I've been casually riding Note, or One For Nothing, over the past several months. He is definitely coming around, and I'm starting to think he just needed THAT MUCH TIME to let down from racing life and acclimate to being a gelding instead of a stallion. He's gotten much quieter for everything: handling, tacking, grooming, riding. I can ride him in the arena by himself or with other horses, or ride out in the back forty by himself or with other horses. He's much more civilized when I am handling him and we are around mares, he rarely says dirty words or yells any catcalls to them anymore.
When I'm not around he can still be quite aggressive with other people and horses, but at least he understands the rules when he's wearing a halter and I'm nearby. He's a beautiful horse with a ton of athleticism and talent, and he's definitely making progress, but I still don't trust him with other people. It remains to be seen whether ultimately he will become trustworthy, but at least he's going the right direction!
I finally found a good combination of bit and saddle for him. He was so mouthy, biting at the bit, manically chewing on it while riding, twisting his head around. I'd had his teeth checked by the veterinarian and there were no issues, so I'd ruled out dental problems. I began the process of finding him a bit that he liked. I tried many different kinds, on many different rides:
He didn't like any of the above bits because the mouthpieces were too straight and so didn't lie comfortably in his mouth. He also doesn't like the loose rings because the bit moves too much.
These three piece snaffles were ok for a little while, but ultimately he decided he didn't like that much movement inside his mouth, either.
These two are quite expensive name-brand bits, and in the past my pickiest horses have like them because of the shape of the middle piece. Note said absolutely not, though, because he doesn't like the loose ring or the three pieces, and he didn't care that these are expensive quality bits.
The one he ended up choosing was this:
He likes it because the mouthpiece is solidly attached to the D ring sides, so the bit doesn't swing around on the ring. It has only one joint in the middle, so there's minimal movement inside his mouth. The mouthpiece is also slightly curved, which accommodates the shape of his tongue and the bars of his mouth. Finding the right combination of features is a process of elimination. I had to determine the bit that he liked, and going through this somewhat lengthy affair gives me sufficient information about how his mouth is shaped and what exactly he doesn't like about each type of bit.
Once I found his favorite, he rode like a different horse. Absolutely no head twisting, no incessant chewing, no excessive saliva, but not a totally dry mouth. He had a straight neck and head, gently bending at the poll, with quiet lips, tongue, and mouth. He also was much more comfortable moving forward, lengthening his stride at the walk, trot, and canter without me having to really push him. His "stickiness" and shuffling gaits were another indicator that he didn't like what was in his mouth, because bits are the brakes.
I also discovered that Raven's newer jumping saddle fits Note better than the others I'd been using on him. The combination of a happy mouth and comfortable back made for a great ride today.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=l4tEkhYnxNU
Here is some of his trot work over cross rails. It's been a while since I have done any jumping with him, so we were essentially beginning again with Going Over Poles 101. When horses are at the very start of jumping training I keep everything very positive and encouraging to make sure the horse enjoys the job. I don't mind the stopping and looking at fences, because how else will he know what he's going over if he doesn't check it out? Better he learn what this is about at slow speeds, looking while we are jogging or walking, rather than stopping to look when we are going fast and unseating the rider. You can see the progression in this video from staring at the first jump, to finally trotting over uneventfully.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CV6zAArd-gM&t=26s
This weekend Note also demonstrated his skills at opening gates. I teach all my horses how to do this politely so that we can leave the arena and hack out in the fields without me having to dismount. It also comes in handy when we are on the trails and I need to go through a latched gate, and it fits well with one of my mantras: Every good dressage horse should open gates. Forrest the border collie is pictured here supervising.
Note also had his first bareback ride with me yesterday. I had the bareback pad on him because he has some super high withers, but it was his first time being ridden without a saddle. Initially I got some funny looks with Note asking me if I'd noticed I'd forgotten something, but he settled in quickly and we ended up having a good ride at the walk, trot, and canter, and walking over ground poles.
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