Knottymare
Well-Known Member
Back in the beginning of the month, at the PNW beach drive, my mare had a bucking fit about 45 minutes into our drive, resulting in my cart being flipped. I was able to ground drive her back to the trailer thanks to others who took my cart and dog.. Up till that weekend, she had been safe everywhere. She'd been driven around fireworks, over bubble wrap, through all kinds of trails, up and down hills, in traffic, around bikes, machines, etc... and when we were frollicking down the beach, busted out in a bucking fit that wound up flipping my cart and ending my driving for the weekend. I did ground drive her, both back from the beach to the trailer and then all over the place at the campgrounds and she was fine, even next to the stallions that we thought might have been the reason she was bucking.
After a month of desensitizing and relaxation, I hitched her up yesterday and ground drove her for quite a while before putting her to the cart. Everything was smooth sailing. She was excited about getting out but not nervous or uptight at all. Got out on the road after a few spins around the house and all was going well until I reached forward to touch her breeching to see if it was too tight and off she went, into another extreme bucking fit. This time, she rolled us into a ditch, got her leg over one of the shafts, and was suspended with her front feet on the ground and the cart wheels on the ground with her back legs straddling the shaft suspended in the air. As I worked to free her, she managed to flip the cart and ran over me and dragged the cart over me. She ran into some bushes and fortunately got stuck there where I could free her and ground drive her home, going back to collect my yard sale later. All this happened with an improvised bucking strap in place, adjusted exactly how I have seen illustrated, with enough slack for her to move, but tight enough to supposedly keep her from getting her legs up too high. I'm waiting for my bucking strap to arrive from Iowa Valley Carriage... Both times, by the time I was able to unhitch her, she was terrified out of her mind, flinching at the slightest touch and ready to take off like a rocket. When I got her home, we worked on desensitation till we were both exhausted. I wanted her to stop and wait for me to get her free. Period.
Talked to a very experienced driver/trainer this morning and the news isn't good. It was suggested that after two wrecks it is not very likely that this mare will ever be safe to drive. I'm not sure I'll ever feel safe driving her. I'm not afraid... I don't scare easily, but I just came out of almost 2 years of being laid up and I'm not willing to risk my health over a horse that has a bug up her butt!
This horse is a rescue, by the way, one who was found wandering loose in Port Orchard some 5 or 6 years ago and was given to me with no history.
Lovely, eh?
After a month of desensitizing and relaxation, I hitched her up yesterday and ground drove her for quite a while before putting her to the cart. Everything was smooth sailing. She was excited about getting out but not nervous or uptight at all. Got out on the road after a few spins around the house and all was going well until I reached forward to touch her breeching to see if it was too tight and off she went, into another extreme bucking fit. This time, she rolled us into a ditch, got her leg over one of the shafts, and was suspended with her front feet on the ground and the cart wheels on the ground with her back legs straddling the shaft suspended in the air. As I worked to free her, she managed to flip the cart and ran over me and dragged the cart over me. She ran into some bushes and fortunately got stuck there where I could free her and ground drive her home, going back to collect my yard sale later. All this happened with an improvised bucking strap in place, adjusted exactly how I have seen illustrated, with enough slack for her to move, but tight enough to supposedly keep her from getting her legs up too high. I'm waiting for my bucking strap to arrive from Iowa Valley Carriage... Both times, by the time I was able to unhitch her, she was terrified out of her mind, flinching at the slightest touch and ready to take off like a rocket. When I got her home, we worked on desensitation till we were both exhausted. I wanted her to stop and wait for me to get her free. Period.
Talked to a very experienced driver/trainer this morning and the news isn't good. It was suggested that after two wrecks it is not very likely that this mare will ever be safe to drive. I'm not sure I'll ever feel safe driving her. I'm not afraid... I don't scare easily, but I just came out of almost 2 years of being laid up and I'm not willing to risk my health over a horse that has a bug up her butt!
This horse is a rescue, by the way, one who was found wandering loose in Port Orchard some 5 or 6 years ago and was given to me with no history.
Lovely, eh?