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I think we didn't do anything wrong in the context of riding. We had a good session on Thursday, and Friday was light work, not so he lost his focus but sort of just a reminder. Saturday there wasn't really a reason NOT to mount up in there, why shouldn't he be able to handle it?
What we didn't factor in was his energy level and focus. He'd been a little tired on Thursday, but not on Friday, and I didn't work him hard on Friday. Last Friday-before-show Robert drove him a few miles and he still had plenty of go the next day. He hadn't been driven for over a week, I think. I was riding him every day I was there, which was most of them, and Robert said he'd drive him on the off days but predictably didn't. We also went straight from the trailer to the ring, which he more or less understands that it means FOCUS. Circling around when there are lots of things going on around him doesn't count as needing to focus.
And to be clear, I wasn't that upset I fell off him, it was that no one was hanging onto him anymore. Falling off happens and I was fine, so eh, but loose stallion with lots of horses and an open gate out to the road is a bad plan. I was sort of upset because I had told myself that you do NOT fall off Luca. Now he knows that he can do that and then he'll do it whenever he decides he doesn't want a rider anymore. It's entirely possible he'll be distracted enough by what he did afterwards that he'll forget it, but I wouldn't bet on it. That's what I'm unhappy about falling.
I am pretty sure I didn't do anything wrong. He started motorcrabbing to the left. Usually asking for a left turn ends it. This time he went vertical. I think I'd smacked him once that day, either for bucking or rearing or motorcrabbing. I was really tense once I got on him because I felt that he was ready to explode, but I figured it was just my show nerves. That may have contributed to the explosion, but I wasn't all that nervous beforehand. I'd come pretty close to coming off when he'd started bucking earlier, and I was expecting to come off, but then he stopped for some reason and I thought, foolishly, that he was happy to be there with me.
Oh well. We'll figure it out.
3 comments:
I think we're totally on the same page, riding-wise: it was upsetting and a bummer, and embarrassing, but not your fault. (Side note: I wonder if the throatlatch could go a little tighter next time? I didn't bridle him so I dont know, just a thought.)
Also, I think we have ample reason to take rearing up while robert is holding him as a more serious indicator of his mental state. A horse coming as close as that one did SHOULD not incite rearing. Thats not normal.
Regardless of his hypothetical fitness to handle distraction, I still think that we shouldn't be mounting any horse in the parking lot. Shit happens and when it does it shouldn't be around a bunch of tied up horses and potentially oblivious people. It didn't occur to me at the time, obviously. It might not have occurred to me if it weren't for this, but I think its a good policy never the less.
I agree the energy thing is huge. What are your thoughts on the "nuclear option"? Do you think it would help?
The rearing was because Robert was disciplining him for not listening. It was an overreaction but not one I haven't seen before (he just sounds better and better doesn't he?)
I don't know if the nuclear option will work, or hell, if it does when he's driving. They want to stop long past the three seconds are up. While they will get the "oh, you want me to listen to the speed you want", I don't know if changing venues would be that effective. I also think it would take long enough between him doing something dumb and lunging that he would forget what was happening.
Re: the rearing in-hand thing
Oh, ok. I had forgotten that part. I still claim its a bad omen, if not a litmus test.
That is a good point about the nuclear option. The time delay is unfortunate.
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