Sorry no pictures, but this was a boring ride (thank goodness!) so that's okay.
Rocky was an angel!!!!!!!
Neither one of us wanted to ride because hubby's back hurt and my shoulder hurt, but we had to go for a short ride to see if Rocky was going to act better. He did!
Since both horses were being so good we only went a total of a quarter of a mile and maybe fifteen minutes on the road. Then because hubby's back was hurting he got off and stood with Rocky while I rode for another ten minutes around the house. Chrome was acting sore at the beginning of the ride (an hour was probably a bit much yesterday....), but I trotted him around at the house and he was acting totally fine. I was worried he was lame or something. I always think the worst lol.
We wanted to keep the ride short because Rocky was being really good. He didn't balk. He didn't try to turn around. He didn't fight the reins. He didn't do anything wrong. We thought maybe it was because he was tired from the longeing (because he's out of shape), but after we rode we let them graze in the yard and he trotted around and chased Chrome. I think he was just choosing to cooperate because it was easier. Rocky is a lazy horse and the fact that he was trotting around after the ride means he couldn't have been too sore.
I am! My poor arm and shoulder are sore from being dragged around, but luckily it's not nerve pain. It's just normal muscle soreness like what you'd get after a workout.
All in all I'd say we made progress. Hopefully Rocky will now realize if he's going to be barn sour he will go home and work on longeing, but if he's not barn sour he will have a short, pleasant ride and then go home and get to graze. He's smart and I don't think it will take long for him to figure out.
P.S. I forgot to mention that Rocky was terrified of the whip yesterday and I never touched him with it. I don't remember him being afraid of it when I used it to keep him away from us when he was charging us over the food aggression... but maybe I made him scared of it then?? Or maybe he's been hit with one before we got him? He didn't seem clueless about longeing so I wouldn't be surprised if he's been longed or round penned before. Maybe he was hit with it then? I'm not sure, but I spent a lot of time after longeing him just rubbing him with the whip and he eventually calmed down. So I don't know if I caused it during the food aggression thing when he first got here or if it's something from his past, but either way I'll be sure to spend plenty of time desensitizing and showing him it's just a tool we use and not a weapon. Rocky is a complicated horse I'm learning, but he will totally be worth it when we figure everything out. :)
I'm glad to hear that things are going better with Rocky.
ReplyDeleteThank you! I was very relieved. :D
DeleteRocky turned around quickly. What does your husband take for his pain? I've tried a variety of stuff, and sometimes it helps, sometimes not. My daughter and I went shopping in the city yesterday for five hours. It was such a treat to be able to shop for clothes without being rushed to get home to feed and potty the animals because my husband was at home to do it. Anyway, by the second hour, my right leg gave out and I had to spend the next several hours alternating between limping and dragging my leg behind me. I got some looks and stares, but oddly, I also noticed a lot of other people limping or dragging their legs behind them too. They weren't mocking me. They had bad legs too. I wish I knew what the problem is.
ReplyDeleteRocky does turn around quickly. That's the thing. He's VERY smart, because he's picked up everything I've taught him very quickly. He just doesn't know any better because he was rewarded for misbehaving. The worse he was the better his previous owner liked it...
DeleteHubby doesn't take anything for the pain anymore except ibuprofen. The pain isn't too bad most of the time. It's just if he over does something. When it all first happened he was taking tramadol and lyrica.... the lyrica messed with his short term memory though because they weren't giving him the correct dose.
I'm sorry about your leg! That is really weird. So you don't know what is causing it? Did you ever have an MRI done to check for herniated discs? Hubby has two herniated discs in his lower back. I hope your back/leg are feeling better soon.
So glad Rocky was better. And don't worry about Chrome, riding longer periods is good for him and constantly shortening isn't going to make it better in the long run :) Just be consistent with them both. If they are bad, work them hard when you get back! Every ride, every time.
ReplyDeleteI know shortening the ride isn't going to make things better in the long run, but it was kind of necessary for hubby's back. It's official that he can't ride two days in a row. That was just too much for his back. I may just have to start riding both horses, but Rocky intimidates me... I guess I could try riding and if he acts up and I can just jump off and longe him.
DeleteThat's great news! You guys will get that Rocky figured out & bring out the awesome in him, I'm sure of it. :-)
ReplyDeleteThank you!! I appreciate your vote of confidence. This is why I keep saying Rocky really is a good horse, even when he's acting up. He just doesn't know better. I'll get his basics figured out and I know he will get better and better. :D
DeleteSo glad Rocky was a Rock Star!
ReplyDeleteThank you!! I love this comment. You made me giggle because I call him Rock Star too!! His previous owner called him Rocky Balboa, but I love Rock Star and prefer to use it hehe.
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