Well, long time no post. I fell a muse coming on so I thought I should update. To all the bloggers on my page, I read your pages faithfully but sometimes I feel that what I write - is just ramblings on and the despair picture comes to mind.
This Despair photo is exactly what I feel like on most days. Thus, the lack of posting of late. But, now with my change of heart - I am writing this blog to accurately remember my journey with my horse Bogey. I never really meant for this to be extremely public - it just became that way for ease of use and I like Blogger's applications. So my journal will begin again.
I was home for spring break all last week and I did get to spend some quality time with Bogey. It was nice. I didn't get to spend much time because of the long jaunt it takes to get to the boarding stable and the lack of a vehicle but I did get to spend some time with him.
Bogey was just that - Bogey. Since owning him we haven't gotten to know each other that well and our acquaintance with each other is interesting at times. Like I've mentioned in previous posts Bogey is a very typical aloof Quarter Horse personality. When people he likes are around, it's great - when he has his alone time that's great as well.
Now, you all know that I've been working showmanship on him since that is my favorite event, and I believe that all horses should know how to do the maneuvers if only for basic safety precautions. Bogey is too smart at times. We've done probably five good training sessions on showmanship and he's picked it up so quickly that he is now bored with it. BORED! With my favorite event! He pivots correctly and plants the right hind about 95% of the time, holds a set up, trots off on cue, backs quickly where I want him to back, walks on cue, rates his pace to my own, and sets up in a reasonable amount of time. The only other things we could do with this is work on quickening up his set ups and creating ques to place each foot exactly where I want it, and a pull turn. The pull turn is not necessary for the local open shows that I attend in the summer but we'll have that down shortly.
With Bogey's recent boredom of the event he's started to do some bad behaviors to show his displeasure. Such as opening his mouth and pretending to bite the chain or my arm. I DO NOT tolerate this and if I catch it in ample time he'll get a quick smack on his neck and will have to do another "harder" maneuver correctly and then do the same maneuver he rebelled against once again. If I don't catch it we'll just increase intensity and leave out the light smack.
From not knowing much about his past prior to the past year, I've found a few things that I really REALLY don't like. Bogey at one time or another had a halter on for a long period of time, had one on that was too small, or had an accident with one on because he has scar tissue and displaced white hairs along the bridge of his nose where the halter noseband rests. Also, if you raise your hand up quickly or even just raise them up at times, Bogey will shy away. I believe that someone hit him, waled on him, and just plain abused him enough to leave a mark but not fully destroy his spirit. This is very apparent when trying to get him to do something he does not want to do, such as enter a new horse trailer. He hates it. The ONLY way you can get him to enter one is bribery, which I hate to do. All of my previous horses and my current pony Nancy load into a trailer by themselves. I point at it, and throw the rope over their necks and they load themselves safely. I then can enter and tie them up and no one gets hurt in the loading process. Bogey on the other hand will not load.
We had a larger two horse straight load trailer that used and he would not load into it. We thought he was just too big, because he was honestly. So we now have a 3 horse slant that can convert to a stock trailer, which has ample room for him. Once again, he would not load. I had him hauled here by a local trainer who used a 3 horse gooseneck trailer and he would load only with grain. I just don't know what to do with this boy.
When trying to get him to load I first walked him around outside and around the trailer so he could get a look at everything. We then just walked up to it thinking this might be better. No such luck. He readily backed away from the trailer. I then did the whole bribery trick with his treats, with some sweet feed. Still no luck. Finally, I did some lunging around the outside of the trailer to get his feet to move and make the inside of it looks so much better. Still no luck. Now I really don't know what I'm going to do.
Bogey did have his breakfast about 3-4 hours before trying to load so he wasn't too interested in the food, so that may be an option just to get him inside. I've learned that he doesn't like new things at all, but once you get him to try them - it's not a big deal and he'll do it again. It is just that initial start.
I can also see some issues where he might have been abused in his issues with new things. He will just shut down or become beligerent and fight it. For a while at the trailer he shut down, then when I pressed the issue he fought it a little with some bucks and lunging. Not at me, oh there would be hell to pay for that one, but as he went into a trot or lope while lunging. Also, if you try to physically force the trailer issue, with pulling, lunge line, lunge whip, ect., he shuts down even more.
I don't know what to do with him and the trailer issue. We're just going to have to work at it, so time will tell. The worst part of the story is that I'm back as school now and won't be home for another two weeks so Bogey wins again.
You're a saint if you read all this and if anyone has any tricks or tips for working on his slight abuse issues, gaining trust, and working with trailering, I would love any and all help.
I also promise I'll be more faithful about the posts, even though they may just be about boring college right now. ;D
Till next time,
Amy
