stop is good sometimes but it doesn't work on every horse. I have read of others trying it and the horse fell. So far it works with Gilly. He has fallen on me three times and that's enough....a scary thing! This was two years ago and he was younger then. He balance seems much better now that he is older.
    Like dp said maybe it was heat related, hormones can make them (and us) crazy!
    Glad you weren't hurt and her no more than a scratch.
    hugs.......
    ~Jane and Gilly~

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  4. I tried that one rein stop with disastrous results as well. I'm glad you are both okay. It is sometimes trying working with these mares but in the end it is worth it. I'm so glad you found more land to ride.

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  5. That must have really shook you up. Those split second decisions regarding what to do when your horse falls are so nerve-wracking.

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  6. Hey Kac, So good to hear you were not hurt! I don't think I EVER remember jumping on my horses from the flat! LOL! Too short...even quarter ponies were too tall! I'll have to say, the first idea that came to mind was that she was cycling. It's not that she's trying to a bad horse, it's well, a little like we are (were, for me) when just going into one, edgy! Has she ever been bred? If you've mentioned it before, I missed it. One rein stops are not going to work well...the best thing is to get her eyes on the ground with a heads down and if you have to dismount to do it, so be it! I've had many people tell me about the raspberry leave herbal stuff you can give them at that time but I've never tried it. Only way to get rid of the issue altogether is ride a gelding and we are too in love with our horses to do that! Usually people who tell you to do that wouldn't have a mare in their barn....personally, I don't agree. Mares are sometimes more responsive and move forward well. Each horse is different. Start a journal with the dates and you'll begin to see a pattern I bet. Happy riding! I have a contest posted today if you're interested!?

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  7. DP Maybe...it did not occur to me since she just came off that 3 week season!Mee too...it was dicey

    Lisa YIKES is right...well..it was not an execution I made..it happened fast I just thought to get my feet out of the stirrups!I too am glad it was not a swash event!Thanks Lis!

    Jane Thanks Jane...I have been just soo tired lately with this weather and not sleeping well...I had started these two posts last mo. so I just thouhgt to share them instead of discarding them. A bit more of us, I usually don't share the uglies

    Mountain Woman Yea..I knew better..she just does not get it and it wacks her neck out and jaw too...but I learned soo much that day and will give it all a rest if starts out like that!

    Nuzzling It did shake me! I knew we were in a bad way when she would not stop yelling for the others.Now I know that she is not able to be sound in mind if that occurs...I am glad that she caught herself before sahe headed for me already behind her on the ground!

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  8. Hi LU, I used to be able to jump on a 17 hander from the ground..but thoses were lighter younger days!
    No she has never been bred. I am in love with her and if I pay attention to the cues, can get along well with her personality. I am not one to discard animals..she is not dangerious towards me or others..she actually is so well behaved and resonalble..it is jsut sometimes she looses it. Kinda like us all!
    Overall...I love a mare!

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