TEASER
I haven't time to write this up until after ten tonight so you'll have to wait!
Jazz excelled himself - and not in a good way - twenty green bottles!! I won, but it took nearly an hour. More later!!
Off to talk to "Mum" about George's future.
C
Jazz went down the hill with almost no trouble at all. Nought green bottles. He tried to turn for home in the place that I last turned him for home - is he a quick learner of bad things or what! The worst thing I ever did was get off him those two days in September.
It was easy enough to get him to carry on this time, then we saw a new torn-off car floor pan at the bad corner where crashes happen on a regular basis. He spun away, but when I turned him back and gave him a loose rein, he was really keen to explore it. All good so far, which made what happened then entirely inexplicable.
In a place where he has never had the slightest problem before, and for no reason that I could identify at all, he refused to go any further up the road. There was some horse poo right where he stopped, and I can only think that the horse that did it (a lot!) had left a smell of fear for some reason. Either that, or Jazz was just being a pig. Whatever, it took me 50 minutes to wait him out. For the last fifteen minutes he was mouthing like a foal - big, big submission gesture - but he still would not move. I couldn't pressure him or he climbed the bank, and I only made that mistake once today. After 45 minutes he agreed to move, and the next 5 minutes he progressed at about 20 yards a time, stopping again, until he gave in and went forward for me and we seemed to enjoy completing our hack with no further issues.
Jazz's role in life is to be my problem horse, clearly. At this stage in my career I need a puzzle to work out, life would be too boring otherwise! I was left with no time to ride George as I had planned to do, but now that I have given up the attempt to keep him fit enough to hunt, the pressure was off and it didn't matter one jot. I enjoyed the struggle with Jazz and getting through it :-)
So I went off to lunch to talk to "Mum" about whether George should go to her daughter. We agreed that for some strange reason that we do not understand, the pair have some kind of bond, and it's very strong. It's clear to me that George has loved the pretty blond girl since he first met her. For her part, the child, who is ten, told her mother at the weekend that she cannot explain it, but that she feels that George "completes" her in some way. That's a pretty stunning thing for a child of that age to say.
We agreed that George is "too big" for her, but that it isn't right to deny either of them that bond they already have. I know this sounds silly folks, and you know I am not normally so touchy-feely-tree-hugger-ish, but you need to have seen the two of them together. Anyway, she is coming on Wednesday after school to go for a hack and if all goes well with that, she will come and groom him next week while I am on holiday, then ride a couple of times the following week, and then I will deliver him on the Friday she breaks up for half term. She can then spend lots of time with him for nine whole days of half term, and her mother assures me that will probably mean dropping her off at 7 and picking her up again at 7 if she has her way. For George, this means he will already have a strong relationship with her before he has to face the disruption of being moved to a new home, which I hope will make it much less stressful for him.
I think this is right for all of us. I am not ready yet to settle for "does what it says on the tin" horse-riding, that can wait until I'm collecting my pension :-) I am desperately keen now to get on with Zippy. I have waited so long for him and he wants to work. And with only two to do, battles like today's with Jazz become a puzzle to be unscrambled, not a major upset. And George gets someone to love him all to himself, and no horse ever deserved that more than he does.
C
posted by cptrayes @ 11:21 AM
14 comments
14 Comments:
I always knew you were bonkers, fancy letting your best horse go. Crazy woman. Good for George though if he's going to be adored as he should be.
Cheers Tracey B
This comment has been removed by the author.
Currently my "best performing" horse Tracey, certainly, but only because I have not yet started Zippy or cracked Jazz. I am spoilt for choice. He's done me proud, he deserves more than I can give him for the winter.
C
5:20 PM
Oh do hurry up and post to stop the suspense!! I'm already up to 50 green bottles myself!
I'm fast finding out that my share horse is more of a project horse! He has no manners on the ground nor aboard - and is obviously used to doing what he wants, when he wants. I'm trying to get the better of him, but its hard and difficult work!
In other news - I have an interview for the only place going this autumn!
Louise x
Twenty bottles!! This does not bode well.
I can only hope the dressage lesson tomorrow makes up for the bottles.
Wonder what is on Jazz's mind...or is that an oxymoron?
Tucker was very obstinate about his sore hocks. Doesn't sound as if Jazz has a physical problem, but I do wonder if something is bothering him about that hill???
Is that still the only place he causes problems...I mean aside from the "odd woman popping up from behind the hedge" kind of places?
I'll watch for the update.
well that'll be interesting to hear about - jazz's 20 green bottles.
