This was posted on the Chronicle of the Horse list -- This 17.3 FIVE year old got away from his petite owner as she was bridling him. This is a horse that is very pleased with himself, and it's funny because he seemed so calm and in control. Most horses panic when they get loose.
So the rider put on her big girl pants and rode her test immediately following his capture (and they got "8s" on the extensions).
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I love his rider's attitude about the whole thing. Silly boy.
ReplyDeleteI've had a few moments like that. Got dumped in the warm up and my horse ran into the competition arena...fortunately no one was competing at the time. He ran around like a nut. My friend, once she knew I was OK, called out, "Musical freestyle--everyone hum!"
And this is why you practice good horsemanship and put a halter around your horse's neck when bridling.
ReplyDeleteWe don't know if the owner of this horse did, and I did not ask specifically because it would become an attack on her from other board members chastising her for terrible horsemanship. Given her other posts I would assume she *did* try to bridle him correctly and he still pulled away. But she would be labelled the devil on the boards before she could return to respond if I asked there!
However, there are many horse owners who are far more careless when bridling their own horses than I suspect she was. At home it almost always works out well, but at shows it often does not. This horse ran around for a long time, and luckily the other horses appear to have not been too upset by him. It could have turned out much worse, and is amusing because it did not.
Anyway, that's more intended as a general reminder for folks who get lazy at home (including me!) because horses behave well at home than really directly related to the video, because I've seen less amusing scenarios in person where it was totally the handler's fault. :)
My boy did that when he was five. Embarrassed the heck out of me. He was pretty good at getting away if he wanted. Halter or no. Horses are smart.
ReplyDeleteIt was interesting to hear people standing at their trailers commenting about the "pretty Friesian" that was galloping full speed around the parking area. I was so humbled that I pretended he wasn't mine for awhile.
Oh, and at our first dressage show there were donkeys behind a set of screen trees near the arena. So ... we were not that relaxed and laid back either. LOL.
Just to add to the discussion again....trouble, with horses, almost anything can happen. Sometimes we just need to thank heaven when nothing really bad happens as a consequence, put on our "big girl pants," and laugh that the equine gods were smiling on us.
ReplyDeleteanything can happen when at a show but also when we are at home, theres no such thing as a bomb proof horse and I think in the end she ennded upp doing really well to get '8's' and to stay calm so good on her! when my horse did this on my last show except he was bridled (when walking to the warm up arena after he threw me off lauren was leading him down and he reared up and lauren tried to keep holding but lost the reins not her fault could have happened to any of us!) i was ready to have a panic attack but the head groom lauren kept me calm and was a life saver that day!
ReplyDeleteshe did realy well to stay calm
Glad no one was hurt, which makes the video amusing to watch!
ReplyDeleteSomeone lost a draft horse at the Turkey Trot this year. He just meandered by with his lead rope dragging, eating grass casually. He was so calm that I would not have realized that he was loose if his owner hadn't strolled by after him and apologized. Thankfully, his subdued behavior did not even get an ear from my horse who was tied to the trailer.