Steve Holt! has a problem. He's embarrassed to...you know...let it drop in public. He's very modest, and despite the fact that near the end of our rides I can feel him getting antsy just like a kid who won't tell you they need to use the loo, he just rather holds it all in.When I haul to the arena, Steve Holt! has plenty of time to 'do it' while I'm unloading the trailer. He spends at least 15-20 minutes inside the round pen, no one around, so if he had to go he could. But he doesn't. He rolls, of course...one can roll in a public arena without being scolded. But once up on all fours, he stands and waits for me to finish whatever I'm doing.
Our rides aren't terribly long. An hour, typically. Light work, for the most part. Slowing the pace down on the rail, working on perfecting our whoa and half pass. His circles at the lope have become quite smooth the past couple of rides.
And when our ride is over, it's back to the round pen. Another good roll, because of course he's sweaty and who wouldn't want a layer of sweaty dirt (aka mud) covering their body? Obviously, this is a source of great pride, because the whole public arena thing isn't an issue. But will he drop and pee? No. Not even when no one is in there with him.
So I lead him out, brush him off, put on his blanket and load him into the trailer. And the moment the door is closed behind him??? Uh huh...like clockwork.
8 comments:
Can you teach my stallion to do that? I swear he loves to let it all hang out. Not good for the show ring lol.
Poor guy. Wonder if he'll ever get over his shyness...
Not exactly the same with a mare, but Taffy would often wait until we were in the trailer, on the way home from a lesson, we'd stop at the grocery store where I'd grab something for lunch as I was starving by that point, and she'd leave a huge puddle in the parking lot as it would run out of the trailer, lol.
LOL - that was a joy to read - poor guy!! I had a gelding for years - no shyness there!!
LOL!!! I'm with Lady of Chaos over here...teach bundy to do that! I swear the only time he goes to the toilet is when I'm on him, especially when we are in a rush!
One of 4-H club members has a mare who is very accomplished in the show ring. However, she, like Steve Holt is very modest. At the State Fair (or any other big show) where she might NEED to wait for the championship round there is NO WAY she is going to relieve herself. This causes a problem for her owner, which they haven't yet found a workable solution. While this mare is "crossing her legs" lead changes are out...lateral work is difficult...and canter transitions are sometimes followed by the "potty dance". Though funny to talk about it certainly can be frustrating and aggervating when you train so hard!!!
I hope you can find a solution, as this modest behavior can be annoying.
I had to think of you yesterday Tracey, I went for a ride on Bundy(after the comment I left on here before)and not 10m from the gate...that familiar leg-spreaded stop. I wish I had a camera to get a photo of him holding his tail up, seeing the gate so close behind us!!!
What a thing to spark a thought...lol!
Yes, that's a serious case of stage fright. What a funny horse!! Maybe there's some way you can make that work for you, but I can't think of how off the top of my head.
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