# The Little Arabian Gelding: Berry Flamable



## Werecat (Aug 23, 2015)

My Journey To Finding “Bear”.​
I have thought about what my first horse would be like ever since I was a conscious minded child. The personality, would it be a mare or a gelding, tall or petite, what color, what breed? As I got older and read through all the books I had about horses from cover to cover, I discovered the Arabian horse would time and time again, be the one breed I kept turning the pages back to.

Sure, I found most breeds to be beautiful with intelligent soft eyes, but the Arabian kept me captivated. I love the way they were compact and agile like a sports car, the slight dish to their face I found unique. Hearing and reading time and time again just how intelligent they are. Being how petite I am, the fact that they are as well was another draw.

I was always told growing up by my friends who rode and showed quarter horses that I was insane for my selection of breed to want to get into. My one friend, who at the time had an OTTB gelding she H/J with, even advised me against it rather strongly. Yes we were just kids at the time, 15-17 years old, I also lived in NYC at the time, so I knew whenever I did get a horse, I’d be much older. Despite all their protest I still felt they were condemning an entire breed and all its strains based on a few mishandled horses that they personally dealt with.

I was 22 when I finally moved out of NYC where I was born and raised, with my parents. We moved down to TN to the same town they lived in before I was born, where my sister was born. It’s a small rural town, where property was abundant but finding a job that paid well to afford it was a grim endeavor.

I had spent some time working retail and not making nearly enough money to help support myself, let alone affording consistent lessons (all the lessons I’ve had over the years were spread apart). Out of curiosity I had started looking on Google for Arabian horse farms in the area. I had found a few, but one in particular that was half an hour away. It was a training and breeding facility that offered lessons. They had a couple of horses for sale, but of course this was just me dreaming at this point. I showed their website to a friend of mine, and he surprised me later that week with a lesson on an Arabian horse with the trainer at that farm! Those lessons were quite pricey, but oh how worth it they were!

The horse she had me ride was an 11 year old, tall bay Egyptian Arabian Stallion. Yes, stallion. He was so gentle and quiet that she trusted her at the time 4 year old daughter on him. He also was the one that I was gawking at on her sale page. He was a retired show horse that had sustained an illness from an improperly cleaned stall at a show that landed him in the hospital on death’s door. After that she retired him from showing, but he was still a perfectly sound riding horse.

I took an hour-long lesson on that horse and within the first minute my original gut instinctual draw to these horses was confirmed that I was on the right path and wasn’t crazy. He was the most comfortable and smooth horse I had ever ridden! Yes, his high level of training did make the riding experience that much better, but it was also the physical fit. Even though he was for sale and would be gelded before the sale, I knew this wasn’t the right time for me, both financially and experience-wise.

I’ve always been one of those people who made my own way and school really wasn’t my forte. I didn’t rely on college to teach me art and design, and I felt it wasn’t a smart move for me to go in debt to get a degree where half the time I’d be learning things I have already taught myself. I had started building websites and digitally drawing on the computer for years prior and learned along the way. So after a few semesters I dropped out and started working at a real estate office as a personal errand girl. It paid the bills!
Once I moved, I started doing more freelance work and was able to make my way working remotely for a couple of established companies. Funny enough the first pieces of art I was selling were custom portraits of people’s horses.

I wont go into the fact that I was a typical horse crazy little girl that never got her lessons or time around horses growing up and the entire idea depressed her, but I think that goes without saying.
Jumping forward to August 2015. I had been taking lessons with a local instructor at a farm not too far from where I live. I wasn’t specializing in any one discipline; I wanted to learn how to handle a horse safely on a trail and in unpredictable situations (which really could be ANY situation). I had remembered how to maintain a proper seat, posting a trot, etc. with the previous English lessons I had taken beforehand, and prefer to ride English but use western tack currently.

Finally being in the position to enter the search I’ve waited for my entire life, all the while sharing my findings with the guy I’ve been dating. Coincidently his mother is a retired Arabian breeder. When he began sharing my prospects with her, she told him she had one horse in particular she felt I’d be a good match with, that she in the recent years had given away. The plus side would be more than likely she would be able to get back because he was going unused at that point. So they told me to just put a temporary hold on my search.
My biggest concern when buying a horse was soundness, health, and potentially dangerous issues for a first time buyer, like a horse with a lot of buck. I was told this potential horse had a good life with her at her previous farm since the day he was born, and never had any health issues, and wasn’t crazy under saddle. The red flag that flew in this situation was he didn’t have any “formal” training. He was started, broken, and trained what he knows by his mother who has done this for years, but she never called herself a trainer. Her reason for giving him and her remaining horse up was that she was dealing with some health issues at the time, so he hadn’t been worked with much in recent years.

While this was going on, I was getting ready to start the next chapter in my life. I had been searching for my first piece of property to build my first home on. I started negotiations to purchase a near 6 acre, mostly level to gently rolling cleared pasture in a nice neighborhood that is horse friendly. Actually not at all far from where I currently am living with my parents. I’ve known about these parcels since I moved down here 6 years ago, and always kind of wanted them. I could only afford one of the 3, but it’s the corner lot and I already know how I’d like to have everything set up, since getting the perk test where I want the house to be situated in contrast to the barn and pastures. I knew I’d be boarding at the farm I have been taking lessons at, and this has given me the freedom to take my time in planning how I’d like everything in the long run as well as receiving continued guidance.

After closing on the land, I went up to Northern Kentucky to visit with the man I have been seeing, and to meet his mother. While I was there, she showed me her albums full of horses she owned, bred, showed, loved. Flipping through the pages of all these beautiful horses, I saw a spread of this handsome bay yearling. Over the past few months, I had been told that the horse he was telling me about was a chestnut, but when looking at the pictures in front of me, his mother told me that was “Berry”, the same horse her son had been telling me about. This was definitely a plus, because I always had a liking for the bay horses and was glad he had confused Berry with his half brother, a chestnut.

She said she didn’t want to make any promises, but the place she had donated this horse, along with another Arabian, a mare, wasn’t using him in their program anymore. She went on to say that a young girl had been riding him and showed him successfully back in the summer, was his person for a while, and when her birthday rolled around, her parents surprised her with a horse of her own leaving Berry in the dust.
The girl who had taken this young lady’s place, was very inexperienced, rough & heavy handed, teaching him a lot of bad habits, allowing him to get away with everything. Over time he became pushy and disrespectful and she grew tired of dealing with him. This would be, my guess where a lot of his vices come from and before he came to me, it had been a couple of months since his last ride.

Long story short, she spoke with the program director and he agreed to give the horse back despite him wanting to keep him around for his grandkids; who are apparently under the age of 3. Honestly I wouldn’t consider him a child safe horse, at least not right now. She wasn’t too pleased with his condition, and sadly the program she had donated him to be involved in, wasn’t what she originally thought it had been. The horse had been subjected to a lot of inexperienced people without proper instruction or guidance on site. He wasn’t abused, but he was handled mostly by beginner children and young adults who weren’t being supervised by a trainer or experienced horse person. They would go take care of the horses, ride, trail ride, etc. but without any proper riding lessons or horse handling classes. It was kind of like a community farm for a church in the area. They had some children who actually had lessons before and knew what they were doing, but the majority weren’t experienced at all. Almost like going to a dude ranch minus a guide.

So in a way I “adopted” him for the price of transport. He didn’t have a “person” anymore after having one his entire life leading up to that point. He wasn’t worked with properly and it had been a long time since he had, that he was regressing in what he did know. He came to me on the day before Thanksgiving. I had to wait 25 days for him to be delivered because the most reliable and safe transporter she knew wasn’t going to be coming this way before the 25th.

He tailored well, and I actually overslept when he was delivered, I had stayed up late the night before because I couldn’t sleep! Who could? When I got to the farm, there he was, my first horse. Similar to the Arabians I had always admired. He looked quite similar to the Huckleberry Bey Breyer I used to play with as a child; funny enough, that’s his grandsire. There he was, in the front pasture eating hay, then with a few pieces hanging from the corner of his mouth, trotting up and down the fence line where two mares were playing with him from the other side. It was a very nice first sight and memory of him.

I will say this, he has his vices that I still have to work out a lot of. For a first horse I wouldn’t have purchased him as he was when he first arrived and is still currently, but since he has been with me, we have come quite a long way. He has taught me more valuable lessons in our short time together thus far than I have learned in lessons over the years. Most of those lessons were riding lessons, not horsemanship and he definitely has been teaching me how to be a good horsewoman. I have learned to be firm but fair, soft but clear in my actions, and stern when needed. Most of all he has taught me patience, an area in which I lacked some in the past. I still have so much to learn, and it’s definitely been a rollercoaster of a ride, and I love every minute of it even on days when I feel defeated.

_*Here is our journey!*_


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## ManicMini (May 4, 2015)

That's the most kick *** intro journal pic i've ever seen! Sorry the Smirnoff won't be quiet! Have you ever thought that Bear was your first horse/step up horse all in one? That's the vibe I get off your postings and I think he's a helluva match for you. Can't wait to read more and i'll take another shot for good luck for you and Bear in your journey together!
_Posted via Mobile Device_


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## Werecat (Aug 23, 2015)

ManicMini said:


> That's the most kick *** intro journal pic i've ever seen! Sorry the Smirnoff won't be quiet! Have you ever thought that Bear was your first horse/step up horse all in one? That's the vibe I get off your postings and I think he's a helluva match for you. Can't wait to read more and i'll take another shot for good luck for you and Bear in your journey together!
> _Posted via Mobile Device_


Aww thank you! I never do any design work/artwork for myself anymore, so I had fun doing that this afternoon.

I do think he's a step up horse. Either he'll make me or he'll break me, and so far we've been doing okay. Thanks for the shot!


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## Werecat (Aug 23, 2015)

Our First Hurdle; Hard Tying​
The first day Bear was here, he acted perfectly fine. He was in the crossties behaving, until he wasn’t. I was in the feed room with the BO, and another new boarder signing the boarding contract when I hear a commotion in the isle. Bear started to pull incessantly in the crossties and snapped his halter (was the kind with the leather breakaway poll band). Liberated, he trotted out of the barn that is not connected to a pasture. Immediately my instructor and I went after him and had him corralled within a minute, but this lead to him expressing an inability to be hard tied. That day there were several people out at the barn, so there was some commotion but not a crazy amount.

We’ll refer to his original owner, the woman who gave him to me as “W”. W said that he was always fine in crossties and single ties for her. She spent the entire month leading up to when he was delivered to me, working with him again and he was in ties each time she went out to the farm. He stood tied fine for her for years, and fine for her the month leading to me having him. This is something he either did at the farm before he came here, or something new he’s developed that day.

I will note, 3 out of the 4 new horses that arrived at the farm that has previously been able to be tied/cross tied, now are having the same panicky pull back issue. Is it possible something is spooking them inside the barn? The boarder’s side of the barn is a steel building, and the roof I believe is not insulated so you can hear things pinging up there even on calm days. Another though was it may be a patience issue that he knows if he pulls unremittingly that either the halter will break, or someone will pull the knot and let him loose.

