They take some getting used to. Some trainers love them…some won’t touch them with a 50 ft pole.
2 Likes
I had not heard “some won’t touch them with a 50 ft pole”, interesting.
What I have heard is, “yes, he is deaf, which is nice to have in an arena horse”.
Just like anything in life - some people prefer one thing over another. I know numerous breeders who will not breed to a splash horse because they do not want a deaf horse and consider deafness to be akin to a genetic disease (GBED, HERDA, etc).
1 Like
Oh, definitely, I don’t even like all that white and blue eyes, because you have trouble with that if you keep horses where they are turned out where it is sunny, windy and dusty.
We would not have one of those for that reason, not good for the horse.
So is grey color also, with grey horse melanoma, we could consider grey color a genetic disease, but many still breed for grey horses.
Those are different questions than if any one deaf horse is a good reiner.
1 Like
Is your mare anxious? Does she have too much energy? Is she just unbalanced? Does she understand what you are asking? All problems that are addressed completely differently. If you believe that your horse is anxious, I agree with @Palm Beach , relaxation exercises and keeping yourself relaxed are key. If you are tense, your horse cannot relax.
If you believe she has too much energy, I would reevaluate her turnout schedule and her diet.
If you believe your mare is unbalanced, there’s nothing wrong with returning to groundwork and walk/trot exercises to build balance and muscle.
If you believe that she isn’t understanding your cues, I would return to basics and act as if you are training her to lope all over again. IMO, it’s better to take a step back and correct the miscommunication/anticipation at the start than to push forwards and create confusion and frustration in working through it.
I hope you and your mare make great progress soon!
2 Likes
thank you, yes she s very anxious, she s a cribber and the kind of horse that tend to walk a lot in the stall, she s out in a paddock during the day and she s pretty calm then but under saddle she s a very sensitive. I am a very calm person and normally i have more trouble riding very cold horses.
Have you had her for long? Maybe the person who started her was more aggressive than you are and she’s remembering bad experiences she’s had, particularly during the lope. If not, and if you are staying as relaxed as possible and she is still tense, I recommend help from a trainer. It sounds like she just needs someone who is calm and consistent, and hopefully something will click for her.
Also, have you tried any calming supplements? It sounds like she is anxious all the time, not just when she’s working, so a natural calming supplement might help her relax and focus.
If she’s a cribber - start her on something for ulcers.
3 Likes
