I was working at a farm that had an Anglo-Arab horse owned by a young girl who was somewhat spoiled. She was a teenage girl who was allowed to have whatever she wanted and not too disciplined. So, she also owned a young and somewhat undisciplined horse that she didn’t visit as much as she should. When she did come to visit or ride it, it acted up, was unruly, but she did manage to ride it from time to time.
Turning this horse out to the pasture was a nightmare. It would buck and rear, pull back, just a nuisance. I was a barn manager, responsible for turning out the horses in the morning and bringing them in at night. Having some experience, I could manage this horse, but it was never a picnic.
One morning, I was bringing the horse out to the paddock for turnout, and it started up its antics. We had just gotten to the gate, I opened the gate to let it in and it reared up. High.
Now, if you know anything about horses, you should know that you never resist in this moment. You kind of go with the horse until it comes down. Then you get control. Horse rears, wait for it to come down, reorganize. No problem. I have had this situation before.
Well, something about this obnoxious horse made me turn and look at it, as it was hovering over me and pulling on the lead line with all its might. I pulled and walked backwards (so not the right thing to do) and then I tripped over a rock or divot, dropped the lead line and fell smack down on my backside!
The moment I lost the lead line out of my hand the horse also lost its balance and fell back onto its backside. Well, the two of us just sat there, looking at each other for a second. Then we both got up, dusted ourselves off and walked into the paddock.
The funny part of this story is that that horse never, and I mean NEVER gave me a hard time about turnout again. He was like a little angel.
I guess the young owner got other interests and sold the horse. I don’t remember what became of them, but I will never forget this experience.
Turning this horse out to the pasture was a nightmare. It would buck and rear, pull back, just a nuisance. I was a barn manager, responsible for turning out the horses in the morning and bringing them in at night. Having some experience, I could manage this horse, but it was never a picnic.
One morning, I was bringing the horse out to the paddock for turnout, and it started up its antics. We had just gotten to the gate, I opened the gate to let it in and it reared up. High.
Now, if you know anything about horses, you should know that you never resist in this moment. You kind of go with the horse until it comes down. Then you get control. Horse rears, wait for it to come down, reorganize. No problem. I have had this situation before.
Well, something about this obnoxious horse made me turn and look at it, as it was hovering over me and pulling on the lead line with all its might. I pulled and walked backwards (so not the right thing to do) and then I tripped over a rock or divot, dropped the lead line and fell smack down on my backside!
The moment I lost the lead line out of my hand the horse also lost its balance and fell back onto its backside. Well, the two of us just sat there, looking at each other for a second. Then we both got up, dusted ourselves off and walked into the paddock.
The funny part of this story is that that horse never, and I mean NEVER gave me a hard time about turnout again. He was like a little angel.
I guess the young owner got other interests and sold the horse. I don’t remember what became of them, but I will never forget this experience.
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