Horses are a lot like people with their varying personalities, and sometimes they just don't click; with their herd mates or their humans. Its a part of life. I've had a lot of friends who got horses, off the track or from private buyers, and have had to face the fact it wasn't going to work out because of conflicting personalities. To me, that's the hardest reason to sell a horse. I can accept lack of potential and injuries, but conflicting personality just seems like such a trivial problem. However, its not. You're not doing yourself or your horse any favors by keeping him/her if you can't get along. I've been very lucky.
Dino and I have struggled all summer with our right lead canter. I had skirted the issue all the way up to camp and had to face facts, we needed to canter. The nice thing about an OTTB is that their canter is probably their best gait, since they did so much of it training on the track. Dino canters on the longe line with side-reins and I've even long-lined him and cantered, he has a beautiful canter. I knew that Janet told me not to canter him under saddle until Dino picked up the correct lead 80% of the time. "It should only take you a few months," she told me. Well, let me tell you I can stretch a few months into a few years.
I've always liked cantering, and my fear of cantering stems from my riding accident eight years ago. Since then I think I've cantered a handful of times and I've only been over fences once. Fear is just a funny thing and personally, I can't be pushed out of my comfort zone, I have to do it in my time frame. Well the time was right and I felt comfortable enough with Dino that I could canter.
When Dino and I attended camp this past July, it had been a full year since we had cantered last. Over the course of that year, I was able to ride on the buckle and reach forward with my hand to pet Dino on the neck. I was becoming less and less a bundle of nerves. Dino, bless his soul, has been so patient with me and so in-tuned to me that the more relaxed I became, the more relaxed he became. After camp, Dino and I went back to the longe line and worked extensively on the right lead canter. The more we worked, the more I wanted to ride.
On October 8th, I bit the bullet and longed Dino under saddle. He was good and so I mounted up. Worked a little on the trot and when I felt comfortable, I asked for the canter. The first two times, Dino did pick up the wrong lead but he came back down to the trot - a year ago, he would have done a flying lead change. The third time I asked, he got the correct lead and I literally whooped-and-hollered around the arena. I'm surprised my neighbors didn't come out! After a change in direction, Dino cantered but was a little flustered, so back to the trot. The second time we cantered, he was so round and soft that I just melted into the saddle.
By the end of the ride, Dino and I had switched directions a few times working on cantering and in the end, I just couldn't be happier...for him or myself.
Cantering again was not quite my "Ahh-haa" moment, but a flashback memory of the rider I once was and with Dino, could be again.
I've recently switched Dino to Tribute's Kalm Ultra, a 12% protein, 12% fiber, and 12% fat feed. While he's at a decent weight, I would like to see him just a tad fuller.
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