After trying to assess the situation (it only happened a few times before I just quit hard tying him out of concern of him hurting his neck), along with several experienced people seeing it happen as well, I am starting to think he does this when he steps back/pulls his head back, he feels the tension on his poll and when he can’t get release/slack, he pulls and pulls until something breaks or someone releases the lead. When I say pull, I mean jumping back, rear legs slipping forward, pushing back with his front legs while frantically (or so it appears in the moment) yanking his head back. The last time this happened, he almost flipped himself over which would’ve resulted in a tragic situation. So I stopped.

This was the first “training” exercise we embarked on. If this was a behavior he was allowed to get away with in the recent past, that isn’t going to fly here. I can’t have it. My main goals for him are lengthy trail rides and if we both are fit for it, training for endurance. W had said he was fine in crossties and could be trusted to be left in them, and even though I don’t personally have a need for crossties, I do need him to stand politely when hard tied. He is capable of this, I’ve seen him do it and he’ll do it again.

Being the youngest boarder at the barn and working with my first horse horse, some of the more experienced boarders have come to my aid. One told me about blocker ties and lets me use his. Blocker ties weren’t news to me because I have heard about them before because I posted about this same problem on here, and several of you lovely people have offered that as a suggestion (yay HF). He does fine with the blockers in the few times I’ve used them. I rarely have been using them however I’m thinking of getting a longer lead rope and tying a knot at the end of it. I’ve read, and correct me if I’m wrong that using a 12-14ft lead rope is ideal for situations like these with blocker rings, because it allows enough slack for them to quit pulling, giving them some leeway to assess the situation. The knot at the end of the rope will prevent them from running off.


He’s learned to ground tie in the process, well sort of. He has the illusion of being tied, but he really isn’t and he knows it. I just take the lead rope and pass it through the O-Ring once, and that is it, he stays. Rear foot cocked forward, and a “relaxed” lean once he’s “tied”. He does get impatient sometimes and when he gets spooky (especially if it’s windy and there’s a lot of noise pinging around the barn) and jittery he’ll pull for excess rope and I re-tighten. I wouldn’t trust him on a trail ride with this method, just out of safety, so I am continuing to work with him to be able to be actually hard tied, but worst case scenario I don’t mind using blocker rings with the anchor knot at the end of the rope.

I’ve turned my energy onto what I think will be more productive in having him stop pulling; working with him on giving to pressure. So far he’s doing well and we’re reinforcing our “whoas”. He definitely needs to learn to give to pressure better and we’re getting there. 

I hurt my back last week and have barely been out to the barn in the past 2 weeks. We had some heavy rain and high winds blow through last weekend, and the horses had to be kept in for a day and a half. The BOs are aware of his issue with being tied, but figured they’ll attempt it since they had to clean his stall and prefer not to do it with him in there (I don’t blame them, even though he stays to the corner and out of the way). They used a safety stretch tie, and apparently he stood there fine for 30 minutes while they cleaned his stall, buckets, etc. I was pretty happy to hear that and they were happy to report it. She said he was calm and didn’t move.

I think I’m going to focus on teaching him to give to pressure and continuing to use the blocker tie rings.

*One (and a half) step at a time.*


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## Tazzie (Nov 8, 2011)

Yay! I'm so glad you made a journal! Will be fun reading your journey


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## edf (Dec 20, 2013)

Sounds like we kinda have simular situations indeed! 

I am glad you found him- he sounds like he is going to be a great horse- he will teach you things, and you teach him.

It is nice to read about what you are going through and how you solve them- as a newb myself, it helps me. 

He looks soo handsome! Such a cute horse! Can't wait to read how yur journey continues!!


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## Werecat (Aug 23, 2015)

Thanks Tazzie, I probably should document things that have already happened as well, since that'd be nice to have a concise timeline.

edf, sure hope so.  If anyone could learn from my experiences/mistakes that'd wonderful! Do you have a story thread going?

Thank you, he's quite cute, and the funniest thing is when he looks most handsome is right as he's about to spook; he cranes his head forward, neck arched, nostrils flared- hahaha. I usually snap him out of it before he actually does spook, but it's pretty; and pretty annoying. lol.


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## Werecat (Aug 23, 2015)

A Little "Bit" of Change​
One of the "issues" Bear came to me with, was the refusal to be bridled/accepting the bit. It seemed like either he had someone really handle him rough, or he has just been allowed to get away with too much; though it more than likely was both. Getting him to open his mouth was similar to using the jaws of life to a wrecked car, except swap out forceful mechanical priers with placing your thumb in the corner of his mouth on his bars. This would usually result in a head toss, so I used to have my instructor bridle him.

Since I've been working with him on it, he's steered away from the head tossing (he wasn't a fan of the tight circles he was made to do whenever he'd throw his head). Bridling still isn't where it needs to be, but he has come leaps and bounds since I've been working with him. He doesn't seem to hate the french link, so that's what I'll be keeping him in for now. Now the worst part of the bridle for him, is getting the poll band over his ears.



Fast Forward to 2/27/2016​
We had a wonderful ride today! Bear did AWESOME in the trails we found. He wasn't spooky and mostly had his ears turned to me. To not have a spook out of him while on an hour and a half ride is definitely progress. We had to pass over roads where cars went by (been conditioning him for this, and he's been exposed to passing cars in the past), went up to a creek (couldn't cross because the safe area to cross was too deep due to the rain we've been having).

He completely ignored cars that passed us while we were at the the edge of fields close to the road. I'm actually trying something different than what my instructor has taught me about spooking. She always told me to make him go up to an object that is worrying him and have him work it out. Let him sniff it, etc. While that is important for desensitizing in general, while on the trail I don't want him inspecting everything he finds weird.

A member on here (Cherie I think it was? Correct me if I'm wrong!) made a very helpful post about conditioning a trail horse. Whenever he began to seem like he may spook, I'd ask him to do something else, and completely ignore/walk past what was concerning him. He did everything I asked of him today on our ride without tensing up. Very proud of him.

While we were on the ride, I wanted to address the fact that he doesn't know any leg cues. I started a little before but since our ride today was a bit long I had some real time to practice with him. I noticed about half way through, I barely had to use my reins to get him to go to the direction I wanted. Of course if I want to do a complete direction change, I still had to use the reins, but for basic directions like in the train to avoid certain obstacles, etc. he did fabulous, as well as in open areas. I want to get him to the point where I can use my seat/legs to signal him.

When we got back to the barn, the boarder I went riding with went to his trailer and dug out about 4 different cinches he had that no longer fit his horse. They all were around 30". We tried a couple on, and the one luckily with the roller buckle fit! And he let me keep it, which was super nice. I'll probably clean it up and see how bear does in it, since it's not wool lined like the one I usually ride him in. It's more of a neoprene material? I really can't use a cinch that doesn't have roller buckles, I simply cannot get the cinch tight enough without it, and will end up a few strides out with the saddle already off kilter.

The boarder actually saddled him for me because I still have trouble managing my saddle, getting the pad to not shift, etc. It's the weight of the saddle that makes it a struggle. He still get's antsy when saddling but is getting better.

Speaking of saddles... his topline right now is very weak, though it is slowly improving since we started work. His sweat marks showed where the saddle made contact and where it didn't. Most of the weight was further back, leaving the area behind the withers dry. In the meantime; would it be wise to find some sort of pad/shim to put behind his withers to allow the saddle's weight to rest more evenly? I really, really don't want him to be uncomfortable/in pain, and definitely don't want to encourage him to hollow his back.

I'm happy, I've been given the contact information of another reputable saddle fitter, phew! So I probably will be contacting her very soon. She works with saddles that are way out of my league in both price and their purposes, but I'm hoping she'll be willing to work with me on a nice used saddle, or something of that price range. Now I need to get over my phone-phobia and give her a call. I MUCH prefer emails, I feel I can't convey myself properly through the phone because sometimes it's hard to hear people and it can get awkward. It's odd, business calls I have zero problem with, but anything pertaining to my personal life I'm like a child who's asked to say hello to their Great Aunt Wilda, who they haven't seen since they were months old so have virtually no recollection of who this person is. It sounds silly, but true. I always open with "He's my first horse, I am very new to tack, please bear with me" so they know whatever I say, if it's wrong/sounds stupid to cut me a tiny bit of slack, lol.


Related to my last post about his issue with hard tying, I had a teeny-bit of a scare today. I didn't have the blocker tie at Bear's stall when we got back from the ride, and usually he stays without doing anything if I leave him for a minute or so with the lead looped through the O-ring. Well, the BO was doing some work on the lean to that's attached to the barn and apparently started running the saw while I was in the tack room. I came out to check on Bear... annnd... No Bear... LOL.

I ran down the isle, and as I'm approaching the end of the breeze way I see his butt and tail outside. Huge sigh of relief, he was facing the pastures and not the other way where the road would be. He looked like a deer in headlights when he saw me. I stepped on the lead rope and then picked it up. He never tried to run from me, but I think the unusable noise in the barn scared him.

I'm going to have to always use the blocker ties, not just to avoid that happening again (first time he's done it), but when we go trail riding which will be very soon, he'll have to be tied in the trailer and also when tacking up.


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## AlKhamsa (Feb 16, 2016)

My first horse was also a bay. A Thoroughbred and Welsh Cob mix, named Hopper. He was in his senior years, a 28 year old gelding, when I first started riding him. I LOVED that horse. Sad to say that when he was in his mid-30's, he was given away to an old man, by my former foster parent, to be a companion horse for his retired plow horse. Hopper died a few years later. I miss him. I miss the way his forelock would split down his face and how pretty he looked when he pricked his ears up. I miss the way he nickered in the mornings when he knew it was breakfast time, patiently waiting for the feed to be dumped in his bucket and my stepping back before he starting chowing down. He was such a great horse. There are other moments, I won't mention here due to them being tramatic, that we shared. He is the reason I became a horse crazy girl. 

Werecat, I'm doing a happy dance for you and Bear. I hope you can find that horse you remembered in the horse you have today. I hope Bear can recover easily and quickly.


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## Werecat (Aug 23, 2015)

AlKhamsa said:


> My first horse was also a bay. A Thoroughbred and Welsh Cob mix, named Hopper. He was in his senior years, a 28 year old gelding, when I first started riding him. I LOVED that horse. Sad to say that when he was in his mid-30's, he was given away to an old man, by my former foster parent, to be a companion horse for his retired plow horse. Hopper died a few years later. I miss him. I miss the way his forelock would split down his face and how pretty he looked when he pricked his ears up. I miss the way he nickered in the mornings when he knew it was breakfast time, patiently waiting for the feed to be dumped in his bucket and my stepping back before he starting chowing down. He was such a great horse. There are other moments, I won't mention here due to them being tramatic, that we shared. He is the reason I became a horse crazy girl.
> 
> Werecat, I'm doing a happy dance for you and Bear. I hope you can find that horse you remembered in the horse you have today. I hope Bear can recover easily and quickly.


Aww, I'm sorry you had to give him up, but it sounds like he made quite the positive impression on you.  

Thanks so much! He's definitely starting to ride almost as nicely. I got to lope him for the first time today and boy did he move out nicely!


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## Werecat (Aug 23, 2015)

A Lovely Day​
Today was a great day! Warm, no wind, and some great company. Bridling issue aside (he was giving me a hard time but my friend was able to get the bridle on him within a few seconds of trying), he tacked up easily. I tried a synthetic saddle on him today that has ample shoulder space and hopefully with the right pad, will fit him better than my leather saddle and wont break my back. It wont be our long term saddle, but to get us through until his top line improves, which has been the only thing stopping me from getting a saddle made for him.

