Lateral Flexion in a Colt's first few rides

I picked up a 2 year old sorrel gelding last year at a sale. I was really happy to have the winning bid on him, kind of surprised that he was overlooked by other bidders on the other two year olds, who all had smaller heads, small bones and feet, and narrow chests. I chose him for his wide chest, thick bone structure and big feet.

He is highly bred and I was just as happy a kid in a candy factory. Thats him at the top right photo. I was really anxious to get him going. I tried to start him a couple times but to due to more important things involving my late wife this past summer, fall and even winter, he sat neglected until recently. So now he is coming three in May and I have done a decent ground work and put a few rides on him.



Before I swung a leg over, I had him following a soft feel on a lead rope in backing, coming forward, disengaging his back end, moving his front end over, coming to the fence to pick me up, going quietly through gates, untracking him with the lead around his outside rump and asking him to follow that feel through the bend. I got him pretty soft in the face, to drop his head and started him on lateral flexion which I needed for direction when I put the first ride on him and certainly for rides outside the round corral. He was fairly bracey on one side, going to his left. I thought that I would help him get a better understanding on lateral flexion once I had the first ride on him. So, I swung a leg over and moved out. 

Well, everybody has heard that horses are going to be better on one side than the other. But I have never had a horse with the difference in one side to the other, than this horse, who I named Zeke. While just sitting in the saddle and asking for him to follow a feel for lateral flexion, to his right he willingly tipped his nose then head when I asked for lateral flexion, but to the left he still had a brace and a pretty stubborn brace at that.

I was pretty surprised and his reluctance to give him his head and spent a lot of time trying to figure out the why and the how to get him better. He easily went into a nice trot and really didn't have a problem keeping the trot unlike some other young horses. When I ask a young horse to give me a trot and if he wants to stop, I don't nit pick at him, instead letting I let him settle down then asking again for the trot but Zeke was pretty good from the get go. One key is that I always asked him for wide turns in changing direction and he was good at that which did not require a lot of lateral flexion. I was riding him in snaffle bit with big slobber straps and mecate reins. All in all, I am pleased with him. Smart horse (aren't they all?), but yet the brace continued.

- click on the photo above to enlarge - 

Knowing that I couldn't just work on lateral flexion all day - it would lead to frustration for both of us - I was riding just letting him get more comfortable in what he could already do without trouble. What I found that in the trot when I ask for softness tipping his nose and head to the left, he was better and go even better. Still some brace, but again getting better. So, it kind of goes back to the old adage that you need forward momentum out of a horse in order to build an understanding. He's no exception. And he is gaining confidence with carrying me around and responding as long as I don't overload him. I make sure I quit him on something he does well and is quiet and soft about. There is SO much joy in starting a young green horse. I hope many of you get that chance.  

Getting on with Living

After losing my wife to cancer 5 months ago, a terrible disease that came back on her with a vengeance that took us all by surprise, and the subsequent things that accompany a loss of your spouse,....profound grief, funeral arrangements; communicating with the Army of support that surrounded her and I,....the seemingly never ending legal issues; going through property for donations; catching up all tasks left undone; and, feeling bad about the horses only getting minimal attention, I have been getting reacquainted with my horses after several months of minimal attention. I am reminded of the saying that "the outside of a horse is good for the inside of a man". Nothing could be truer.

What has helped me get through these tough times is the love of people who knew Susan, my belief that she was received by Jesus Christ on her passing, and rediscovering my love for horses. I am thankful for God to allowing me the time he has given me, the trust in me for caring for His animals and the joy I can feel riding and working with my horses.

I am often asked my people how you get through the loss of your spouse and the first word that comes to mind is gratefulness. Sounds kind of strange using that word in a place of intense grief and sorrow, but if a person isn't grateful for what they have been given, be it health, mobility, means to live comfortably, and animals to travel this journey with you, then the ungrateful person is likely not to cope very well.

So I am back to riding everyday, sometimes 2 or even 3 different horses, enjoying every understanding the horses' have, even if it is preceded by days of not getting it. Enjoying learning, relearning even if it's my riding and understandings that need to be fixed.

Be thankful and find joy in your daily life. There are so many who are in such a dark place, where the finding or rediscovering of joy is near impossible for them. I am incredibly thankful I am not one of them. Safe Journey with your horses!