Post by racaille on Sept 23, 2014 11:37:28 GMT
Went for a 'short hack' on Paco that turned into a test of nerves! He hasn't been out on his own for about a week but that is no excuse.
Firstly he was spooked by all the 'hazards' in the vineyards - grape pickers to you and me. But then when I asked him to take a dirt track that he doesn't really like he took exception to a man putting something in his car at the end of it and refused to go forward at all. I got off, as usually he will follow me when he is short of courage but no, he would not budge.
So I tapped him on the bum with my stick and he reared, twice, and tried to run for home. Then it was a battle royal and obviously I had to win. So it was a snorting dragon, ten foot tall going one step forward, stop, one step sideways, stop, one step .... took half an hour to cover about 200m. The we had to pass the ferronerie where someone was using an angle grinder ..... complete panic.
He was so bargy and silly that I walked for ages until I found a cut hayfield and although I shouldn't have gone in I had to do something, so undid one of his reins and let him go bananas in a small circle until he was a bit calmer - at least a bit tired!
Then - and wow, folks, this is a shock - I manned up and thought: not going to let this bugger beat me. I was so cross that I was confident, even though mounting him was a bit untidy as he shot off .... then he jogged all the way home so I made him do it all in shoulder in. Flaming Haddock disappeared after a tractor and I just thought: to hell with you too! He did come back eventually.
Still cross, I made Paco do a good 20 minutes of work in the arena when we got back. He didn't like that, he thought he'd finished!
Tough! He did some really nice trot work but his canter is still awful.
Anyway. Think I won that one.
Firstly he was spooked by all the 'hazards' in the vineyards - grape pickers to you and me. But then when I asked him to take a dirt track that he doesn't really like he took exception to a man putting something in his car at the end of it and refused to go forward at all. I got off, as usually he will follow me when he is short of courage but no, he would not budge.
So I tapped him on the bum with my stick and he reared, twice, and tried to run for home. Then it was a battle royal and obviously I had to win. So it was a snorting dragon, ten foot tall going one step forward, stop, one step sideways, stop, one step .... took half an hour to cover about 200m. The we had to pass the ferronerie where someone was using an angle grinder ..... complete panic.
He was so bargy and silly that I walked for ages until I found a cut hayfield and although I shouldn't have gone in I had to do something, so undid one of his reins and let him go bananas in a small circle until he was a bit calmer - at least a bit tired!
Then - and wow, folks, this is a shock - I manned up and thought: not going to let this bugger beat me. I was so cross that I was confident, even though mounting him was a bit untidy as he shot off .... then he jogged all the way home so I made him do it all in shoulder in. Flaming Haddock disappeared after a tractor and I just thought: to hell with you too! He did come back eventually.
Still cross, I made Paco do a good 20 minutes of work in the arena when we got back. He didn't like that, he thought he'd finished!
Tough! He did some really nice trot work but his canter is still awful.Anyway. Think I won that one.
for so much hard work we thank ye!!
I think the basic problem was that he was unhappy going out on his own again and on a new route - and yes, he always hates the grape pickers - it looks like boxes are moving around the vineyards on their own! He is generally zen about traffic but a complete wuss when there are people involved.