We loped for the first time today, and he moved out beautifully! Went riding with 2 people we haven't ridden with before and a friend of mine, and it was just over all a great day, and Bear actually seemed to be enjoying himself. Tuesday if all pans out, I'll be trying the saddle with a different pad (the pad I have been using is just way too thick, I bought it in a pinch), and I think with a slightly thinner pad it will be fine.

We're planning to trailer out to one of the large parks in the area within the next few weeks, so hoping he does fine when tied in the trailer... He pulled again today with the blocker tie; but my guess is in a trailer he wont be able to get the type of leverage he does when on the ground where he has nothing physically blocking him from behind.

A natural barefoot trimmer is coming out to do my friend's horse on Wednesday, and I got in on that appointment. She'll be looking at Bear and giving him a trim. I've been working more with his front feet and he gives them just fine, I've been weary of the back legs. The vet thinks he may be sore in one of his hocks due to developing arthritis, and recommended I start him on glucosamine supplements, so I got him on Flex-n-Action. He's been on that for about 3-4 weeks now. He was fine with one rear leg, but then started kicking out at the farrier when he'd try to rasp the other. He clipped just fine, just flipped out over the rasp. Hoping this new farrier is more gentle. Previous farrier whacked him in the gut with the rasp and I didn't appreciate that...


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## Werecat (Aug 23, 2015)

Finally Back To Work!​
For the entire month of February, I basically fell out of work with Bear due to hurting my back (nothing serious, just a pinched nerve that Dr. requested I not strain myself and rest as much as possible, and then went through some under the weather type stuff that had me in doors a lot). Bear had almost an enough month off, and he started to regress a little with bridling, but since we've been riding a bit more and working together every day, he's getting better again.

I retired my leather saddle for the time being for an Abetta synthetic saddle I'm borrowing from my BO which I may buy, but also testing out a really nice Big Horn (though very broken in but still in good shape) endurance saddle. Both are crazy light weight, and so far the synthetic Abetta seems to be fitting Bear better than my leather saddle. I can't wait to test out the endurance saddle. I may actually buy both of them if it fits, just to have two saddles that actually work, if that isn't crazy.

Wednesday we had our first round of vaccinations together, and he was a perfect angel, even during Coggins! So, so proud of my little man! A few hours later the farrier came out. I switched to a natural barefoot trimmer in our area who oddly enough I contact over the summer about a little bay Arabian gelding she had for sale, that looked a LOT like Bear  She couldn't get over how much the looked alike! She ended up selling him to a girl who shows in Chattanooga, so it worked out for everyone because I'm just in love with my boy despite all our hurdles (which honestly I think has been bonding us through getting over them).

Today was our FIRST real trail ride together! It was the first time I loaded a horse ever in a trailer, and our first time loading him. He did very well for a horse that is used to a trailer with ramps, since no one I ride with has ramps. We used my friend's 4 horse trailer since it is spacey, and he got right in with just a little pressure and release. Our next test is trying to get him into my other friend's trailer, it's a 2 horse slant load, so significantly shorter and higher of a step up. If the weather is okay we're planning to trailer out again Wednesday and Friday but he'd need to get into the smaller trailer for that. Oh, did I forget to mention he backs out beautifully? Ah, so proud! Hoping we can continue to make these big steps forward because we'll be trail riding A LOT now that it's riding season.

He did AMAZING on our ride! He did EVERYTHING I asked of him minus one thing, which was climbing about a foot (was a few steps down, he didn't have to jump) into a creek to drink. I had to get down and have my friends help me help him into the water. Once he was in the water, he splashed around a few seconds, drank, then jumped out haha. He has such a smooth jump. <3 Was our longest ride and he clicked really well with the new horse who isn't a boarder. I cannot WAIT until we go riding again!

The only downfall to today is that he hurt his eye somehow :/ So I went this evening and put some ointment in and will again tomorrow morning, hopefully it will be better in the morning. :/

Pictures from today!


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## Tazzie (Nov 8, 2011)

I'm glad you had a good trail ride! Hopefully his eye feels better soon!


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## Werecat (Aug 23, 2015)

Went to check on him and his eye is worse  Called the vet out, the eye has an ulceration on the cornea and there's a weird white head or infection in the 3rd eyelid around where it lines up with the cornea where the scratch is. Same spot where he injured it in December. I found out he was delivered from Northern Kentucky in a stock trailer and probably didn't have a fly mask on or something to protect his eyes... good chance that oddity in his eyelid is something embedded in there... would make sense since this ulceration is right near where the last one was. Really upsetting... If when the cornea gets better and I bring the vet out again and that thing in his lid is still there... that'd be my answer.  He's on bute and antibacterial eye ointment until he's better. Really upset that he'll have another scar on that eye.


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## Tazzie (Nov 8, 2011)

Stock type trailers are pretty typical in this area. We haul in 3-4 horse slant load, stock type horse trailer because it's our barn owner's trailer and he lets us use it for free. I do hope you get it figured out though


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## evilamc (Sep 22, 2011)

Yay for a good trail ride!!!! Sorry to hear about his eye  Hope it heals quickly!! My trailer is a 2 horse slant load, not stock type though, Jax has managed to cut above his eye twice somehow in it. I'm honestly not sure on what lol! Is a flymask in a stock trailer to try and help from debris? I usually haul with the window/screen down and just the bar window up, for more airflow...I've never used a flymask though?


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## Werecat (Aug 23, 2015)

The Trailer Isn't a Trap!​
After a very successful first trail ride together, we followed it up with another a few days later. This time, it was just 3 of us from the same group. Bear did famously! He did absolutely everything I asked of him on the trail. Didn't spook at cows, crossed water (played in it as well), sure footedly lead the way when it was our turn, etc. All was well, until we ended our ride and headed back to the trailers.

It was as if he were a child asked to get out of the pool because it was time to go home. He started dragging his feet, acting a bit antsy and dissatisfied. We tied the horses to the exterior of the trailers, untacked, and as they snacked and cooled down, we ate lunch and chatted for about 30 minutes.

It was about 3:30 and a very pleasant afternoon. We were ready to load up and head home, but apparently Bear wasn't ready! Every time we tried to get him into the trailer, he'd refuse. No amount of lunging, coercing, etc. would work. We tried every trick we knew of that wasn't considered cruel or would make future trailer loading even more difficult. 3.5 hours in, we were all sweating, furious (defeated, he won!), and Bear was STILL not in the trailer. I should also mention getting him in that morning was a bit of a difficulty and should've been an indicator (it was, but we ignored it). The BO was able to help us get him in by giving him a firm (not heavy) swat with a crop on his rear.

We were losing daylight, and finally when grain or carrots didn't get him to lift a foot into either trailer (we tried two different ones), we had to start thinking of what to do for the night. Luckily, one of the ladies I ride with lives 3 miles from where we were riding, so the only logical option at this point (our instructor/trainer friend was on call at work and couldn't come out to help), was to walk him to my friend's house and let him spend the night there until we can try again the next day in day light when we were all refreshed.

So there I was, in the dark, walking my horse along a quiet country road, then a busy county road, back to a quiet country road, for 3 miles, tired and sore, between my friend's truck and my dad's (we didn't want traffic coming up behind us so he followed me the entire way).

Thankfully the traffic we did slow down, the people were just about all farmers/horse people and super friendly about the whole thing, never honking, and waited for my father to flag them when it was safe for them to pass (a lot of ditches made it hard for me to get off the road).

The next day, another boarder offered to go with me to go bring Bear home, and to work with him. He wanted to try the gentle way, which in his book was just lunging him and stopping him each time in front of the trailer door, praising him, then lunging him again. He did this for about 2 hours before I decided to call the trainer my father and my friend who was with me knew and suggested I speak to. Luckily he was able to come out, and within 30 minutes of working with Bear, we were again running out of time (boarder with the trailer had to be somewhere), so he did a cowboy halter (which my BO thought was cruel, but I didn't see any marks when he was done), and got Bear loaded.

Once we got him back to the farm, I let him rest. He seemed perfectly fine, and not stressed. The next day, I began working with one of the boarder's trailers that is a slant load with a full door, that has tack room in the front, so nothing to obstruct the view into the trailer. A nice, wide open, mobile stall as we like to call it. I worked with the BOs to get him comfortable with loading into that trailer.

After about a week of working with that trailer, we graduated him to the trailer my friend owns that he was refusing to go into. Because she's the one I most often ride with, and my closest friend at the barn, that is the trailer he needs to be used to most. This trailer is a slant load as well, but has 50/50 doors and a tackroom in the rear, so he had to get used to the idea of seeing around the tackroom and knowing there was more space (my friend who's a trainer determined his issue was not wanting to be in such a small space, not loading itself, if that names sense.).

Once he started to load and unload perfectly each time (every once in a blue he'd stop and pull, in which case I'd quickly back him up and lunge him into tight uncomfortable circles for a few laps, which did the trick. I'd do the same thing if he'd back out of the trailer without me telling him to), she attempted self loading. On her very first attempt, he self loaded! I can't manage to get more than his two front feet into the trailer before he backs out, but that is something I need to work on as it's an issue with me, not him (I don't release the rope fast enough. He really needs it to be over his withers).

Self loading is the last on my list as far as this training is concerned. The next and most important test is tomorrow. Tomorrow we'll be loading him, but this time not just shutting him in every now and again before letting him out, but actually driving him around the neighborhood for a nice leisurely ride. After that, we will ride around like we usually do as if we were to be on a trail, then untack, and attempt to load again. If he does load, then I think we can trust him to load on Sunday at the same location this issue became more apparent at. If he doesn't, then I'll sadly sit that trail ride out, and spend the next week continuing to work with him and the trailer every day to every other day.

I read in another user's Trailer 101 thread, that it'd make his journey easier if his friend is with him, so I'll probably ask my friend to put her horse (Bear's best bud) in with him, and see if that helps. He'll almost always be trailering with him in the future as well. Bear loads in the rear stall of her trailer as well, but we haven't tried it with another horse already in the trailer, so I'm curious if that'd be a game changer for him, but one we'll have to tackle anyway.


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## Werecat (Aug 23, 2015)

The Adventures of Bear'n Were!​
Yesterday was a nice long trial ride through some trails we had to find on our own, which was a lot of fun (luckily all horses had eye protection). He really is proving to be the "perfect" trail horse. He doesn't hesitate to cross water. However there is _ONE_ place at the head of one of the trails that we like to stop to let the horses drink because it has really fresh running water that has a lot of rocks and gravel, but he wont go into it. It has concrete leading down (about 2 feet and a not very steep slope) and I think he's afraid he'll slip and just refuses to do it every time I ask him.

We got belly deep near the dam of one lake and he seemed to enjoy being in the water. He drank and waded around for a little then politely (he is so sure footed, I love it), got out of water without splashing the other horses. Wish Rosce (friend's paint) would be that way, I always get soaked when he gets in the water, lol! He climbed down/up steep slopes, didn't fret when rocks would come loose, at mud, etc. He's barefoot so I was very mindful of his feet, and minus a few chips at the very tips of his hooves where the trimmer is going to take off anyway in a week or two, he's looking great, no soreness. I will point out I've been conditioning his hooves with Sound Conditioner. It's the first conditioner I've tried and it is strictly a conditioner so doesn't have any wax or petroleum or other harmful ingredients that temporarily pretty up their feet. I've already noticed his feet looking much better and due to not being so dry all the time have a natural shine. He was having very dry/flaky coronet bands and that's getting much better.

