> > Maybe you have done all this? But if Tosca was "grumpy" when Steph was on > her - bucking - are you sure that Tosca wasn't just unused to the feel of > an > uncoordinated rider? and frightened/nervous about it? She may have been > getting a lot of conflicting signals all at once and was overwhelmed and > confused.
Thanks Penny. Very good advice indeed. We have not done all of that, but have done some of the things you suggested and have plans for implementing some of the others. The bucking came about because I put Stephanie on bareback with a vaulting surcingle. Her hip flexors are so tight that she can't spread her legs around the barrel of a horse so she slid way back over Tosca's loin. We popped Stephanie off - she had a side-walker at each knee and put each of the side-walkers up instead. Tosca bucked each time one of them slid back beyond her comfort level, but with the better riders on her, I could correct her and continue on. We will need to find an appropriate saddle for Steph. Tosca will be five in May and had had about 18 rides over about nine months, so she's very green. Yrsa is not started. She will be four next May. She has been led all over and ground driven and I have sat on her. She's been bathed. hauled, clipped, saddled and blanketed. All non-events. I'll start her just like I started Tosca when she turns four. > Nancy >
