Dancer milestone

[summer_jackel]

Well, this afternoon, Dancer and I went on our first trail ride, down to the riverbank. I've never ridden him outside of the pasture before and was going to wait until my mom was able to come with us on Tami. However, he was behaving himself so well, and was so clearly communicating his boredom at walking circles and patterns around the pasture that I figured I'd give it a go. This is a little chancey on a baby stud colt being asked to leave the herd under saddle for the first time, but I did it anyhow.

He was perfect. He was scared of a discarded hubcap and a pile of debris, but was willing to stand there and snort at them until I could convince him that these were not OMG horse-eating monsters. At no time did he attempt to bolt or remove me, though he was noisy and prancey at times. The river startled him a bit, and he was unconvinced that a small water crossing was something he was willing to try. I made him stand next to the stream for a few minutes, until he was calm, but didn't ask for a crossing: always end on a positive note, and letting him know I wouldn't push him too far builds trust. Next time he'll be less upset about it.

I think that Dancer had fun...his attitude was positive all the way. I'm very proud of him. And when I think back on three years of slow, careful work to get this colt to the point where he was able to have this experience without trauma...and leave me unthrown and in one piece, incidentally...I'm really pleased and grateful.

It was really a beautiful afternoon.

Comments

[a-rowan-dryad.livejournal.com]

I think that is wonderful!

Whenever I get around to coming up to visit perhaps we could go riding... assumeing one of your horses is bomb proof because I am as green as you can get and yet have been in the saddle before. :D

[kynekh-amagire.livejournal.com]

Awesome! Dancer's a handsome devil, it's wonderful to see a stud (even a babystud)with brains as well as looks. You have ample cause to be pleased; sounds like he's come a long way.

[summer-jackel.livejournal.com]

I really love Dancer for his mind; the fact that he didn't even attempt to spook and throw me on his first ride far away from his herd attests to the fact that this will be a horse who's let to stay a stallion for more than just his looks.

I have strong feelings about studs being usable, reliable riding horses when they aren't actually in the act of covering a mare! A stud should be able to be shown, ridden trail, and turned out with geldings and mares who aren't in season. I've known many who were treated in just this way, including Dancer's aging sire, and I really think it's the best way to keep one. Dancer is kept with 2 mares (one pregnant, one aged) and they both dominate him and boss him around...which is great for his attitude. Socially, a herd is led by a dominant mare in the wild.

So many studs are kept isolated from other horses, which is completely unnatural for them, and it contributes to them being nutty and unmanageable. Yes, you have to take precautions and have extra-strong fencing to contain them, but giving your stud a life outside of the breeding barn really increases its quality, and the quality of your horse. Dancer, for all his baby nerves, was pleased that I *finally* took him out of the pasture. I mean, he was bored being stuck there, after all!