Posted 2006-06-20 2:01 AM (#43296 - in reply to #42607) Subject: RE: Is it me or my mare
Extreme Veteran
Posts: 489
Location: CA
Did she get any different feed on the trail ride? I ask this because my very mellow gelding was an absolute pill last month on a week-long trail ride. I finally figured out he was getting alfalfa as "treats". Boy, he was high as a kite! Not at all like his normal self. Needless to say, he's back on straight grass from now on.
Posted 2006-06-21 7:15 AM (#43369 - in reply to #43296) Subject: RE: Is it me or my mare
Elite Veteran
Posts: 954
Location: Hagerstown, MD
Hi gemm, great question and the answer I'm offering makes me think you might be on to something. I gave my mare and my wife's gelding some 12% feed that morning, but only about one and a half quarts each. I didn't think that would make much of a difference, but evidently you aren't the only one that thought it could have an effect. One of the other trail riders asked me the same question in a round about way that evening and suggested not giving them ANY grain, unless they absolutely needed it and they were already getting it on a regular basis. I had forgotten about that conversation until I read your question. Like I said, maybe you are on to something with the feed? Let me see what comes up with her behavior in the next few weeks after experimenting with the feed and seeing if I can duplicate the scenario on the trail ride. Now that I think about it, I fed her the same feed, the same way on the first trail ride a week before the Memorial Day trail ride. Hmmmmmm, guess I'll keep working on this and thanks for the input. Happy trails.
Posted 2006-06-21 7:32 AM (#43370 - in reply to #42607) Subject: RE: Is it me or my mare
Expert
Posts: 1205
Location: Danielsville Georgia
I've also had a WELL schooled horse that on a wgaon train was not paying attention and was a type A pill.Rode him away from the crowd,noise and was a gentleman.Same with Field trialers.Horses are green to such and get caught up in the excitement.Not feed or gear,schooling and experiance.
Posted 2006-06-21 3:27 PM (#43405 - in reply to #43370) Subject: RE: Is it me or my mare
Elite Veteran
Posts: 954
Location: Hagerstown, MD
hounddog, once again I agree with what you are saying, but there's a problem making it fit with my mare. Remember, she was almost perfect the week before on a similar wagon train. If wagons and such were going to "wig her out," don't you think it would have happened both weekends? Let me know what you think. Happy trails.
Posted 2006-06-21 4:00 PM (#43407 - in reply to #42607) Subject: RE: Is it me or my mare
Expert
Posts: 1205
Location: Danielsville Georgia
On a big ride or wagon train and being a pill RIDE off or head back and get ALONE and ride and see.I just don't agree with the tack fit/feed thing.Kinda like WE"LL I need a HARSHER bit thing etc.My points in the last few posts I made is most horses don't get humble to mans wishes eaither due to a lack of schooling(experiance/green etc) pr lack of respect for THE person on their back. bet if a WEEKS worth of every day on a wagon train she'd settle down(tired/routine/conserving energy as in its another long day of miles etc) because I've seen it many many times and been there done it many times.I've been on a 10 day wagon train and ALL the hard chargers GOTTA GO GO ones ALL settled down and got REAL obedient. Read a article once about soured high dollar barrel horses being sent/used in a pack string for a while or a rancher with so much BIG land that after a few days running amuck all freetfull got humble to the person on them and worked at the task at hand.Same deal.Yours is a age old issue this day and age.Moormans put that mule TO WORK and after a month of TRAINING(LOL) worked good for the other old man for a while.At least until another long vacation lol.
Posted 2006-06-22 5:46 AM (#43427 - in reply to #43407) Subject: RE: Is it me or my mare
Elite Veteran
Posts: 954
Location: Hagerstown, MD
houddog, once again, I can't disagree with your logic and you bring it with a lot of experience and facts. Overall, I think you are right because my mare is "a thinker" and does not submit well. She has a lot of pride, is pretty and she knows it. I think you are hitting the nail on the head with your approach to solving my problem with my favorite mare. Plus the fact, that I'm probably thinking about the problem too much as well. My only fear is there's a problem physically with her being a pill and between me worrying about it and the neighbor doing an excellent job eliminating it, I think we've got that part of taken care of. I'm going to concentrate on the training part of it, take her out of her comfort zone, maybe box stall her for a few days, demote her from her position as "queen of the paddock" and move on from there. Thanks for your input houddog, I appreciate it. Happy trails.