Buck Up Cowgirl!

It has officially been a year since we treated Gunner for EPM.




Weekend before last, we loaded the horses and went to our friend and trainers facility to practice with her trail class equipment. On a whim I loaded up Gunner.




Post-EPM we were left with a horse whose fears were exasperated and who was lame in his right rear leg. The atrophy that set in with EPM seems to have lessened, but the tripping is still there, especially when he is not concentrating on my commands.

Over the winter I ordered some books and DVDs on gaining trust with your horse. I have been futzing with them off and on since spring. The biggest change has been our confidence in each other. I have learned to remain calm around him and take each blow up in stride. He in turn has learned that after a blow up, things are fine and life goes on. No big deal.




Right. Except for the actual riding part.

In order for my fear of falling off to be overcome I take a huge confidence pill and do a lot of deep breathing. N usually holds him while I practice getting on and off. Just to test the waters. His reaction consistently has been boredom. He realizes what I am doing, but has no adverse reaction like he did last year. No sidestepping, no bucking. His ears train towards me and he waits calmly for this game I have come up with to be over.

Usually I get on and work on bending exercises, have him walk a bit and then get off. Pretty boring stuff for him, but that is all my confidence pills will allow. For now.

Weekend before last, I attempted my antics in a new situation and he was his normal self. Normal consists of jumpiness to new situations, but calmness when asked to do his job. I on the other hand was pretty scared. I lounged him and then had N hold him while I played my get on and off game. Then I rode him while everyone tried not to stare and make me more nervous. When the confidence pill wore off, I asked our friend and trainer to try him out and much to my delight she rode him around and pointed out all the huge changes in him. No wild, rolled eyes, no humped back waiting to release a buck, and a willingness to do what was asked. She said his only problem was that he was being naughty because he wanted to go back to the trailer, where his buds were. She even asked and got a very pretty controlled trot.

With much happiness I report that I will be boarding and riding him at the trainers this fall to continue to work on my confidence in riding him.




Maybe, just maybe, we have beaten this thing.

All pictures are from Ns submission to the local fair.