This is the previous thread
http://chat.allotment-garden.org/index.php?topic=83428.30And there is a rather long and involved update, if anyone is interested.
We decided to get Murphy into fit condition before attempting to do too much with him. Ourfarrier agreed that all his feet needed was time, not shoes, so we changed his diet and had the farrier out regularly to trim and inspect, and he now has a perfect(ish) set, very healthy. He has also moved a couple of times, but hopefully we have now found the right yard.
This spring we decided it was time to get going on re-schooling him. We managed to trace his former owner, who gave us a scetchy background, in as much as she had bought him as a yearling, with the scarred leg already there, but had never had much time to do anything with him (She had medical issues) so he was basically a pet who occasionally had a saddle put on and walked around the farm briefly. She said he was swapped for a driving pony for her elderly dad who couldn't cope with such a big lad. We sent her some pictures and an update but didn't hear anything back for ages.
Meanwhile, this spring he went off to be re-started an schooled. We already knew he was good to lunge, travelled well, was OK with clippers, boots and bandages, tack etc, as you would expect of an 11 year old. He was a big hit with Emma and her mother, easy to do and lovable and good natured. She rode him in the school after lungeing him, and he bucked her off! He was ok after that, but she said he was like riding a 3 year old, didn't seem to know much.
Well, after ten days and Emma flying through the air on a regular basis (she was determined not to give in) Dave went up on his own one day to watch, and he was going really well, with lots of energy and obedience. She asked for canter and Dave said it was as if an ejector button had been pressed, she flew over his head in an arc and landed in the sand...again! That was enough for Dave and he asked her to bring him home, the last thing we wanted was for Emma to get badly hurt. So he was retired to the field to keep the grass down and his field mate happy. To say we were disappointed is an understatement. We couldn't understand why such a laid back good natured horse could just flip like that. All checks on tack, back and teeth revealed no problem.
After a while we suddenly got an e.mail from the previous owner saying she had been doing some searching and had found out most of Murphy's history since leaving her....very exciting, and worrying.
Seems the dealer who had him from her (only last April, he had been a pet for nine years) had failed to "master" him and he had been sent to the sales after no-one could sit on him. Father saw him at the sales in very poor condition, but didn't tell his daughter, and he was bought by the meat man, who must have turned him out to grow some meat (they do that) from where we presume he was seen in the field by someone or he sent him back to the sales. Know no more. But what she did say was that he had never been broken to ride, or had ant training at all, so when she rode him it was his good nature which won the day. So that is his problem.......he just doesn't understand! We just hope that the weeks when people tried to ride him (and bullied him) have not done too much damage.
So we have moved again, to a yard where we can get help with backing him properly, treating him as an unbroken three year old. He is going really well, and everybody thinks he is great (we know that!) and we have someone willing to do the backing and riding when he is ready. Even if I never ride him, I dearly hope he will have a useful life with someone else riding him (won't sell him). If not, he will be retired again, but at least we will have tried.
Anyone still reading?
Phew! :lo
l:
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September 18, 2011, 20:50