I took Teddy over to the reserve today just with a halter and lead rope as I knew my ARC would be their doing a trial and after last weekends episode I thought it would be a good opportunity to put Teddy in a stall and just let him soak up the atmosphere and relax a bit. I'm pleased to say that he did and there was no repeat of the overexcited hyperactive jittering of last Saturday. Of course he was on full alert but any horse would be, and he was neighing out and circling in the stall for a a little while but he calmed down quickly enough.
While I was sitting there watching other people and their horses going through their lessons etc. I was feeling a bit disheartened as this is what I want to be doing with Teddy but because he's so hot and I'm so green it just doesn't work out for me that way. It was hard to see all the work I have been doing and the success Teddy and I have had but still being so far from my goal.
I had the idea to ask one of the riders there, Deb, an experienced and skilled rider, to take Teddy for a ride and to provide her suggestions or opinions on him to me. She was working her own horse and couldn't but asked a competition rider and trainer there by the name of Kerry if she would and she agreed. I went home and got Teddy's gear and saddled him up.
I had to hold Teddy still for Kerry to get on him but once she was on all went well. She took him through his paces and really loved him, saying that he was really responsive to all the aids, was a bit stiff but this would work out with more work, very forward moving and would make an excellent dressage mount. She said that he does head toss but she believed that this would go away once he was put into some serious work as he was a doer and wanted to respond immediately to everything, really trying to do all that was asked. She also thought that he was not suitable for a rider at my skill level, that me being green and returning to riding and trying to find my balance again would be very difficult on a horse like Teddy. She thought that although I would eventually get to the level required to handle Teddy correctly in the saddle, by the time I get there he would be wasted in a paddock when she believed he would go far in competition. She even said that if she could she would consider having him herself but she wasn't in the position to.
I agreed with her totally as he is really such a good horse and even at my level of riding skill I can see how hard he works and how responsive he is. The problem is he is just too quick to respond for a person like me who has to think about what to do next. By the time I have gone through my next move in my head he is well and truly gone and I cant catch up. This could be dangerous and it definitely can be scary. This response from Teddy is great for an experienced rider but not for a green rider like me.
I don't want to see Teddy go to waste and I know he could be really special to someone who can take him to the level he can and should be at, so I have decided that it is probably best that I sell him to that special someone.
This decision does break my heart as I love him but I need to do what is right for the both of us and as my friend says, it cost just as much to have an unsuitable horse as it does a suitable one. I cant afford two horses right now and I need a horse that works for someone at my level. If I was an accomplished rider and ready for any of those things that Teddy is so good at - dressage and polo-cross - then he would be a fantastic horse for me, but here and now I need a plodder and he needs a goer.
I just hope the right home presents itself for my Teddy boy.
No comments:
Post a Comment