I hate blogging. I feel like one of those people who feels like their lives are important and interesting, but in reality... its not.
I've created this blog to keep track of the progress of my Friesian X Quarter Pony cross. And maybe, there is someone out in blogger land that has the same issues with their horse.
Loki is 8 years old, 14h, unconfirmed but assumed IR pony. He is fed plain grass hay only.
I balk at calling him a genuine "rescue" case, but after what we can assume was a pretty rough few years of his life...whatevs. I've owned him since October 2014. We're currently training/schooling in dressage. We also ride trails, ride through town, and eventually he will become a member of our volunteer search and rescue team, that is when he's no longer crazy.
So begins the purpose of this blog.
Loki is terrified of people. If you're not me, you're a horse eater.
At first we thought it was mostly men. But, nope, Loki isn't sexist. He believes in equality. All humans are equally evil.
Why did I buy a crazy horse? Well, I didn't intend to. My best answer to this question is, Loki must have been in a shutdown, checked out, elevator stopped at the basement, lights on but nobody's home state of mind when I tried him. Twice. He was quiet, nervous maybe, but quiet. Saddled fine, rode fine, felt good... I fell in love. I HAD to have him. It was like fate couldn't let me walk away.
I now believe that at the time I was looking at him, he had been so bullied, beaten, harassed, whatever, that he just chose to shutdown instead of show anything.
Brought him home, started basic groundwork with him. Quickly realized there was a very intelligent pony in there somewhere. (Found out later, that indeed his first trainer at done A LOT with him. She and I figured out that he had gone through 4 'homes' (hell holes?) between her and I.)
Out comes the farrier. Loki loses his ish. That was an interesting eye opening day. Something is very wrong here... (a year and half later, and Loki is STILL afraid of the farrier. He gets his feet done, but the poor guy is tense, stiff, and borderline suicidal the entire time.)
But again, with me, he was happy. Calm. An easy ride.
Took him to a friends barn not long after we got him. Knew he was nervous, looked and felt like a bomb ready to explode, got on anyways.
Loki graciously dismounted me. Got back on. Went home.
Fast forward with a bunch of riding alone down the rode... riding with friends.... riding in an arena... etc etc. Loki still flinches, eyes white, the minute another person goes to approach or touch him.
So here we are. 6 months into our dressage training. I have a lesson with our trainer every other week.
I cant even begin to explain how frustrating it is to go two weeks working him, getting some amazing moments of real work, and really trying, real stretches, etc.... to lesson day where the horse is terrified of my trainer to even approach him.
I'm interested in your opinions, ideas, whatever you think would help.
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