Learning without that perfect bond

[foalstory]

I posted this as a comment, but figured I'd repost it here because it's worthy.

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(question was about whether you and your horse never clicked)

yup! and went on loving the horse to pieces although I knew he'd never be 'my' type of horse (unless I wanted a bum around fun hack).

A new horse came into the barn, vicious in his stall, trying to bite anyone who came by. Trainer asked me to try him out (he was privately owned but needed riding). Being the teenager I was, I did and WOW it was a disastrous ride, the sort where you use the fence to stop at times and never trot in a straight line. I ended the ride and declared 'Someone needs to work with this horse!!'

Trainer called me that night and offered me a lease on him. WHAT? totally NO emotional bond to him, frustrated and annoyed by him at times to say the least. So I said yes of course, cause I needed a ride :)

A year later he was going magnificently, taught me SO much about how to LISTEN to a horse, not just order it around, and while he maxed out at 2'3" at jumping (fat little quarterhorse, he literally could NOT go higher), we had a blast and I was so so sad when he owner moved him to another barn before I graduated high school.

So I knew I never 'clicked' with him until MUCH later, but even then I knew he would never be the 'horse for me' but he was the right stage at the right point in my life.

(and I also got a kick ass college entrance essay out of him and all he taught me about listening :) )



Wings!
started as an off the track (QH racing) western trained, to jumping and trail riding galloping pony to a dressage mount for his owner. All around much? :)

Comments

[alwaysregal.livejournal.com]

That would be me and Louie. I probably would have kept him and learned a lot more from him if he had been physically capable of doing what I ask. Although he is one of those horses that even people who love him get frustrated - I've never seen him with a rider when HE looked truly happy so he may just be one of those horses - he doesn't like being brushed and especially after owning Regal, who will follow you like a dog and loves any attention you give him, it was hard for me to enjoy a horse who didn't like being groomed/handled on the ground. Regardless he taught me a lot (more to do with life/what I learned when he almost died than anything about riding) and I'm glad he has a good home.

Contrary to what I'm sure people think Regal and I DID NOT bond instantly or anywhere close to it. Despite how safe he is there were still times when a tiny 15 year old and a 17 hand ex race horse were NOT a good combination. No one who knew us when we were showing in the amateurs would have ever guessed (but really if you can't ride a horse well after 8 years then...) - we've both changed a lot from where we were then and there was a lot of growing up for both of us - in retrospect, despite the loss of athleticism on both our parts (he used to course 3'0, I used to ride more than one horse a day, etc) our amateur years were our best - most consistent and more fun - probably because I appreciated it so much more by that point - each horse show was like a gift that I never expected to have.