Update on Moonshine
Posted by Bill on Mar 31 2008 at 09:42 am | Tagged as: Training
It’s been 2 weeks since Moonshine left on a “training vacation.” Saturday we headed to the training farm to see how she’s doing. She seemed happy to see us and as if to receive some comfort from it, buried her face in Mikki’s chest. Sure, she’s a sweetie on the ground but riding has been a different story, which is why she’s off to be trained. Lance, our horse trainer, rode her around his pasture for us and I managed to snap photo proof (albeit blurry) that she’s not always willing to go for a ride. Lance informed us she doesn’t seem to want to buck if he longes her first but he wants her to be ridable straight from the barn. We want that, too.
It’s funny to watch but not so fun when you’re sitting on her back while she’s doing it. She doesn’t buck much and Lance thinks that’s because her previous owners probably jumped off when she started and didn’t get back on. Part of this training exercise is also to train me as her rider how to deal with bucking, such as paying attention to her body language and pulling her head to one side if she does it. Next week we plan on taking a trail ride. I’ll be sure to wear a helmet!
Interestingly, she only wants to buck on canter. She walks, trots and runs just fine. She just doesn’t seem to want to canter. So basically I have a faulty transmission: first, second and fourth gear work but watch out for third!
I miss having her up at the barn and look forward to her returning. Obviously I’m going to need to make a time commitment to work with her and ride her regularly from now on and I should look into some more training for myself, as well.
Have enjoyed your diary of lessons lovingly learned. Sounds so familiar! We didn’t start riding until almost age 50, but now (mid 60’s)have the farm, 8 horses, truck & trailer, etc and big debt. Re: Moonshine’s buck, we had some similar problems with one of our first horses. He had apparently been injured before we bought him. Trainers said he could not be made safe, but after treatment (including chiropractic and acupuncture!) for back and stifle problems and some time off, he became ridable for several more years, even able to do 4-5 hour trail rides. He’s now retired from riding, but still runs the herd. Have you had her checked for back problems?
Axel was a bucker at the canter. As best we can figure out, he’s never learned how to be balanced in that gait and bucks for lack of knowing what else to do. Of course now we’re dealing with spring fever so the bucking is a little more frequent and more of a “weeeeeee it’s spring!” As soon as the ground is back to normal it’s back to convincing him he can canter and won’t fall over.
My daughter’s horse, Curly, tends to buck too. Spring time is the worst; he feels good and just wants to jump around. Emily has to lounge him prior to each ride - this seems to take care of the issue. But she is also learning how to read his body language and how to manage his behavior. We also think that he may have learned that if he bucks, she gets nervous and might end the ride sooner. Less work for him! So Emily is having to push past her fear and ride even after he tries to buck. Needless to say, a helmet is ALWAYS worn!
That is great for you! I am so excited for you to be able to ride her shortly. That is amazing that she only wants to buck when she canters. Weird! How is Lance as a trainer? Is it helping Moonshine?
-Helen
Thanks for the update on Moonshine’s progress! Glad to hear that she is steadily improving. Good luck on your upcoming trail ride!
My horse Raiah, did the exact same thing. She would buck at the cantor. I’m a chicken, and only ride a trail ride speed (ha ha!) but my almost 17 year old daughter was determined to work that buck out of Raiah and I think she has suceeded. She hasn’t bucked in almost a year now, unless it’s a happy little kick while running up our hill. Nothing that would throw anyone off though.
My daughter did the same thing with Raiah that your trainer suggested. Just kept getting right back on any time she got thrown off and then would work Raiah until they ended on a good note. We figured the exact same thing, that Raiah’s previous rider allowed her to get away with it.
Just discovered your great blog! I’ve been riding my gelding for a year and he has never bucked with me, maybe crow-hopped once a little when I loped him with spurs on (wasn’t controlling my legs very well, he didn’t like that!) I would like to get him a chiro evaluation as he is stiff on his left side and I don’t want that to cause him pain that could in turn affect our riding, as in bucking or unwillingness. I will enjoy following your horse’s training process.
Well? Is she back yet? Did you ride her? Inquiring fans want to know!
Ditto to what Laura said!
I have mixed feelings on “training vacations” for horses. I think its great that you did this for your horse, but what about you? The owner needs to be trained as well as the horse. Many times horses go away and a good trainer can work with the horse and ride it, and to a certain level the horse is better for everyone. But when the horse gets back, the owner is at the same level of expertise he was before the horse left. So the horse is great for awhile but then the same issues often come up that plagued the horse/human relationship earlier. How to fix this? People need to educate themselves and become better horse trainers themselves instead of relying on experts all the time. So yeah send the horse off to a training farm but please do work on your own horsemanship too!
Anyway good luck with your horse. I am reading this a few months later so I imagine a lot has happened since then!
Dave