Poor Old Georgia

[AnnB (NE)]

She's such a sweet girl!
I'm coming to the conclusion that her problems with the previous owner (the folks who rescued her) were more to do with them being overly timid with her and letting her "rule the roost".
I was told that Georgia is headshy, will not allow her back feet to be handled, and wants to rush through gates.
I'm not seeing any of it -- she's not at all headshy (I've even had fingers in her ears with no reaction, and all the cockleburs are out of her forelock), I've had all 4 feet up with no problem (lean into her, grasp knee/hock, and say "foot" -- she picks right up).
She's very polite, steps back from the gate when I enter her pen. She's now learned to match her pace to mine and we no longer have the problem with veering to the left when leading. And since I was told that she would rush a gate, I slow her down and hesitate just a second before we go through the gate -- as of yesterday, she's hesitating on her own before going through the gate. She's a very smart girl -- and she wants very badly to please. She acted excited when I brought the grandkids out to see her yesterday, and stood like a champ for them to pet her, even lowering her head so the smallest child could reach.

And the poor thing is just covered with scars. The ones on her rump look like whip marks. The rest of her body though, is just covered with scars from barbed wire. She's even got scarring above her front hooves that look like old scald marks (standing in feces/urine/muck)

Tomorrow I start building her round pen, after I get it built and can start to work her, I can really see just what she's capable of.

Ann B

[tassie]

She must be one grateful old girl, to finally find someone she can relate to....that's wonderful Ann!!! Very happy for both of you,

Trina

[Liz]

Congrats Ann!
Sounds like you found a diamond in the rough!
Also sounds like you too are bonding well already, what a great beginning!

[Deanna]

Sounds like you two are clicking and figuring things out just fine.

[missevelyn]

Ann, been following this thread with a lot of interest. Glad to hear Georgia is taking direction well and is loving still.

Gonna go riding myself this afternoon. Nothing better on a Sunday afternoon.

Regina

[AnnB (NE)]

Aug 31, 2008 9:44:44 GMT -5 missevelyn said:

Gonna go riding myself this afternoon. Nothing better on a Sunday afternoon.

One of these days soon, I'll be able to say the same thing!

I don't want to rush her. I'm taking her through all the steps that I did with the young horses that I worked with many years ago -- and she's breezing right through. We haven't done a Joining-Up workout yet, but she's acting joined up already. She'll follow at my shoulder, off lead, in her pen.
I don't think things would be going this well if I'd tried to ride her that first day. By the time we get there, she'll be ready for it -- and we'll be doing it in different equipment than her previous owners used. They had her in a mechanical hackamore because they couldn't get her to take a bit, and I have to say I HATE mechanical hackamores, especially when they use rough braided leather over the nose and chain under the chin -- she's much too sensitive for something like that. IMO, that hackamore could have been responsible for a lot of her issues under saddle -- that dang thing hurt! That could have been why they said she was headshy -- she didn't want that hackamore on. And what gets me is that I know the folks well enough to know that they thought they were doing right by her -- they truly thought the mechanical hackamore was gentler than a bit in her mouth.
When I stick my thumb in the corner of her mouth and she opens right up, so I don't anticipate any problems with her taking a bit. I just bought her a Tom Thumb. I've always liked the Tom Thumb (snaffle with shanks), used properly it's a gentle, flexible bit that allows excellent communication between your hands and the horse's mouth (used improperly though, it can tear a horse's mouth up bad).
At the rate she's going, she'll be ready to ride in another couple of weeks.

Ann B

[missevelyn]

I am SO glad to hear you're starting her over. That is the method, you have no idea what holes were left in her training. Yeah, some horses are hack horses, some are not. You obviously know enough to see what she likes when it comes to bits. You and Georgia will figure it out together.

My riding this afternoon went away with the 25mph plus wind gusts this afternoon. No fun getting dirt in our eyes. The colt dh and I would've been working is a very mellow minded Fjord. We know his issues because we bought him last summer as a 3 yr old, halter broke only. He's harness broke already and we're just strapping the saddle on him because it's nice to have him able to do both.

Enjoy,

Regina

[BissyAndBessie]

I wonder how her teeth are. That could cause problems with the bit.
Also it sounds like the scars over her hooves (coronary band) could be from "soreing" her. She is an Arab....
Watch it when you get on her.. she might have been a show horse at one time, and if they were soreing her, and she loves you, she will do her best to give you all she has.
If she was shown in "that" style of show, then she was trained to be "hot" under saddle.
If you see signs of that, I would sugest a bit that has no leverage action, ie a plain snaffle.
It would set a different expectation for her than "show"
(they use curb bits in park classes)
Sorry if you know all this already.
Ive been enjoying her story!
Willie

[missevelyn]

Willie, don't have to tell me about the horse's expectations. Friend got a retired gamer/QH once and didn't know it. Dancer was advertised as a nice trail horse, which she is. She and my dd ride Dancer around the pen, then decide it's safe for me to try out her rather nice walk. I moved the reins down her neck, just loosening up and she lit up! She was ready to go all four directions at once. Funny to look back on now.

Regina