Count settled in quick and easy. He didn’t fret or fuss during his 48-hour quarantine and worming, and then was friendly and polite when introduced to the other horses over the field fence. When he was turned out with them, he tactfully slotted in to his lower-pecking order new-boy place and got on with grazing in perfect contentment. For the first few days he was only allowed a couple of hours grazing per day, to help his digestive system gradually get used to a new, high-fibre diet. But, despite the fact he was obviously enjoying the grass and sunshine, he was perfectly easy to catch again. In fact, he would walk up to me with encouraging friendliness and confidence – he obviously liked humans.
He was just as relaxed when the time came to try him out under saddle. ( That’s one of the drawbacks of buying a horse at the sales – you can’t have a test-drive first to see what they are like.) I cobbled together a bridle from my bag of bits-‘n’-bobs ( it’s amazing how much scrap leather you can collect over the years – but some of it always comes in useful in the end), and found a plain snaffle bit that would fit. ( Racehorses are usually ridden in simple snaffles, often loose-ring. So, it makes sense to start off an ex-racehorse’s reschooling with a bit they are familiar with, even though you may need to try something different later on.) Then I tried a couple of saddles before finding that Big H’s fitted, more or less, when perched on top of a cotton numnah, sheepskin fleece and prolite pad. Ah well …. At least nothing would rub !
Then it was off to the school with a lunge rein, a hard hat and a spirit of adventure . Plus, of course, a noble assistant – ostensibly there to scrape up the pieces if anything went wrong, but actually chiefly occupied with making rude comments about my saddle-padding and then taking photos.
Thankfully there was no need for First Aid. Count was the perfect gentleman. He didn’t quite see the point of lunging ( few racehorses do) but he humoured me obligingly. Then, when I went for broke and climbed aboard , he was positively courteous. He actually stood still as I got on from the mounting block ( something I’m still asking Big H to do after two years!) and then carried me round the school in walk and trot ,on both reins, with ears pricked and not a hint of awkwardness. He had lovely paces, did what I asked when I asked, and all with no hint of either jogging or arguing with the bit. He even consented to do circles, both ways, though he clearly thought it was a weird idea.
It looked like I’d found the perfect horse – quiet, kind, intelligent, obedient and good-looking . And definitely one of the most chilled-out, laid-back characters I’d come across in a long while. But why, then, did he windsuck ?
He was just as relaxed when the time came to try him out under saddle. ( That’s one of the drawbacks of buying a horse at the sales – you can’t have a test-drive first to see what they are like.) I cobbled together a bridle from my bag of bits-‘n’-bobs ( it’s amazing how much scrap leather you can collect over the years – but some of it always comes in useful in the end), and found a plain snaffle bit that would fit. ( Racehorses are usually ridden in simple snaffles, often loose-ring. So, it makes sense to start off an ex-racehorse’s reschooling with a bit they are familiar with, even though you may need to try something different later on.) Then I tried a couple of saddles before finding that Big H’s fitted, more or less, when perched on top of a cotton numnah, sheepskin fleece and prolite pad. Ah well …. At least nothing would rub !
Then it was off to the school with a lunge rein, a hard hat and a spirit of adventure . Plus, of course, a noble assistant – ostensibly there to scrape up the pieces if anything went wrong, but actually chiefly occupied with making rude comments about my saddle-padding and then taking photos.
Thankfully there was no need for First Aid. Count was the perfect gentleman. He didn’t quite see the point of lunging ( few racehorses do) but he humoured me obligingly. Then, when I went for broke and climbed aboard , he was positively courteous. He actually stood still as I got on from the mounting block ( something I’m still asking Big H to do after two years!) and then carried me round the school in walk and trot ,on both reins, with ears pricked and not a hint of awkwardness. He had lovely paces, did what I asked when I asked, and all with no hint of either jogging or arguing with the bit. He even consented to do circles, both ways, though he clearly thought it was a weird idea.
It looked like I’d found the perfect horse – quiet, kind, intelligent, obedient and good-looking . And definitely one of the most chilled-out, laid-back characters I’d come across in a long while. But why, then, did he windsuck ?
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