About to put you out of your misery.
Project horse sounds kind of interesting Louise - at least you can walk away!
C
I still think with all the talent in the world if the temperament isnt there you can only get so far.
Dont forget Jazz has made progress before and reverted back and speaking from experience here this could go on for years to come if not the rest of his life to varying degrees?
Truthfully I think its too early to say one way or another where he's concerned.Plus I still dont think your going to make an eventer out of him however well he behaves.
Having said that if your happy accepting the fact Jazz might never have the courage to event and he may aways have these ups and downs then you should keep him purely for the enjoyment you get riding him.
Ive thought from day one Zippy is going to the top boy so its a no brainer he stays:)
George definitely deserves to go to someone who will think he's top boy but I cant help wondering if next year you'll regret it?
I reckon you right in that once he goes these people arent going to want to give him back:)
Well after reading the update on George I got a lump in my throat they sound perfect for each other and deserve each other most importantly!
Dont worry too much about him being too big I was riding the trotters who were track fit at 13 who were over 16hh and im only 5ft now..she'll be fine growing into him:)
I gave up on thinking Jazz will ever event a few months ago Nicola. His role is to be a problem to battle with to add a little spice to life! I think you are right, he will regress and improve and regress again all his life. No-one's going to buy him at a price I'd accept, and I'm kind of reconciled to it! I love the big red devil, don't ask me why!
If Zippy hasn't progressed as I expect I'm prepared to have some regrets in the spring that George has gone. But right now, the relief of feeling that I can do justice for the next six months to the two who stay is proving to me that I'm doing the right thing in letting George go.
Hunting in the sunshine was fun, but not fun enough to make me go out in the rain and cold this winter. George deserves more attention than he's going to get with me, and if it means that I can't take him back again, so be it if he is happy, he owes me nothing.
Everything you say makes perfect sense Nicola, but what I'm doing "feels" right. Thanks for caring about me though, it's nice to have friends :-)
C
////His role is to be a problem to battle with to add a little spice to life! I think you are right, he will regress and improve and regress again all his life. No-one's going to buy him at a price I'd accept, and I'm kind of reconciled to it! I love the big red devil, don't ask me why!////
I can 100% understand how you feel.I had people trying to talk sense into me for years and it didnt work!:))))
Ok, scrap the physical problem on the hill theory. Now it's poo! Maybe Jazz is psychic. Something happened to that other horse up the road and he was "feeling the vibes."
To be honest, I am with you. I love Tucker too, despite all his faults. Puzzling it out is half the fun. At least Jazz has the talent in the dressage arena...which Tucker lacks to some degree. However, since I have already trained and ridden tempis, I am happy. Now all I need to do is teach piaffe and passage to be complete. *G*
I love the George scenario with the 10 yo blonde. If the chemistry is there, it's a match made in heaven. If it "gets" to you emotionally, then I am positive the connection between the two of them is there. (Could be they were a team in a previous life, you know.) I had that kind of bond with Russell R. and I can tell you, it is more powerful than most people can imagine.
Small girl will grow. George will not. George knows he is a big boy and he will take care of her. Think how his generous soul has taken care of you.
I will echo what Nicola says that Jazz will ALWAYS be a big WUSS. No matter what you do.
But what you can do is worked on YOURSELF *smugged smile* to learn new attitude and strategy to manage his fears ^-^ But you won't solve him or fix him. Only you can change.
What I do not understand is that why you need to find a reason for his behaviour. He is an extreme prey, so anything unusal will send him in fear/panic. I think, you are spot on when you say he could smell the fear from the others horses.
You are also right to say that Jazz has come in the right moment in your life. You will grow as horsewoman more than you can imagine, as you are not as fearless, and powerful as before, you will have to learn to be more "sneaky" ^-^
Now how long it is going to take tfor a 10yrs old on YOUR yard drives you mad? *very smug over the pond*
///What I do not understand is that why you need to find a reason for his behaviour.///
Because there always is one. He has never been completely irrational, it's always been possible to work out what the issue was, even if it was unjustified. It's part of the fun to work out why he does what he does.
I think he will take care of her Jean, which is why I am prepared to let her have him even though she wouldn't have a hope of controlling him if he did something stupid.
I have had the sign-off on my arm - AND got photos of the break, the fix and my shoulder from a really lovely new doctor who must have started on October 1st in the big changeover. She told me not to tell anyone, so shhhhhhh ......
I'll post them later when I get back from my lesson.
C
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