Can I just say that many people, myself included, feel that a bareback pad with stirrups can be a dangerous thing, especially on a round bodied horse. The shifting of the rider’s weight in the stirrups can cause a bareback pad to slide badly, and that can end up being a disaster.
Anna, your posts are wonderful, and we are all thoroughly enjoying your adventures. The photo of the wee kitten in the work-weathered hands is too precious.
Continued good luck and good times with Puika!
Didn’t read all the posts, but just wanted to chime in about havnig a mouthy horse. For them, their mouth is like our hands. They want to ‘touch’ everything. They often are very interactive animals, and thrive on having a conversation going. About anything. So it’s up to the person to keep the conversation on appropriate topics.
I wouldn’t use harsh or painful, unless you are certain the horse is deliberately disrespectful of the boundary. Be careful about where you put your hands, keep your hands closed and thumbs tucked inside hands when near his head so you don’t lose any fingers or get a hard bit. Just make yourself smart about how you handle him when near his head. He eventually will get mroe respectiful and keep his teeth shut. He just wants to be sure he has something purposeful to do and will do naughty things to be sure a person is coming around and remembering about him.
If you can, are you able to find other things for him to graze on, like shrubs??
cyberbay, you really should read all of of the posts, it is a really cool story!! Her posts reveal how these lovely people have saved this lovely horse from being sold, probably for slaughter, and how an almost magical bond is forming between the couple and Puika. It is a story that could be a movie!
Cyberbay, it is exactly how we feel about Puika - he just want to be naughty as it takes things longer and then he can have all the attention longer. He also hates to be left alone, especially too far away from house alone. When cows will be out, he will be ok, as he loves cow company, but at present if you tie him up on nice grass let’s say 200 m away from home, he just casually pulls the chain post out and walks back to home.
So far we have reached agreement - if he is really excited, then he can get the walking lead in his mouth and that’s it - no more nipping at all. Reins are no no, and he accepts that. He still nips, but only lead now, for past week he had not even tempted to grab my clothes, and I’m the person who always puts the halter/bridle on/off \ (Peter holds him, then I feel safer).
His nipping is not agression, I’m sure of that - he is not an agressive horse at all. If you do something with him, he is just happy - like another day he got rain and was soaken through when I took him back into box - he was ideal horse - I was drying him out with hay and then with cloth, and he was just doing everything what I asked and just put his head agains me to let me dry his head out and give him few cuddles. Sweetest baby, indeed. He also is good when you put the bridle and halter inside the box as he knows - he will go out. In such moments he puts his head stright into halter or inthe bite, just to get it done faster and OUT! 
Outside he gets naughty:
a) when he is overexcited - like a child skipping around the car “let’s go mum, let’s go!” with one sleeve on and undone shoelaces. All three times when Peter fell of the horse, accident happened as horse was sure that peter is on and moved forwards, but actually Peter was not on really He just wants to go so much! When Peter rides him, he is absolutely obedient, concentrated and trying to please only. He is on mission, and absolutely happy!
(we sorted the problem out yesterday by putting him inside gate/fence corner so to move he must step backwards at the beginning, and he does it carefully not to touch our car, so he is much calmer then)
b) when he has tummy aches - somehow I would call it colics. Then he must be let on long lead as he will run, kick his back legs, rear, roll, and be really bad, but it is nothing to do with us, humans, he just tries to get rid of gas. Peter let him run and run in circles today, until he calmed down.
He will get his first Panacur (Safe-Guard) tomorrow as we hope that his tummy problems might be created by worms and slow deworming will help to sort it out. Other than that there is no reason for tummy aches as hay is great and water - plenty. He gets a bit “gassy” after a beet, but that’s nothing. We shall try deworming and then let’s see what will happen. So far vet has no other suggestions.
This has been fascinating, wish you luck in future.
Hi!
Puika is improving after the safe-guard, now we are thinking when to give him next load against tapeworm.
Last few days nothing exciting happened - a bit of bareback riding as weather is not the best really.
If you like to see what I mean about some extreme weather riding, look at these pictures from today 
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v732/barryz15/18-03-08/PICT2735.jpg
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v732/barryz15/18-03-08/PICT2739.jpg
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v732/barryz15/18-03-08/PICT2743.jpg
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v732/barryz15/18-03-08/PICT2732.jpg
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v732/barryz15/18-03-08/PICT2731.jpg
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v732/barryz15/18-03-08/PICT2723.jpg
I remember a time when I would gladly ride no matter what the weather. Thanks for reminding us of the real reason we are in horses - pure love of them and fun.
Those photos would do well in a horse photo contest!
Anna, I love your photos! They are beautiful. From your descriptions of Puika, I’m sure He loves to get out and ride even when the weather is bad.
I had a horse that did not want to stand still to mount. He was always ready to go! Here are a few things that worked to train him to stand:
having a person stand to his side in front of his head, but still holding both reins a few inches from the bit to ask him to stay standing. Then when rider gets on, stand in the same place for a few moments. Count to ten, praise and then walk away. But for my horse, he really wanted to go, and would nearly run the person over or prance in place so…
If the horse would not stand still right away, I would walk him in a circle near mounting area, and then halt next to the mounting block when he was calmer and count to 10, keeping him at the halt. If he moved, I would halt again and start counting over. Only once he stood for 10 counts did he get praise and then ask to walk forward.
