Susan, I have not been on Tosca yet. She's way ready, but I'm afraid something will go wrong and I'll foul her up. The professional trainer where I board came off a horse she was starting and really hurt her shoulder. This was not a Tosca sort of a horse. She decided she couldn't afford to get hurt again and sent him to a well-recommended trainer. After about 30 days there, the trainer was leading this five year old into his round pen when some pigeons came tumbling down out of the sky and scared the horse. He struck out with his front feet, hitting the guy in the back and knocking him to the ground. Then the horse proceeded to dismantle the round pen, finally getting caught in one panel. He required stitches and is back at home recuperating. My friend isn't quite sure what to do next. The trainer said he would take him back "It wasn't the horse's fault".
I'd seen her do lots and lots of appropriate groundwork and she'd been on him with someone leading him in the round pen before she decided he was still too reactive for her. I think we all need to know our limits (real or imagined) and accept that there probably is someone who can do a better job of starting a youngster than we can. Nancy