He really likes to be lead horse, and I don't mind it. I am glad he's so independent. On the way back, we were getting off the beaten path and trail blazing. We did a lot of trot/loping and for a few hours we were pretending we were in an endurance race lol. While we were leading, at one point I forgot which way to go, and Bear wanted to go one way, and I tried to stop him to ask my friend's for directions (trails were overgrown and really not easy to find certain routes). Come to find out, my horse knew the correct way after being there ONCE. He outsmarted me!

He carefully and politely steps over even the highest of logs and wont jump unless I ask him to. At one point we did a jump over a tiny creek (more like a vein where rain water came off a hill side, maybe was 2-3 feet across, and he has the most smooth jump ever, and it's really feeding into my growing interest to start jumping lessons. I've never competed before and sometimes I have this inner "need" to want to try it one of these days and I think jumpers may be the route I'd take when that comes into fruition.

Everything went famously, even the loading to get there, EXCEPT when it was time to come home. He didn't want to load! My heart sunk but I was determined for him not to regress. It wasn't as bad as the last time, thankfully. I had a feeling he'd give us a little trouble, I hope it wasn't a self for filling prophecy, but I think it's the change of scenery or the ride there that did it (my friend kept reminding me that sometimes there are hiccups even when we think they have it, but they don't forget and just need to be reminded), but who knows. Luckily the owner of the estate was there just in case we needed help, and he got him on for me, but it required applying a bit of pressure using the lead rope through the tie ring.

He was trying to get in, but seemed nervous of something and would immediately put his foot back down and wait. I wont sit here and try to make excuses for him "oh, the wind blew the wrong way", but I honestly think he's still trying to get used to loading with another horse already in there on a slant load (he's been raised with a straight load and ramp). My friend gave him a light tap with a dressage crop and he went right in using pressure on the halter simultaneously. Obviously this isn't what I want to do every time, I'd like for him to follow me in each time, but we will work more on that of course.

Once we got home he came out of the trailer without me telling him to which irritated me because we worked so much on that, but we're going to continue trailer practicing and I am determined for this to be an issue of the past, and so far haven't needed to get a professional involved, but of course will if that's what it will take, which leads me to my next thing... His biggest, and I think this is where most of the problems lie; he does not yield to pressure, especially behind the poll. That is probably my biggest hurdle that I will need to address now, but under saddle I couldn't have asked for a better match. He is definitely challenging but he has made me grow so, so much as a rider and since he's about the only horse I'm riding right now, I need the challenge but he does listen and doesn't have any under saddle dangerous habits. He seems like he can be a pretty versatile horse, and even though he's 16, vet and farrier agree his legs don't seem stiff at all and I already have had him on preventative/maintenance supplements to hopefully delay the development of arthritis as he will of course get it one day, but not yet!  He really does seem like such a young horse it's hard to forget he's as old as he is.

_*Something pretty fun could be in our near future!
*_
I got invited to a cattle run at the same place we always ride. Bear is completely confident around cows and their babies, and it's coming up for time for them to be wormed/vaccinated and tagged and for the poor little baby calves to be castrated. There will be 3 of us and 1 on a 4 wheeler to get the heard moving for us. 2 of us have never done this before but my friend who has says it's really easy and really all we're doing is guiding the herd and making sure none stray. It's one of those things if I really can't handle it I can just fall back and watch so I'm not too concerned about me holding everyone up. To me I think the hardest part is just going to be hearing the babies crying for their moms until they are reunited with them. I was a vegetarian for 8 years due to not being able to handle what goes on in the meat industry, but I've been eating meat again for 3 years and try to be careful where I do get my meat from, and places like this breeding farm have ample land and properly take care of their cattle.

On a side note, his birthday is on the 24th! Wondering if there's anything special we could do that day.


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## egrogan (Jun 1, 2011)

Just found this journal. Bear sounds like a great partner and I love how much you two are doing together already. I'm jealous of all the great riding spots and riding buddies you have! Looking forward to following along.


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## Werecat (Aug 23, 2015)

egrogan said:


> Just found this journal. Bear sounds like a great partner and I love how much you two are doing together already. I'm jealous of all the great riding spots and riding buddies you have! Looking forward to following along.


Thank you! We have some awesome areas to ride but all about require a quick trailer ride to get to, so he really needs to learn to accept that or we wont be doing much exploring which will have me extremely sad haha. I've been reading a lot on how to teach a horse to give to pressure better, and if I can't accomplish this on my own, I've got a trainer on speed dial who he'll be staying with for a bit.


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## Werecat (Aug 23, 2015)

We're Back!​
A LOT has happened in the past several months. On May 25th, my friend and I moved our horses to a self-care situation. We are now friends with the BO but still do the majority of all the farm work. It’s pretty great being able to take care of feeds and handling actual barn work, but I’ve not had time to work with Bear until recently. I’ve really been interested in getting into endurance, and have found there’s a large following in my area and some events rather close by, so I’ve been really wanting to work on the issues we’ve been having so I can start conditioning.

Our friend the BO, is an experienced horseman and has been working with me and Bear with some issues that have gotten worse as well as new ones. So far we're making some great progress in a controlled environment but the real issue is open environments.


It all stems down to the classic running through the bit (eggbutt frenchlink snaffle) would be the main, more-long term problem, and a rider who needs to be more consistent. Because I rode in a plain snaffle, I had no brakes. I understand this is a hole in his training and mine as a rider. He’s always done this when outside of a pasture or round pen, etc. It was suggested by several to try him in a hackamore or a bit with a curb chain to add some encouragement for him to stop. I ride with light hands to begin with, but I didn’t like the idea of a bit with shanks and I know hackamores can be really dangerous if mishandled, so they both had their cons. But, I decided to try the hackamore world. Not long after this change I noticed him having trouble when chewing his feed, which prompted a visit to the vet. This visit revealed that he had a bump on his tongue. The vet said it isn’t a tumor or doesn’t believe it causes any pain. He also said the bit won’t be an issue with the knot (we don’t know yet what it is, or how long he’s had it, just that we’ve noticed he drops food when he eats), and it’s a bit further up than where the bit would lay on his bars. But I just want to be extra cautious. Also yes, his teeth have floated.

Lately, he has been acting up/out of character outside of the “running” through the bit. I’ll provide some more detail as to what I mean by “acting up”.

An important thing to know is, there was a bit of tack change. I’ll preface this by saying I rode him in a controlled environment in the S Hack before taking him off the property. When the head shaking started, was the first time we rode outside of the property and through a field about a mile and a half away. He did “whoa” better in this hackamore than in the bit, and I felt more “in control” but I wasn’t a fan of the way it felt when direct reigning. I feel I was giving him confusing cues especially since he’s still learning leg cues. I feel that hackamore is better suited to neck reigning, and he didn’t seem to cue as well as he did in the flower hackamore. When in an arena now, the flower hack seems just as subtle as the bit when cuing.

The times he began to act up, he was fine on the road, but once we got into a grassy area and then a field (same one he started shaking his head at in the S Hackamore), he kept shaking and slinging his head and then shaking his entire body as if he was trying to free himself of something (or someone, haha!). This was very unusual behavior for him, since it was beyond him just wanting to “go” and me having to hold him back, so I decided to hop off and walk him the rest of the way. He continued to turn his head and shake periodically as I walked him back home.

We evaluated his tack and found 2 things were wrong, chin strap too tight on hackamore and cinch not fitting properly.

The flower hackamore I have, though it now fits, at the time the chin strap was too tight. He seemed to ride fine in the pasture where I was testing it out, but once we were riding for a while and off of the property, is when he started the antics. I’m going to guess because I had to apply slight pressure to try and keep him from wanting to set the pace, the strap was then way too tight. I thought the chin strap may have been tight, but until I saw how loose it really should be, it completely made sense why he would sling his head. He also kept running through the hackamore in the field. Knowing that they can be dangerous if you aren’t careful, I felt something was wrong here when I was applying enough pressure to slow him and it made no difference (I didn’t want to fight him). Since we have loosened the chin strap he’s not slung his head once when in an arena type setting. Until I ride him off the property again, I will not say this out of character issue is resolved. I am currently riding him in a controlled environment until he knows all cues perfectly. He “whoas” perfectly in a controlled environment with the flower hackamore. With that said, I know he understands that the nose, poll, and chin pressure mean “stop”, so if he blows through them when out of an arena, he is definitely ignoring my cues and doing what he wants, and that it’s not tack malfunctioning.

Then the cinch issue. I usually pin but sometimes I tie my cinch (or both). For some reason the cinch wasn’t in the billet hole it usually is (I must’ve moved it when I last cleaned it) and him being out of shape and gained a tad bit of weight shifting where it usually falls, the pin on the cinch was poking him above the elbow every time he’d take a step. This is what we believed resulted in him shaking his body periodically (and potentially causing some of the running through the hack or slinging the head to get away), even when walking in hand. Since we relocated the cinch back to where it originally was and I now always pin, he hasn’t shaken since (though I’ve only been riding in an arena type setting). Another side note that may be important, he was professionally fitted for the saddle I have in late May. I rode a lot more back then and he has since gained a little weight, but the saddle fit him then. My vet doesn’t think it’s the saddle fitment, but I figured I’d mention that. If this these issues stay “resolved”, then I know it was tack malfunction, because those were all out of character habits for him.

So back to the real issue; running through the bit/hack. To my knowledge most of his previous experience under saddle is in a controlled type setting, arenas or light riding on trails, if that. He’s been doing wonderfully the past few nights with the hackamore, and to stop him, all I have to do is shift my weight back in the saddle and ever so slightly raise my reins back. I guess the real issue is, when he’s in an open environment, trail, field, etc. he wants to “go, go, go”, and has learned to run through the bit (I know this is my fault because I at some point have not corrected this). He’s never tore off with me, but he always wants to set the pace when on trail/fields and I feel like I’m always fighting with him, but I think I just need a lot of time in the saddle and being consistent with him.

I’m starting to ride every night when I’m done with my barn chores, and so far it’s been going well in our makeshift arena and I’m actually working on myself as well.:cowboy:


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## Werecat (Aug 23, 2015)

Going Back To Basics​
*Yesterday* was a _dreadful_ day. I admit and know where I did wrong, and I know where he is running over me as a result. I tried to work with Bear on saddling and cinching again last night, but went a hair too fast with going from blanket to saddle. When I got the saddle pad out, he began to blow and arch his neck and become uncomfortable. I brought the saddle pad to his nose and let him sniff it, but placed it on his back and walked away for about 5 minutes.

When I got the saddle, he began to react the same way and started getting antsy. I let him sniff it, but he still got uncomfortable and instead of letting him spend more time with the saddle touching his face and neck, I put it on his back. My mistake, I really should’ve gone slower. I knew immediately that I messed up when he began to pull back so hard that when I grabbed the lead rope I pulled him a little too firmly and his nose bumped the barn. This resulted in him pulling and getting onto his haunches, trying to break out of his halter.

