| T O P I C R E V I E W |
| Vik1 |
Posted - 13 Sep 2014 : 11:55:17 PM
Do you find arabs stubborn?
I ask this as it didnt occur to me. Ive always thought highly sensitive, cant be bullied (as they go into meltdown) into doing things, more having to be persuaded.
I had a lesson today by someone who has a very well known mum (I wont name them). This person got on my boy (now 5yo) and he hated this person. This instructor said I 'made him look easy' and was surprised at the fight he had in trying to get him to work in an outline. I was quite shocked too. I felt he had too strong a contact and my horse took great exception to it. Storm doesnt look like an arab (I can see it but many cant..hes 50% arab). Said they could tell he was arab now that they was riding him because of his stubborn nature....basically refusing to submit. In fact said he was incredibly stubborn.
Ive never thought about it that way before...I see a highly intelligent horse that says 'why should I?...give me a GOOD reason..if its not enjoyable..why should I?' |
| 25 L A T E S T R E P L I E S (Newest First) |
| Callisto |
Posted - 01 Oct 2014 : 11:49:36 PM
Poor confused Spider!!  |
| Arachnid |
Posted - 01 Oct 2014 : 7:13:18 PM
Spider uses this entirely to his advantage - last weekend he managed to confuse the aid to trot with the aid to gallop - different rider, an easy mistake to make. He looked really pleased with himself while I tried not to have hysterics while the 12 year old guest rider did the wall of death around me... |
| Ari |
Posted - 01 Oct 2014 : 7:04:51 PM
Very wise words that a good rider listens and gets to know the horse who as you say may have only had one rider. My daughter rides our boy only when time permits now so maybe once a week and yes she has a similar riding style to me and he knows her well as she started him but he gets to do a lot more exiting cantering than he does with steady old me. But he knows his rider and never once with me has he thought "I go fast here lets go" and that's on open moorland. |
| delly-b |
Posted - 01 Oct 2014 : 09:50:12 AM
The way I see it is there are people who ride horses, and then there are those that KNOW horses. A good rider should know them and how to ask every different horse how to do what they are being asked. ... They should also know to bare in mind owners horses are generally only ridden by one person and will only know the specific commands made by them. Even when a new rider asks in a similar way it will not be the same and everyone moves, weighs and talks differently so it is not the same command to the horse. A great rider should know how to read and compensate for that. |
| Liz100 |
Posted - 22 Sep 2014 : 9:31:20 PM
I'm sorry about your mare Goldenmane. I'm sure she had a happy life with you though or she wouldn't have been so kind and willing. What an amazing horse to stop and look after you when you got your foot caught. How many other horses would have panicked and run?
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| Goldenmane |
Posted - 22 Sep 2014 : 07:54:15 AM
Oh Liz100, I so understand how you feel you 'burn with shame' but you have learnt from your experience. I look back 30 years when I did so many things with my most willing Arab mare because I was told to, from qualified instructors. I could cry as she has passed and I cannot rectify it. Thank goodness for the internet and like-minded people. I remember swinging under my mare once when my foot was caught in the iron,(a long story) she could have run off and killed me, she stopped and waited. |
| Pasch |
Posted - 21 Sep 2014 : 9:48:17 PM
True Quarabian.You ask and they give.Simple as that.And they will give a lot.I am not sure if this works with everybody,it sure works with "their"person.So also agreeing with what Ari and Liz say. |
| Quarabian |
Posted - 21 Sep 2014 : 6:49:26 PM
Sorry I haven't read the whole thread yet so someone else might have said this. He wanted your arab to submit!!!!! what a silly person. You ask and they give. You tell them and they say why should I?
Wll that has been my experience. |
| Liz100 |
Posted - 20 Sep 2014 : 11:47:51 PM
Thanks Ari, you are very kind. I agree 100% with your theory. Our other horse (not an Arab) is a lovely horse and generally a very safe beginner's ride but if he is pushed out of his comfort zone then the horse looks after himself and the rider doesn't figure. Not like my boy at all.
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| Ari |
Posted - 19 Sep 2014 : 5:03:42 PM
Your not alone in feeling pressure from other riders who maybe experienced but have no idea how deal with anything half as sensitive as an Arab. In early days of riding out on my then youngster I would often get "why's he doing that, what's he scared of now, why won't he go forward, shall I give him a lead etc". Looking back on a couple of occasions I pushed him on when he needed time to think but unlike some we have learned so don't be too hard on yourself.
I have a theory that less sensitive types are 97% reliable and never cause the rider a problem but when they do they mean it and don't give a care for the rider; unlike Arabs although more alert and reactive build trust in their rider 100%. |
| Liz100 |
Posted - 19 Sep 2014 : 3:14:36 PM
Well I have experienced extreme 'stubborness' with mine twice - both times have been completely my own fault and I sincerely regret both and wish I could turn the clock back and not make the same mistake.
