Post by NFK Dumpling on Oct 23, 2016 19:14:31 GMT -1
The third week of long-reining
My friend Claire was coming to treat and clip Musk Saturday morning so I thought I'd go the long way round to James' young friend so we could go straight home afterwards.
Things were going fine until we got to the end of the drive and, instead of turning right as usual, I asked James to turn left: "No" he said " We always go right" when I insisted he leapt in the air and stuck both feet out (despite the arthritis in his hocks) and then gave in and walked nicely up the road.
All was going well albeit rather slowly so I thought I'd ask for a trot, I have trotted him in the longreins with me jogging behind him several times without incident. My mistake was getting off the track onto the stubble so as not to jar his feet and joints, silly me (or possibly, how stupid can I be?)I asked for trot, we did maybe half a dozen strides when he leapt in the air, tore the longreins out of my hands, bending all my fingernails back amongst other things, and galloped off
like the hounds of hell were on his heels rather than the longreins!
I started running after him (an exercise in futility) calling him but I could already hear him cantering up the road
so rang everyone I thought might be in to look out for him and turned round and went home. I found a car parked across the drive, James' young friend's dad coming up the road with a bucket of treats and the couple from the other end of our road walking a bright eyed, and only slightly sweating James, up and down our drive to cool him down.
After apologising to Steve who was minding his own business and going to work when James cantered past him, and taking the little fiend back from his girlfriend who luckily used to have horses, I led him down to do his therapy with a warning to his young friend's parents that they needed to pay 200% attention. His young friend wanted to know what had occurred in detail.
I'm sure that old pony is trying to turn the rest of my hair grey
It's a good job Claire knows James of old as we got back up the field at the same time as she arrived at my house where I was supposed to be waiting with Musk
I've now collected the driving bridle and a different bit to try and some handy hints from Sarah.
My friend Claire was coming to treat and clip Musk Saturday morning so I thought I'd go the long way round to James' young friend so we could go straight home afterwards.
Things were going fine until we got to the end of the drive and, instead of turning right as usual, I asked James to turn left: "No" he said " We always go right" when I insisted he leapt in the air and stuck both feet out (despite the arthritis in his hocks) and then gave in and walked nicely up the road.
All was going well albeit rather slowly so I thought I'd ask for a trot, I have trotted him in the longreins with me jogging behind him several times without incident. My mistake was getting off the track onto the stubble so as not to jar his feet and joints, silly me (or possibly, how stupid can I be?)I asked for trot, we did maybe half a dozen strides when he leapt in the air, tore the longreins out of my hands, bending all my fingernails back amongst other things, and galloped off
like the hounds of hell were on his heels rather than the longreins!I started running after him (an exercise in futility) calling him but I could already hear him cantering up the road
so rang everyone I thought might be in to look out for him and turned round and went home. I found a car parked across the drive, James' young friend's dad coming up the road with a bucket of treats and the couple from the other end of our road walking a bright eyed, and only slightly sweating James, up and down our drive to cool him down.After apologising to Steve who was minding his own business and going to work when James cantered past him, and taking the little fiend back from his girlfriend who luckily used to have horses, I led him down to do his therapy with a warning to his young friend's parents that they needed to pay 200% attention. His young friend wanted to know what had occurred in detail.
I'm sure that old pony is trying to turn the rest of my hair grey
It's a good job Claire knows James of old as we got back up the field at the same time as she arrived at my house where I was supposed to be waiting with Musk
I've now collected the driving bridle and a different bit to try and some handy hints from Sarah.
James never ceases to entertain! 
I - I think he's given me grey hairs just reading about it all 
your poor fingers and nails! 
I hope they will be alright? I cringed just reading about the first kick out, but then the fingers ~ cripes! And then the tear away ...sigh.....these Dales ponies can be so opinionated! 