He didn’t get out of his halter, but he did pull until he finally got out of his breakaway knot. When the knot unraveled, he fell back onto his butt right on top of the saddle (which I didn’t even get a chance to cinch yet), bending the cantle bar, getting up then running off. He decided he didn’t want to do it, and by breaking free, he won. His nose bumped the wall, it didn’t hit or bang, I’m sure it startled him, but I didn’t want him to think it was okay to break away and run. I brought him back to the barn and tied another quick release knot. I didn’t do a daisy chain because the tie ring we have right now isn’t anchored to a post, it’s just in the wall and I don’t want to tear up the wall because it isn’t my barn, and what is that going to teach my horse? Same bad lesson as a breakaway knot . We’re setting up hitching posts for this very reason soon, but I have to work with what I have right now. So he’s tied again. And as soon as I get the pad back on (again I should’ve rubbed it over his neck and worked my way down taking more time), he pulled, got out of knot, and bolted. I went and got him again. My friend worked with him with saddling and unsaddling tied to loosely to a gate, and when he began to calm, we called it a night.

I know yesterday my attitude and disposition was COMPLETELY wrong, and I blame myself for that, but I also know Bear has some large hurdles I have to get through that are a result of him getting his way for years of not made to properly mind. I was frustrated last night because I feel he’s gotten worse with certain things, when in reality I think it’s just I have to work with him EVERY day and not get impatient because the sun is going down or I have work to get home and finish, and I didn’t sign up for this. He’s a horse, they’re not perfect, and I understand this. I just had a lot of emotions going through me last night because I want to be able to go on riding trips with my friends that we had planned for this fall and I may not be able to this year, or ever with him if we can’t get past this.

Luckily my trail saddle is a Trooper style endurance saddle, so the seat is suspended from a stainless cantle bar in the rear to a stainless pommel bar in the front that are bolted to the panels that make the tree; so the tree isn’t one solid piece. So my hope is the cantle bar can just be replaced if they can get the part and that the tree itself is sound and it wont need extensive repairs. Another concern is that it will still be a sound and safe saddle for both me and the horse. I made an appointment to get it evaluated by a tack repair shop tomorrow morning, so hoping they can repair it to what it once was since it’s just a 4 month old saddle.

*Today* I got on the phone and Facebook, and spent the afternoon reaching out to my local and not so local equine friends and started searching for Arab trainers within 100 or so miles of me, looking for a trainer to work with Bear, and then me and Bear. I’ve already spoken with one person, and she suggest I rule out ulcers, so I am going to bring that up with my vet.

This evening when I did my barn chores I decided to feed Bear outside while I fed the other two horses in their stalls like usual, and right as he was finished eating, I took him out back where the tie ring is, and tied him with my blocker tie this time. He stood there perfectly for over an hour while I did my mucking, water buckets, trough, and hay bags. The other horses ran right past him to the back of the pasture where he called to them once, but stopped and settled back down quietly and relaxed. He always tends to be better when tied with a blocker. On the topic of eating, he’s chewing his feed a lot easier, so I’m guessing that knot is starting to shrink, I can only catch glimpses of it when he yawns and I can see inside of his mouth.

When my friend got off of work she stopped by to see how I was doing, and we decided to work with him. Not under saddle work, just back to the absolute basics. When we pulled out a saddle rug for him to sniff, he started to pull back as he did yesterday. Before he could get too much slack through the blocker tie, I stepped to the side (so if he came forward he wouldn't run me over), and gently got ahold of the rope for him, mindful to not use excessive pressure ,releasing as soon as he quit pulling backm saying "STEP FORWARD", which he did. He tried to pull one more time before I got him back to where he was standing, and when I grabbed it again with the same amount of pressure as before, making him stand exactly where he was he quit pulling and stood still. After that he didn't try to pull again at all during our session tonight. I know that if HE knows with me, he can't go anywhere, he does listen better. All those times at the last farm when he’d pull back and the BOs would panic and make me untie him, or having to use breakaway knots, he picked up this awful habit with me, that if he pulled enough he’d get his way and get free, but not tonight. I stayed calm and cool, and made sure I was in a safe spot and was mindful that I remained consistent and quick if he did try to move.

We worked with him for about an hour and a half, rubbing blankets on him, different saddle pads, then my saddle pad that I ride him in. Every time he’d take a step in any direction, making him go back to where he stood before, and any positive reaction like lip licking or resting a back leg he got a gentle rub (no treats he’d be way too distracted and fixated on them lol). Then we took a lead rope and tied it around him as if we were cinching, and did that several times until he stood still and we got the desired result.

Once he was relaxed with the saddle pads and rope cinched up around him, we brought out a western saddle that I know fits him nicely, and I have permission to use, and began working with that. At this point, my friend turned to me and asked if I had ever tried saddling him from the right. I didn’t recall if I did or if I didn’t, but we tried it. He paid virtually no attention to the saddle and was completely calm when we did this. Maybe it’s because we went slow with the blankets and gave him time to settle, or he is just used to being saddled from the right by previous riders, but it is something I’m willing to keep doing if we keep getting the same calm horse I had tonight. I can’t count how many times we cinched and recinched tonight, but he was calm for every time. Maybe once or twice he tried to move his feet, and we just would place him back where he was, and he’d relax.

I came home feeling like I had actually proven to myself that this horse CAN learn, that he isn’t too “old” or “stuck in his ways” as some have told me recently when asking about trainers.
I am not ruling out a trainer, I just want to make sure when I do pick one, it’s the right one, but I am so relieved that my friend and I can get him to do the things I need a trainer to help with, calmly. I know I can’t expect him to be like this every day, and some days will require more patience, but with consistency I think I can get him to accept the saddle without trouble. I haven’t thought once about working with him in saddle until ground work leading up to that is taken care of.


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## Werecat (Aug 23, 2015)

September 17th, 2016​
Bear has been an absolute dream the past two days and I'm really starting to think it's because I've done some long and hard thinking about how I AM handling things lately and reverted back to the way I was back at the old barn when I had time to focus on him and less on barn chores and had more success with him. Where I didn't have the heat, humidity, and sun to battle and make me fatigued and impatient. Trying to set both of us up for gradual progress and not trying to rush things for my goals and go at HIS pace, and not where I wish he'd be NOW. Through this he does surprise me with how quickly he picks up on things when I am in the right mindset and how much better I communicate to him what I'm asking him to do. He really is a smart cookie.

Focusing on what I need to do to gain better control when in open spaces and he wants to set the pace, I decided to take the day off from working with saddling and cinching. Instead we opted to plod around the pasture bareback again and work on leg cueing which lead to working with him on lateral flexion since his neck is very stiff and when he wants to "run through the bit" on trail or in open fields, I can actually circle him if I need to, etc. In the past I've tried to get him to lateral flex from the ground with little success and didn't stick with it, so my friend started teaching me while I was sitting on top of him, and he's picking it up very quickly! Lots of lip licking and he seems like he's willing to learn. He feels much more supple in the reins afterwards, and I think it will help a lot when dealing with his "pacey" issues on trail rides and in large open spaces. Also a side note, we don't bareback for long periods of time, and he's well behaved in his pasture/arena/etc. I'm really trying to get him to be a well balanced trail horse at this point and working him through his tying issues. I'm aware it's not the greatest thing for them to be ridden bareback and I'd never ride him out of the pasture that way or for anything but quick work or for an evening stroll around the pasture. It has however, taught me to use my leg a lot more when guiding him which is something I've been really meaning to do with myself and to teach him. Ideally I want to endurance ride and if I can get these issues ironed out, I can think about conditioning him, but have put those "dreams" on the back burner until then and it helps with me not wanting to push things along faster than they need to be. It's been a learning experience and definitely giving me a great lesson on patience .

We started the bon fire up again tonight (it's about 12 feet from the paddock), which Bear was petrified of the first time they did it and I was out of town. He was so afraid of it, when they lit it he stared at it and his knees buckled. When my friend would try to guide him out of his stall and through the paddock past it, to the pasture, he'd dance and try to turn around to get back to his stall. The next morning, even when it was out and he was to pasture all night, he wouldn't walk past it to get to his stall for feeding. So, I took the opportunity to work him through it tonight as well, and by the end of it he was relaxed, grazing up wind of it on the lead rope with us as we sat around roasting marshmallows. When I let him out to the field, I released him in the paddock and he very calmly walked past it through the gate that leads out the the pasture and calmly walked back to his horsey palls. Apparently before he would BOLT past the firepit and high tail it refusing to go back to his stall blowing and wide eyed. He just didn't know what it was. He's a brave little toaster and got curious and kept inching closer to it while he grazed. 

I love my little guy.


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## Tazzie (Nov 8, 2011)

Bareback riding isn't terrible for them :wink: it can actually be a huge help to gain balance in yourself while riding, and a good way to work your horse if you don't happen to have a saddle that fits. You're fine to do it :wink:

I'm glad he's behaving better! Always great to hear


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## Werecat (Aug 23, 2015)

@Tazzie True, it really has  The pasture has some hills and riding on different levels helps, it's definitely helped my balance. Plus he has a meaty back and his spine isn't pronounced at all. Funny how my butt isn't sore at all after bareback, but after riding in an uncomfortable saddle, it hurts lol.


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## Werecat (Aug 23, 2015)

September 18th, 2016​
Last night, I wanted a light dinner so after I worked with Bear, I came home and had a small can of Campbell’s soup. An hour or so later, I got a bad headache and had some nausea with dizziness. I started dealing with some bad heart palpitations and had extremely high blood pressure that kept me up. If I laid down, I’d har my heart pouding in my head. I can’t tell if it’s stress or a combination of things, but it can’t be my diet alone. While I do eat a lot of salty foods, for someone my age (turning 30 this year), I don’t have an abnormal lifestyle or eating habit. I ended up sleeping all day on and off today, feeling drained. When it came time to go to the barn, I mustered up as much energy as I could, and took my time with my chores.

As I started to move around more, I started to get a little more energy. When I finished mucking, I fed the horses. Once they were done eating, I let Doc and Sugar out, but put Bear’s rope halter on and felt like going for a walk, and it was the perfect tiem to get Bear used to leaving the other horses alone with me, like we always used to.

When we got to the gate, Doc came running and calling, but Bear didn’t look back, and followed me through the gate, and we were off. We walked down the street a good ways, dealt with traffic, gun shots (someone kept shooting on the property behind the farm), kids screaming, cows, dogs, etc. and he was fine. Stayed focused and just followed me. We turned back and went back to the farm.

I praised him for being such a good boy, then took him out back where the blocker tie ring was. Put the rope through it, and started grooming. He had some scratches on his back legs from where the grass was tall in his favorite grazing spot, and treated that. Picked all four feet, even with the gunshots, he didn’t flinch (and they were even startling ME!).

I started with the blanket, rubbing it over his nose, neck, back, butt, etc. both sides. Tossing it on his back. He was still nervous, but receptive, lots of lip licking, chewing, etc. Used a lead rope to mimic the cinch around his girth, and stopped when he became soft. At that time he dropped his head, and I brought the saddle out (been using my friend’s Big Horn western saddle since it’s light weight and fits Bear while mine is in the shop).

