With the DISASTER of Road Trip #2 a few months behind us, I got up enough courage to embark on a new adventure. The last trip was so bad, I have no pix, no blog posts…there was nothing about it I wanted to remember. Let’s just say it included the dredging of the adjacent creek with a nifty little tractor that grabs the brush, snaps it out of the ground and pulverizes it all in one swift move….not something that goes over well with a green horse learning to travel.
Today went better. Dino discovered his true calling…Polo. Seriously, the horse was mesmerized by the polo ponies. Most horses would freak hearing the horses gallop up and down the arena, smacking the ball against the wall. Not this 17.1 hand giant. He wanted to play! I don’t know how to break the news to him, that a lumbering horse like Dino is not suited for the fast moving pace of arena polo….I guess I’ll just let him dream.
Dino Dreams of Playing PoloThe rest of the trip just points out how far Dino needs to go before he becomes a show horse. He is still very nervous and tense. It didn’t stop him from dropping in the warm up arena for a good roll, however. How am I going to show this horse if he needs to roll every time he arrives at a new location???
Dino makes himself at home.I was able to get on and ride a bit, but to describe him as unfocused would be an understatement. Dino was so tense and ADHD, he could barely “hear” the aids. I never got anything really nice out of him, but it will come. I just need patience, and he needs experience.
Dino learning to be a dressage horse-even if he would rather play polo!The good news is that Dino trailers like a champ. He stayed tied to the trailer with no issues while I helped Kelsey school pony over some Xcountry fences. (I remember a certain thoroughbred digging holes to China while tied to the trailer…. so happy I don’t have to deal with that again). Dino really is a good boy, but he did throw a little fit when I took him away from the polo ponies ;-). Silly dinosaur!
My ADHD 4 year old Dinosaur finally went on his first real road trip to PVRA! Here is the good, the bad and the ugly of today’s journey:
The Good:
Dino is excellent in the trailer. He loads and unloads like a dream- all on command. He is still a bit nervous on the ride, but he is eating, so that is good.
I am not sure where to classify this next event, but I think it is a positive sign. While hand walking Dino in the dressage court, we made it up the middle to C when Dino decided to drop and roll. He left me there holding the other end of the lead rope not exactly sure what was happening. Maybe he isn’t too nervous after all!
The Bad
Actually Dino wasn’t bad at all, but let’s just say he needs more travelling experience before I show him. He did what every young horse does- he looked at EVERYTHING! His ADHD was through the roof. When he doesn’t pay attention, he either over-reacts or under-reacts to commands. I don’t take it personally. He even does this with the flies. He ignores them for awhile and then kicks out at them in frustration.
The Ugly:
Maybe this is more sad than ugly….. But Dino thinks that every horse he sees is there soley to come play with him. If a horse even walks near him, he gets so excited. His head goes up. He dances. He calls. And then watches them intently until they are out of sight. (it’s like taking a dog to a dog park and then making them stay on a leash- kind of sad). This is how Dino was around the barn when he was two, and he has mostly grown out of it at home. I wonder how long it will take until Dino realizes that no one is coming over to play? Poor Dino.
I’ve always loved Halloween, and sometimes I even get the horses involved. Here are a couple of the costumes that these wonderful animals have tolerated:-).
Of course, I have to carve a “horse” pumpkin every year too. I never though to take pictures of my past pumpkins until the last couple of years…better late than never. I am still looking for inspiration for this year’s pumpkin….ideas anyone?
I had really hoped to dress Dino and Pony up this year. I even have a costume idea where they could enter as a team….I kind of ran out of time though. Maybe next year!
My daughter ‘s pony Sutter (AKA World’s Best Pony) really took to liberty jump training. He is a pretty athletic little guy and loves to jump, buck and play-basically he loves anything that gets all 4 hooves off the ground. Sutter is just learning how to jump courses, but I can already tell he is going to excel at this ;-). Check out his video below:
Del Mar Horse Girl 