Also, at the end of each ride we practiced standing still and counting to a number. Practicing “statue” horse. Once I got to the number I would get off and give him a big hug and praise. I increased the count number as my horse got better, and he got better and better at standing still.
I hope this helps you. Puika looks like he is getting shinier, happier, and in better shape with every update!
Thank you!
After 3 days in barn (after safe-guard we kept him in to be sure that he is ok, and wether also is terrible) Puika is so happy to go out now for a ride - other than that he is kept inside - wet snow or rain all the time, and pasture looks like a swamp.
It looks worse than it is as under the snow there is no ice, there is just soft mud so riding was safe. Of course, peter get a bit wet, but they both had great fun.
So far we had found a solution for mounting him safely. We walk him inside the fence/gate corner, then I’m standing outside the fence, standing in front of him and holding his lead, talking with him and rubbing his head. (so basically what you reccomended, only fence between me and him, then I feel safer that I will be able to keep him under control)
It is 2 things in one - he can not get overexcited and run forwards as there is fence and me, and he is so happy with attention, given by me, that he hardly pay any attention what’s going on on his back. So when Peter is safely on, I undo the walking lead and Peter tells him step back to get out of the corner, he just do it calmly. Usually it is about 5 to 10 between peter is on and I undo the lead. If he is standing still, Peter praises him. So actually we already are doing it, only not so methodically.
And yes, if he is not wanting to stand still, no riding or mounting him, he just goes in circles on long lead until he is calm again and ready for a job. he is different each day, and it is mostly to his tummy problems - if tummy is ok, he is happy and obedient, if he has colics, he can be really bad, poor boy. But you really can not blame him.
We shall try tapeworm medication asap and then we shall see, maybe it is just tapeworm, maybe something more serious. But it is not like serious colics, it is more like light spasmatic colics, just painful gass. When it will be cured, he will probably be the best and sweetest boy!
My mum today saw him riding and she is completely in love with the horse - she says that he is so light when riding, and so proud and happy! I agree with her as you can see happines of Puika even on today’s pictures.
Today also happened an accident Puika wanted to stop and roll and Peter was ready - he decided that he will let him do it. So Puika slowly bent knees, went down on his front knees, waited until Peter went off and only then rolled for a while, and then he was ready for a ride again. It was not like “I want a roll, jump off!” - He tries so hard to be a good boy and not to injure anybody, he really waited until Peter stepped away and only then had his snow roll.
He still is getting his naughty moments, and Peter even slapped his ass today as he grabbed Peters sleeve along with hand, but you needed to see how nicely Puika appeared to say sorry after the accident! He knows exactly when he has done something wrong and his beheivior is getting better and better every day. He is not bad boy, really.
Anna What a beautiful horse and what beautiful people you and your husband are for taking him in. I read ALL the posts and I feel like I just read a great book! Keep the posts going!
The naughty moment he had today (rolling with Peter) that is a no-no and Peter could get himself into a bad situation. Please try to correct that from the start. Maybe it was just an unexpected itch 
Sorry, my English is misleading probably - he did not rolled with peter - he "told " Peter that he wants it (he always stops and rub the area in front of him to tell that he needs a roll), and then slowly kneeled down, let peter go off and only then rolled (he needs these rolls due to his tummy aches, after a roll he feels better). It is not a good thing, I agree, but we do not want to train him hard, and if he asks permission, why not let him get a relief?
When he grabbed the sleeve, he was naughty, and he knew it, and he got a slap, but rolling for him is something that he really needs. Yes, we can stop it by not letting him do it, but I really enjoyed looking how careful andgentle he was and rolled only after he was sure that peter is off and safe.
Tell me off, if I’m wrong, but at present to build up a good friendship means more for me than demanding complete obedience. He is with us 6 weeks only, and we are complete strangers for him basically. But he cames like a dog when called in field stright to us - for me it is like an archievement already. So the rules will be strightened slowly only - we are not in rush, we really only want a happy horse.
Great pictures of the snowy ride Anna!
It sounds like Puika is progessing well, and I hope that his tummy problems resolve quickly!
This is the coolest thread ever! I love it!
Can I ask, how is the tiny kitten ?
I want a big cuddly Puika!!!
our horses could be twins except my horse is a skinny tiny ex-race horse!
AnnaCrew, I LOVE reading about you and Peter and Puika! :winkgrin: Thank you for taking the time to share your experiences with us!
bump
Happy Easter!
Weather conditions not right at all, so no new advetures with horse, but here is one picture that might explain it all - we have a new dog… But we strongly decided that due to the size and possible mess, this one will stay outside only… And it probably will not live long anyway!
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v732/barryz15/22-03-08/PICT2780.jpg
HAPPY EASTER TO EVERYONE!
LOL! :winkgrin: You had me worried there.
I’ve tremendously enjoyed reading about your adventures, please continue to keep us posted.
[QUOTE=Tiempo;3070450]
Oh Anna, good luck with the kitten, he’s so precious :sadsmile:
I just love the photo too, I love the contrast between the tiny kitten and Peter’s (?) masculine hands.
It instantly reminded me of the very famous black and white picture of a muscular man’s arm outstretched with a tiny newborn baby laying on it.
I tried to Google the pic, but couldn’t find it.[/QUOTE]
That is exactly what I was thinking …what a nice photo!! I might save it in B & W…it might be “suitable for framing”…I had a mushy moment!!
Oh yes…I too have been loving this thread. And as for your English…I think its great…
LOVE the snow dog The real dogs are very nice too
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