Approaching him with the saddle made him blow as he began to grow tense. I brought it up to his nose, letting him sniff it, rubbed it down his neck, sides, went around to his left side, did the same. I got back to his right side, where he seemed more receptive about the saddle, where I then put it on his back. I praised him, rubbed him down, he licked his lips, I moved onto the next step.

I let the stirrups down, he didn’t budge. Let the cinch loose, then brought the it up and gently began to loop the latigo through the ring of the cinch three times. This is when he started to move his feet. I asked him to return to where he was standing by gently putting pressure on the lead rope to the direction I wanted, and he listened and stopped moving. I gradually tightened the cinch, stopping periodically to praise him when he didn’t move and became soft.

Once he was cinched, I stepped back. He wanted to sway from side to side, but eventually settled, when I loosened it up. When I went to go to his other side, he began to pull on back hard the rope. I gently pulled back, but I got a small rope burn, however he quit pulling so that quickly distracted me from it and I made the right move because he quieted down. That was the only time he tried to pull this session. I moved slow, but didn’t want to have too quiet of a movement, so I began to trod around him with the saddle, shaking it around. His head would pop up at the noise, but he didn’t pull. 

I decided to go back a step and forget about cinching and focus on saddle of and on. I didn’t include the blanket since it was getting in the way, and I wanted a smooth on and off motion. I let him sniff the saddle again, rubbing it around on his neck, sides, done both on left and right.

He’d blow from time to time, so I’d go back to his face and let him see it, never sneaking it past him, trying to always make sure he was aware of what I was doing. I was looking for him to either lick his lips, cock a rear foot forward, or lower his head, which he decided to lower his head here. I used this as my sign to place the saddle on his back, from the right. He was receptive, stood perfectly still, and I praised him with a good neck rub.

Each time I put the saddle on, I switched sides, once on the right, once on the left, and so on. Praising him when I’d get the response I wanted. He began to grow antsy, and I realized we were at this for a few hours and the sun had already gone down (we do all our work out doors), so I put it on his back one last time, and when he gave me a night exhale and chew, I praised him with a horsie cookie, and took the saddle off. He seemed pleased.

When I released him, he calmly walked to his pasture mates. I can always tell how soft he is depending on how he exits a session. I always want him to walk calmly away, not to run or trot off tossing his head. For the last 3 days, he’s given me a nice, calm, walk off.

Despite him still pulling that one time tonight, I feel we are making progress. I have learned when he’s pulling I need to give him very, VERY, light tension through the blocker ring and urge him forward. When we do this, he will come forward. If you apply too much pressure (like if he were hard tied), he will fight it.

I’ve spoken to someone about this that has gone through the same thing and got their horse past it, and they suggested what I am already doing, but with a longer lead line. I would need to wear gloves during this process; even though I got a small burn, I was lucky it was small.

All in all, I am feeling hopeful. Now if I can just quit hating work and focus on getting that done during the first part of my day, I really would like to get out to the barn earlier because the sun is starting to go down by 7:15 now.


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## Werecat (Aug 23, 2015)

September 19th, 2016​
I really resent that our town is RIGHT on the time boarder, and we’re stuck in central time. As a result, it gets dark around 7ish now.

Horses usually are in during the day due to the heat, but today we let them stay out since it was breezy, but all three were in their correct stalls when I pulled up to the barn. Since I had virtually no chores other than feeding the horses and cats, I went to immediate work with Bear after bot knifing all 3 horses.

I started again with gentle easy stuff. Tying with blocker tie, brushing, treating scratches, picking all 4 feet, then started with the blanket.

4 days into this and he still blows at the blanket when he first sees it, same with saddle, but we’re making progress. Today he didn’t pull back at all during our training session! I rubbed the blanket on his nose, face, neck, sides, then threw it nonchalantly all over him. His neck, back, etc. I always let him know what I was doing and made sure never to sneak up on him or pull any surprises.

After 25-30 minutes of blanket work, I brought out my friend’s saddle (no word on the progress of my saddle’s repair, thankfully my friend’s spare saddle fits my boy and me!), and decided to do a little extra positive association with the saddle and blanket, and introduced treats. I generally don’t like to work with treats because he tends to get fixated on them, but if it associates happy feelings with the saddle, then I’m all for it.

I broke about 3 treats in half and went back to work. When I pulled the saddle out, I approached him with it while talking to him, bringing it to his face to take a look and feel it. When he gave me a positive reaction (I can’t remember if it was a lick lip or a chew), I gave him a treat. I then rubbed the saddle a little bit on his sides before putting it on his back. He didn’t move or react! He got another half a treat. When I started to cinch slowly and he began to move his feet a from side to side and sway, I put him back in his place, then continued when he stood still. I stopped before he started to move while he was still, and gave him another half. When he was all cinched (I’ve been trying to leave it comfortable and not cut him in half, because I’m wondering if part of his issue with saddling is previous people may have tightened his cinch too much) he swayed from side to side for a while. When he stood still, I gave him the last piece of treat I had.

It was GORGEOUS tonight, breezy, not hot, very comfortable, I decided I wanted to ride, heck I had him saddled up anyhow and he needs the exercise. As I was walking him down the driveway, my friend showed up and asked if I wanted her to ride with me, which of course was a definite yes.

I continued across the street to go visit at our other friend’s farm who lives across the street while she caught Sugar and tacked her up, and Bear was perfectly behaved. Stood perfectly still, didn’t pace, didn’t fight me on wanting to move around, didn’t graze, just had his head dropped, relaxed, and foot cocked. I couldn’t have asked for more out of him during the ride, even though it was all in neighborhood riding, side of road stuff, he’s always well behaved for that.

He’s responding much more to leg pressure and it takes minimal rein aids to get him to do what I want with direction, it makes me excited to learn more to teach him.
We had a fun ride, despite all the road traffic, but both horse are used to it and did fine. Unsaddled him and loved on him for a minute then let him loose back into the pasture where he calmly walked off to his pasture buddies. 

Along with the saddling issue, his major groundwork and fundamental issue is he pulls. I found a video by a nearby trainer on YouTube (David Lee Archer) that demonstrates the method of helping him through this problem that I think will be the safest and most effective way. I wish we had our hitching posts built, but I don’t want to rush Jessie since he has important things to build first, like our top dutch doors for our stalls leading to the paddock (for winter), and winterizing the rest of the barn. It’s an old barn that we’ve been restoring and bettering since May and it’s come a long way, but still needs a lot. This method is best used with a hitching post, but it can probably be done with a blocker tie, but not as easily. We just need a longer rope, 30-50ft, but I think we’re ready to start. My vet told me he’s rarely seen horses with this issue truly be fixed, which worries me, but I am still hopeful.


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## Werecat (Aug 23, 2015)

September 20th, 2016​
I am SO proud of my little man!!!! Today I wasn't feeling well. My BP is still messing with me, and I felt so lethargic after I woke up today (couldn't sleep for anything last night), so after I did some time sensitive work, I crawled back into bed and slept until I felt I couldn't sleep anymore. When I get up, I still felt lousy, but I washed up and headed to the barn.

Did chores, then took Bear out back like usual, and he stood quietly (as he always does on a blocker when you just leave him), and I loved on the kittens for a while. About 6:20 my friend rolls up. She asks if I want to ride, and of course I said yes.

I brought the blanket out, he seemed fine, minimal nervousness. Actually, he didn't budge his back foot which was cocked and relaxed. Put that on him after letting him see it, rubbed him down, praised him, then my friend handed me the saddle. Let him sniff it, he seemed completely unfazed by it (YES!!!) and I put it on his back. That foot stayed relaxed, no movement. Rubbed him down, praised him, then went to his left side (I saddle from both sides now, but I favor the right since he seems most happy with that).

I spoke to him as I raised the cinch up to his belly, he stood still. Then my friend accidentally dropped her saddle next to him. He went to pull his head back in a small spook (usually what he does before pulling when nervous), then immediately stepped forward when he felt the pressure and relaxed (GOOD BOY!).

He wanted to take baby steps from side to side when I gently began to tighten the cinch, but I would ask him to stand where he was, and he eventually completely stood still. This was the easiest time I've EVER had with saddling him before a ride.

I made extra sure that the cinch wasn't tighter than it needed to be. The last person I took lessons with (turns out she wasn't a certified instructor...), used to say "Cinch as tight as it'll go" and always went after me and tightened his cinch. HE HATED this, and I noticed his reluctance to being saddled got worse the more lessons I took with her. I think the problem with it also being too tight besides feeling like he'd been cut in half, is when working and he'd need that extra space to breathe, he didn't have it.

I walked him around a little to let him debloat and to make sure the cinch wasn't pinching any skin, and it was perfectly fine. He seemed relaxed. I checked how loose it got, and only tightened it a hair since too lose isn't good either, and I don't want to end up in a situation where he'd spook and he'd go one way and me and the saddle go the other. 

I have been using some blocks (I asked my dad to make me a proper mounting block so hopefully he'll do that soon), instead of ground mounting, just for his sake and also it's easier. As a result I've been working on his impatience when standing to mount. He lined up so well today, and waited for me to mount. Only hitch was he stepped away before me asking, but I tightened my reins some more and he quit.

Then we started for the ride. Today I felt he was ready to ride down to where we last rode where we had the issues and I had to dismount and walk him home. He. rode. WONDERFULLY. to the area. In fact, it felt so nice being the "back" horse. It was only two of us, but we always were behind. It was getting dark (sadness), and things started to look a little more scary. He doesn't usually spook easily, but he still gets spooky about PVC pipes with reflectors sticking out of the ground. Well we calm across one of those in a trimmed field, along with a blue rubber pipe sticking up.

He started to blow at them, I asked him to approach them then let him relax when he was facing them. With the sun quickly going down, we left before I felt he was fully over it, but whatever we'll work on that next time we're over there and we have more light.

When we got into the field, he started to want to trot. He shook his head a couple of times, but I think there were gnats because my friend said she felt a few land on her. He only did it in that one spot and didn't continue, so I think it was that. Anyway, I gave him slight pressure and he quit trying to trot. A few paces down he wanted to test me again, with a light trot, and I tightened my reins, and he stopped. That was it. That's all he tried. I was SO happy!! I mean, I can't ask for perfection but in such little time I am shocked that we had such a wonderful ride.

When we turned back to head to the barn, he didn't try to trot. He didn't test me. So, I rewarded him but asking him to trot. We trotted the rest of the field and it literally took almost no pressure to slow him down. With this hackamore now set right, he really feels much more supple than he ever did in the bit.

We had a very easy walk back home in the dark. Luckily it's a safe road to ride on, and we were fine.

It's always in the back of my head if he's going to act up again, especially once we switch back to my saddle (I read that troopers over time can potentially pinch a horse's shoulders, but I don't think that's happening since I've had good rides with him in it, and he was only fitted for it in May, but never know. You would think if it's going to pinch, it'd pinch from the beginning) my friend said even when my saddle comes back if I truly prefer his saddle I'm welcome to use it whenever I want. I prefer my saddle just because it has English leathers and my knees are a lot more free, and the seat is SUPER comfortable.