On both occasions I felt under pressure because I had someone else with me - both very experienced and well respected riders who said I should stand no nonsense and 'make' Raf do as he was told. So I tried kicking him on, shouting at him and smacked him with my crop. Well, respect to him he didn't have a meltdown, he simply refused point blank to go forward. Opinion of my companions was that I should have hit him harder but I couldn't do it.
I know he will always try his best to do something unless he genuinely thinks he can't and that's why I burn with shame every time I think about the above and vow never ever to do that again. |
| garnet |
Posted - 17 Sep 2014 : 7:38:03 PM
Yes, I agree they are a 'one man dog'. Red is having to be ridden by other people now that I can't ride and although I appreciate him being exercised and competed he doesn't seem the same as when I was riding and driving him. Garnet was also very much mummy's baby, bless her. |
| Ari |
Posted - 17 Sep 2014 : 4:44:13 PM
Mine is very attached to me and even though he is on livery I spend time with him every day and I enjoy the closeness. The only time that is a disadvantage is the twice he has been on box rest and during summer months when he wants to be turned back out Now! He sees me as the giver of all things good and bangs the door for my attention but stops immediately I go out of sight and doesn't even try if I'm not there.
He has other selected human friends he always greets in the field when they go to catch their horses, he loves people and always behaves well for the lovely girls that turn him out and bring him in on winter weekdays.
This may sound a tad anthropomorphic; yes my Arab has a job but he is a huge part of my life as I am to him.
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| Pasch |
Posted - 17 Sep 2014 : 1:56:58 PM
Yes definitively  (sorry no "horse-hug"emoticon!) |
| DianaSC |
Posted - 17 Sep 2014 : 1:39:08 PM
My husband was making a fuss of Minnet (age 3) and Kalli (age 18) this morning and said that they did not respond to him as they did to me although they know him well (and he's one of those lovely calm people who animals love). Which got me thinking about my girls now and other Arabs that I worked with in a byegone era. They all seem very much to be "one person" horses.
Do you find yours are the same? |
| glo |
Posted - 15 Sep 2014 : 09:46:54 AM
Brooke, that was what I was trying to say! Well said |
| brooke |
Posted - 15 Sep 2014 : 08:53:43 AM
Stubbern No
They dont like forcefull riders. |
| Esther |
Posted - 15 Sep 2014 : 04:06:26 AM
I find Spud has a very highly tuned and very accurate numpty sensor. And if he thinks someone is a numpty then the walls go up.
He's never been wrong yet. |
| DianaSC |
Posted - 14 Sep 2014 : 11:35:59 PM
"one of the other liveries at my yard expects her horse to stand perfectly still whilst she sprays him with fly spray (and he does) yet she sprays his face and it goes in his eyes which makes me cringe."
What an inconsiderate, cruel and just downright STUPID person.
I have to agree with just about everything said so far. Almaas, you've summed it up brilliantly. Glo, I think you're right in that a sensitive horse person would tend to choose a sensitive breed like the Arab.
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| Pasch |
Posted - 14 Sep 2014 : 10:36:04 PM
Both mine have always gone to great lengths to do what was asked of them (by me or nice person) I would never say they are stubborn.I agree with Almaas about it being a partnership.In fact I believe all horses would do better this way.The difference being that Arabs (and other hot blooded,sensitive breeds) will not do well with a careless,dominant rider/handler.
As for spraying fly spray on face... |
| brack369 |
Posted - 14 Sep 2014 : 10:21:09 PM
Stubborn is one of the last words I would use to describe the Arabian temperament. I would completely agree with you Vik1, they are sensitive and can't be bullied.
It was said on a classical dressage forum recently, that you need to be a very correct and sensitive rider to do justice to an arab. Comment was made that it would be interesting to see how top dressage riders would cope with riding an arab or TB in view of some of the heavy handed techniques used by some.
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| Vik1 |
Posted - 14 Sep 2014 : 10:19:26 PM
It was a trial run to see if I wanted to go back regularly. The instructor lives in england and only comes up every couple of months. I was really surprised tbh...this person is a well known rider and rides at international level too. Think they were shocked themselves.
Style just obviously doesnt suit...I know not to go back. |
| Mags |
Posted - 14 Sep 2014 : 10:04:47 PM
id get rid of the instructor. No horse is stubborn, its the sort of thing people say when they cant ride the horse instead of admitting there not good enough |
| Vik1 |
Posted - 14 Sep 2014 : 9:06:29 PM
yes...Ive often thought you have to ask. Even though he is a gelding I go by 2 sayings
1) tell a gelding, ask a stallion and discuss it with a mare. I find my boy quite stallion like in some respects. I remember having to show him brushing boots and let him say 'yes, Ive had a sniff, thats ok, Ill allow it'. He doesnt let anything near him hes not seen before without checking it out.
The other is the story of the tortoise and the hare....slow and steady wins the race...you just cant push them before they are ready to move onto the next stage. |
| FireLight |
Posted - 14 Sep 2014 : 8:14:55 PM
I was once told, by an old man who bred arabs, that to get the best from an arab you should negotiate with he/she and work towards a solution you are both happy with - a bit like being married! |