Even after tonight's ride, he seemed happy and relaxed. My friend who does morning feeds and brings the horses in during the day, said that he seems much more calm and relaxed. He usually used to pace his stall so badly that his poop always would be kicked around and buried, but lately his stall is the easiest to clean. Maybe he does enjoy being in work, it seems to keep his mind more busy, that's for sure, and mine too.

Anyway, I'll quit babbling like a happy idiot.


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## Werecat (Aug 23, 2015)

September 22nd, 2016​I finally started to fix my sleep schedule to where I’m working more during business hours and less in the evenings. With having less daylight time, I am making sure I give myself a chance to get to the barn with enough light to spare after chores, to work with Bear.

Today I got up early, got my work done before 3:30 today, and was out the door by 4:30. Got my chores done, and started brushing Bear down. He blew a little at the blanket today, but I rubbed it on his nose, and let him sniff it, rubbed it around his body then put it on his back from both sides.

Got the saddle, he seemed fine, still let him sniff it and know exactly what I was doing. He kept wanting to step side to side, but never once pulled back. Every time he’d step, I’d put him right back in his place. I wasn’t satisfied, so I completely took the saddle and saddle pad off, and started over. He acting a little better second time around.

Slowly began to cinch while talking to him. He wanted to step again into my space, but I put him back where he was, he licked his lips, and quit trying to step. I have been super conscious about not making the cinch tighter than it needs to be. I walked him around, checked his girth to make sure no skin was being pinched by the cinch, then pat him.

Put the Hackamore on, and walked him to my upside down muck bucket that’s my makeshift mounting block. He’s getting really, really, good at linin up with the bucket. Today he stood perfectly. I took my time getting on the saddle. When he stood there so calmly I pat him, praised him, then got on.

He wanted to take a step forward as soon as I got my seat, but gently adding tension to the reins, he stopped. I got my other foot in the stirrup, made him wait, then told him to go.
The ride was fun. We rode back to the field. He has been walking so lazily during rides, I’m trying to get him to walk a tad faster to keep up with my friend because I have to trot every so often to catch up to them. I know he’s capable of walking faster, this is just something we have to work on, since when I kiss to him, he immediately goes into a trot, and I have to gently slow him to go into a faster walk before he drops back into a slow walk.

He was great walking to the back of the field. On the way back, we decided to trot but then my friend began to canter, so I let him canter. I don’t really like to canter with Sugar, because she tends to burst into a full on gallop and Bear will try to catch up with her, and I still am not comfortable at all in a gallop. I “whoaed” him and made him stop since he sped up to trail her without me telling him. I made him stand still for a few seconds, then told him to walk to catch up, and he did well. We decided to trot the rest of the field to get to the road.

He’s been really, really good with traffic. We’re at the point nowhere even when it’s getting dark he’s relaxed under saddle with cars passing us with lights. He did great.  I really am enjoying riding more often, but I’m getting bored with the same route. I may just start saddling up earlier and doing some “arena” work in a fenced off area we keep the trailers in earlier so I have longer time in the saddle and can focus on more cues and working more on my riding. I still am not really that comfortable past a trot, and that’s my problem has nothing to do with Bear. I’m really bad about not keeping enough pressure in my feet to stay balanced and I much prefer to practice that in an enclosed area. I have 2 paid lessons at a near by training barn that I may start taking Bear over for her to help me work on this. I have managed however to figure out how to sit a trot  I am a poster and have the hardest time sitting a trot, but I’m getting there!

My absolute favorite thing about tonight? I wanted to see how he'd do lining up to a "mounting block" so I asked him to step up next to the upside down muck bucket. He aligned very nicely, then stood perfectly aligned to it. I stopped down onto the bucket and praised him for being such a good boy. I hopped off the bucket and lead him to go get untacked. So proud of my boy. <3 I can't wait until we can work on more refined things. 


Overall it was a great day, and I’m actually quite sleepy now, so I am hoping I’ll get to bed at a decent hour.


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## Werecat (Aug 23, 2015)

September 23rd, 2016​
Today Bear was being a little pill when saddling, just wanted to keep moving from side to side, so I had to of course keep placing him back where he was. However, under saddle he was great! We didn't leave the property today, but I really didn't feel like it anyway. I wanted to focus on my riding and communication to him as well as lateral flexing (he's loosening up!) He's been doing great with lateral flexing. Focused a lot on making sure my heels are down and keeping balanced, since riding around the neighborhood, things got too casual and I really was slacking on my riding, which affects me when keeping balanced in the canter which is why I haven't been cantering.

Focused a lot on leg work and riding with the absolute lightest rein possible.  I was very please that he seemed willing to work tonight once I got on. Figure 8s, weaving, basic stuff but he followed my cue and went up hills, etc. like a champ keeping a steady gait. Side note, he's doing wonderfully about not walking off once I mount. He's getting better and better, and I will make sure to keep up with this when trail riding and my friends mount up before me and he thinks we're getting left behind.

He's been a little lazy in the walk, so I am trying to get him to a point where I can speed him up without him going into a trot. Seems I am able to do that better when it's just us and we're not riding with someone else trying to keep up.

I had to readjust the cinch on the billet side, and while I was doing so one of the cats jumped at the muck bucket laying on a few cinder blocks near where he was tied, knocking it down which spooked him. Of course he set back dropping the saddle (ARGH). I got him to come forward but he wanted to keep setting back, never got away though. I really, REALLY need to work on that, it's just really hard when I don't have a hitching post yet to work with, and I refuse to really do certain methods that he can end up hurting himself over.

I'd like to take my Stubben over there and ride him in it, but I'm afraid he'll set back and drop it too. There's gravel everywhere where the tie ring is, and I REALLY don't want that saddle getting marred up, but I REALLY miss English leathers. He only drops a saddle if he sets back, which I know, I REALLY need to try and fix but don't feel comfortable doing that alone. I'm getting tired of riding in my friend's western saddle for a few reasons, it's not bad I just miss having more leg freedom. I'm going to take my English saddle over tomorrow for my friend to check it out, and see what they think about the back of the saddle panels. The thing I really like about the Stubben is the tree shape seems to fit him right behind the withers really nicely, not leaving a pocket like the western saddles have a tendency to do with him. It's 1985-1998 model Siegfried, Stubben NA couldn't date it due to being older than 18 years, soooo... not sure of the date, but while the gullet is forgiving the saddle does taper toward the rear and I want to make sure it wont bother his spine. The times I've ridden in it, he's done okay, but he was also in shape and didn't act uncomfortable, but never know. I STILL haven't been able to get a fitter to come out here.  They just wont go out of their way to get here for one person. Thankfully the flocking isn't broken down and still good, but I really hate to ride him in a saddle that I haven't had professionally fitted because there's always the "what ifs" in the back of my head.

I'm done letting people dictate how much feed I need to be giving him because he didn't appear to be at the weight they liked (and they're QH people!), he needs to lose weight and he is looking pregnant again which bothers me tremendously. I know working him every night as I have been will help, but he does need less feed, especially since he's been getting hay during the day when in and grass all night-morning. I give him a 12% Pelleted feed, with Clovite and Flex-n-Action, and he's been doing really well on those two supplements, so I don't want to change that. I recently switched to half a scoop of feed in the morning & half at night vs. the full scoop in morning and full scoop at night. We'll see how that goes. He's an incredibly easy keeper, and even was fat over winter!


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## Werecat (Aug 23, 2015)

September 24th, 2016​
Got the call this afternoon that my trail saddle will be ready for pickup today, but I couldn’t make it out before closing, so I’ll have to take time away from work on Monday to go get it… which means I have to work tomorrow (sigh) to get a head start on some deadlines I need to have done on Monday morning while I am driving out to the leather shop. I am still not sure how much it’s going to cost… Personally after all this, I really wish I had comfortable dressage saddle to trail ride in, but I really am weary of buying another saddle without a fitter who can come out and professionally fit him.

Today I took my AP English saddle with me to the barn. Getting Bear used to the white pad took a little time, but be he eventually accepted it. Saddle, he just sniffed but wasn’t at all bothered by it. Put it on him, off, on, off, on. My friend came out and did the same. Eventually we just let him stand there with it on his back with the pad while we sat down in the barn and chatted, he never moved for the 25 minutes he was with it. I went to go put the girth on, and he gained so much weight since I last rode him in it, the buckles didn’t even reach the billet! That girth was always a tad tight (it is still brand new), but it was still able to be fastened comfortably to the billet straps. So, I’m not sure what I want to do. If I want to save money and just keep working him in my friend’s western saddle (and then my trail saddle when I get it back) or if I want to just get a cheap girth in the mean time until he loses a little weight.

I cut back his feed to half a scoop in the morning, half at night and have been doing that for a few days, as well as only two flakes of hay while he’s in from noon-5. He is on pasture the rest of the time. He is such an easy keeper, he was even a chub all last winter. I had him at a really good weight from March-June, I’d like to get him back there.

He’s been a good boy. I really am proud of how he’s been under saddle. He’s been so supple and kind (I say kind because the last several nights I’ve ridden him he really has been seeming to willingly work), it makes me want to start back with lessons ASAP! The lesson barn is 2.5-3 miles away from the farm I keep him at, and I really don’t want to have to bother my friend to trailer him there for me, even though she offered to do it a couple of times, but I also really want to take lessons on HIM vs. her lesson horses (even though they are WONDERFUL! She has an awesome warmblood gelding she uses in her program who I really have been wanting to ride, but I really want to focus on my riding with Bear).

We almost have lateral flexion down and he’s been doing really well with leg aids and following my cues. Even though I got to the barn a lot easier today, I still only got to ride right as it started to get dark, so was riding mostly in VERY dim lighting, and he still did wonderfully. He’s lining up to a mounting “block” (still using the bucket) like a champ for both mount and dismount.  :cowboy:


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## Werecat (Aug 23, 2015)

September 26th, 2016​
Got my saddle back! Thankfully the repair wasn't a bank breaker, phew! One thing I am not completely happy with is the new bar's bolt holes were machined narrower than the original one, so the screws aren't perfectly seated like they were before, they're a few MMs up which will catch when cleaning, but as far as function is fine. Had them check it again to make sure everything was sound and safe to use on my horse, and it all checked out.  What a relief.

Tonight I got to the barn a little late, my dad wanted to come with me so he helped my friend who owns the farm install the first upper door to one of the stalls. Exciting, everything is coming together! It's not very pretty, but it's functional haha. He's going to prettify it when he has more time, at least. 

As for Bear, tonight I just practiced putting my purple pad on him, he did okay, then putting my saddle on and off, on and off. I never cinched up today, I just wanted him to get comfortable with it. He did wonderfully. Proud of my little tank.

Something I want to note, he has a really forward heart girth, I'm wondering if it's worth it for me to get him an ergonomic cinch as I did with his english saddle. Would that help give him more motion in his shoulder?


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## Werecat (Aug 23, 2015)

September 27th, 2016​
Today was a nice day. My father has been coming with me to the farm for the past two days and has been super helpful with getting the barn ready for winter. He and my friend who owns the place (he and my father are closer in age than I am), get along great. They're both super handy, and my friend has been getting a lot of free wood from his job that includes large pieces of outdoor plywood, 2x4s, and several other super useful pieces. We have 1 stall of the 3 already done. 

The barn is a bit older and is the slatted wooden type so wind goes through the cracks. We're using the sheets of plywood to line the inside of the barn and winter proof everything as well as build new dutch doors for all 3 stalls. My dad's been helping with all that since me and my other friend who boards there, aren't as good with a saw and super heavy lifting  Plus my father is an experienced woodworker.

While they do all this work, I keep Bear tied in the back of the barn while I finish chores to work with him, and it's been great for desensitizing, he really isn't phased by sounds anymore. He can hear gunshots, saws, drills, dogs, etc. and is fine when he's tied back there. I didn't want to leave him back there for too long, so I started working with him. Just saddle blanket on off, tossing it around, making "loud" motions with it. Same with my saddle. I am so happy he's getting to the point that when he sees the saddle he doesn't start dancing/getting antsy. I kept putting the saddle on and off of him, and he kept his foot relaxed. Sometimes he'd want to move, but I'd correct him.

I brought the cinch out, but never cinched up since he still wants to move from side to side with that and wanted to make sure he would stand perfectly still for just placing saddle on and off before getting back to that. The cinch is a 26in (when in shape he usually fits in a 44in english girth) and that's what the saddle fitter fit him for, and lately since he's gained so much weight, it's too small. I've been working him and lessened his feed over the past month or so. I am working on switching him over to the same feed my friend has her horse on and has been getting great results as far as weight management and coat health. It's a much better feed than what Bear is on right now. It's double the price but you feed less of it, so I think it shouldn't be too much of an increase. Regardless, if it helps him from gaining TOO much weight this winter, I'll be happy. I of course don't want him skinny for winter, but he's too overweight now and it's making me really, really nervous. I'm terrified of metabolic syndrome and I was SO careful this spring to not let him have morning grass and keep him with a grazing muzzle. It's like these past 2-3 months he blew up and I should've caught it sooner. It's my fault, I wasn't riding him and I was giving him too much hay when he was in during the day. I am constantly checking the saddle and his back to make sure that since he's gotten bigger since he was fit for the saddle, that he hasn't changed too much for it to cause soreness.

As far as his attitude, he was a little prince today. We taped his height (I already knew he was 14.2hh, but we did it again anyway), and his weight and according to the tape he's around 958. He was at 840 when he was in regular work, so I'm hoping to get him back to that, if not a tad less since he was still a tad chunky then too. I feel so bonded to him right now, and I think it's mutual. Whenever I muck, lately I do it with the horses in the stalls before feeding time, so that I'll have daylight to work with him, and he always follows me around my the stall like a puppy dog, gently poking the back of my arm with his nose... it gives me a warm cuddly feeling and I just stop what I am doing to love on him haha. He's starting to live up to the "CareBear" nickname.

It's chilly tonight, feels like it's actually autumn!! Makes me relieved that Bear has already shed out of his summer coat and already has a good winter growth in, so I know he's sleeping cozy tonight.

*Just a note, when I say "tied" I mean blocker tied. I have been using my blocker ring with a long lead rope when tying him and it's been working well. I may add a tad more tension to it and see how he does, but for now he hasn't been pulling.


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## Tazzie (Nov 8, 2011)

I'm so glad he's been doing well! And happy to hear you guys are creating a better bond  so happy for you right now! Sounds like the barn is coming along too!


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## Werecat (Aug 23, 2015)

Tazzie said:


> I'm so glad he's been doing well! And happy to hear you guys are creating a better bond  so happy for you right now! Sounds like the barn is coming along too!


Thank you so much!! <3 Because we're working on the barn, I've been giving Bear a little time off. My mom spent time with him today and groomed him. Here's a shot of them having a sweet moment. 









I actually figured out why Bear's been acting up more and more since I bought this new saddle. I had it professionally (or so I thought!) fitted by a reputable saddle maker around here. Long story short he fit Bear for a saddle and I picked my favorite of the two he said fit him. This way back in May. Fast forward to now. He was a total pill to cinch up even though we've made progress with my friend's Big Horn while my saddle was in the shop.

He kept swinging his butt away from me at the mounting block and not wanting to line up. First time he's done this since he started to use the block. Well, once I got on, I started to pay close attention to how he was moving. As I was riding him, he started acting very stiff and choppy in the trot. I looked down at where the gulled sits, and he had wrinkles where the saddle was pushing into him! I am PRETTY sure that is a sign that the saddle isn't fitting.

I immediately hopped off. Even with a different pad, the tree angle was WAY too narrow for his shoulder!! I mean, I know he's gained weight since May (which I am working on, switching him to a way better feed and exercising him more), but I don't think the gullet would be that much more narrow because of a little extra weight, would it? I always felt that saddle may not have fit right, but I figured the saddle fitter knew more than me.  The front of the tree does not follow the shape of his shoulders at all  I don't know what to do, other than try to sell this saddle and find a new saddle through a different company.  I'd LOVE to be able to trail ride in a comfy dressage saddle, but I can't find an English fitter that'll come out here. I'll have to figure something out.... quite saddening because I spent a lot of money on that saddle and I highly doubt they're going to make it right and refund me... especially since the saddle has been in an accident in which they repaired it from. He's NEVER dropped saddles on me, but he's gotten more and more difficult to saddle after I got that saddle. Argh.


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## Tazzie (Nov 8, 2011)

That is a sweet moment with your mom! Does she like horses too??

As for the saddle, I'd sell it and find something else. Maybe contact some of the barns around you and ask if they have a fitter they would recommend? May even be able to haul in and piggy back in if they have a fitter coming. I'd say it's worth a shot! I MUCH prefer trail riding in my dressage saddle too, so I get why you would want to get one! I know I wouldn't recommend Albion from all the trouble Cassie has gone through, but perhaps another brand? I don't have a TON of experience with County, but may be an option. OR, I convince my friends to make a road trip with all the used tack she has (PLENTY of Dressage saddles, one similar to mine which I LOVE!!) :lol: arg, another reason it'd be easier if you were closer :lol:

Another option, and I know there is mixed reviews on them.... is a either a Bates or a Wintec. Both come with adjustable gullet system, you just have to pay for the extra gullet bars. The Wintec comes with a measuring tool to help figure out which gullet would fit the shoulders the best. It's an idea, but I get not always a popular one. For what it's worth, I started Izzie in a Wintec. I absolutely got my money's worth out of it. I just would put a fuzzy pad under it for a bit more extra cushion since some people claimed they could feel the stirrup bar. Not sure how true that is, but we always had the pad on her.


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## Werecat (Aug 23, 2015)

She's not an animal lover the way my sister and I are, but she is very kind to them and they seem to adore her. Bear is always very quiet and calm around her and just stood there without her having to him to keep him from wandering off when grooming him. I love seeing them interact.

I spent the other night deep cleaning my saddle (even though since it is barely used, was a super easy clean), and oiling it preparing it for pictures to use in the ads. The leather is really supple, and it's so easy to clean, so that's definitely a good thing. Took several pictures of it and tried to measure everything, set up an album on FB with all the info, just a matter of sharing it to sales groups. I've never actually advertised anything like this for sale, so I'm a little nervous about it lol. Would prefer to sell it locally so I don't have to deal with shipping, but I'll ship if need be.

I'm really interested in getting into endurance riding with him (mostly just local events since I'd have to have my friend take me until I can get my own rig), and since we do long trails just as pleasure rides as well, something with comfort during long hours but still puts me in the proper seat is preferred. I've looked into the Tucker Equitation, which is a crossover over of English and Western. There's a tack store my friend is able to get me to a couple hours away that I could get Bear fitted at and actually get to sit in the saddle to see if it's something I'd even like. I'd be okay with doing a trace and measurements to send to other saddle dealers, but I'm trying to keep the price below 2k. Lovatt & Ricketts seem to make a really nice endurance saddle, and there's a woman selling one in Knoxville (which is about an hour away), but I've not contacted her about it since I'm not sure what I am doing just yet. It is a standard English saddle in that it needs to be reflocked with use. Which wouldn't bother me, but as of now I don't have anyone that could do that.

Yes, distance lately for me seems to be cutting into a lot of areas of my life negatively, haha.

I've been asking around and having my buddy ask around for saddle fitters, and have been getting the same names  Sadly I've dealt with the people that they all recommend, and for the English one, I know she's incredibly good at what she does, but since I am out of the way and not a large barn, she hasn't made time for me. I can try to talk to the woman I was taking lessons with, but last I spoke to her she didn't have anyone (she just moved to the area not too long ago).


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## Werecat (Aug 23, 2015)

October 3rd, 2016​
He's still not where he needs to be with standing to be saddled, but when cinching once the girth is up he stays still for the most part. But that aside, this horse has been a rockstar on the trail! Between my friend's Bighorn that seems to fit him really well, and the flower hackamore, he seems so happy and enjoys being out on the trail! Half the time we're the last horse of the group and he isn't fighting me to get to the front, he isn't antsy, he isn't "snatching the bit". I love that I've been on top of doing leg aids because it's been so helpful with avoiding little obstacles on the trail or having him side step when we get too close to another horse's rear. He's getting better with hosing after a ride as well. Phew!

I mostly ride with walking horses, so I've been trying to refine his jog and keep him in it before going to a full blown trot. His jog is so much easier to ride and keeps us in pace with their "gait", so we aren't constantly having to trot, slow down, trot, slow down. It's definitely been a great exercise for us both! 

Love my Little Bear <3

Still thinking about what saddle I want to get. My father agreed to go with me to the giant tack store almost 2 hours away that uses master saddle fitters. They're mostly western, which for trail I don't mind, but I need to have English Leathers, I really do miss the freedom... Personally, don't like having the fender wrapping around the inside of my legs. I am, however, learning how to master the sitting jog and trot! I still have to post when he does his big trots, but I can sit the jog, which for long distances is nice!  I may try to reach out again to the English Master fitter if I truly don't find a saddle I like at that tack store. I miss having knee rolls and freedom of movement <3

I am in the process of ordering a wicking sheet. So many things to get <3


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## Werecat (Aug 23, 2015)

Forgot to share, yesterday we did some liberty work (which he weaved through posts at first try which was a lot of fun!), anyway, he was following me so cutely, I stopped and took the opportunity to snap a picture of us together, since I don't really have any recent ones.


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## Werecat (Aug 23, 2015)

October 26, 2016​
So today I decided to get started on working on desensitizing Bear to the vacuum since he's been CONSTANTLY getting so unbearably dusty (I can't touch him without a cloud of smoke, and it literally takes an hour to get it out with brushing). I am SHOCKED that it only took a minute or two of him blowing and backing up as I showed him the hose and let him sniff it with it running (without it running he paid no mind to it). I tested it on my own skin and hair of course before putting it on him, and it felt pretty nice, so I'm assuming he was enjoying it and why he stood ground tied so relaxed. So proud of him! <3

I really am regretting more and more that I am not going to lessons. I need to have another trained eye take a look at my Stubben to make sure it's not pinching him, and of course I am embarrassed I never showed up for my paid lessons because life got so crazy. Realistically I can walk him there. One of the people I used to board with at the previous barn boards there, and she rides on the trails past our farm, so it's really easy to get to the lessons. Probably a 10 minute ride over?


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## jaydee (May 10, 2012)

*This journal has been closed due to prolonged lack of participation by the author. Journals that have no active participation by the author for a period of time greater than 18 months will be considered abandoned and will be closed until the author asks for them to be reopened.*


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