At this juncture, I feel I must address a bit of unpleasantness. I'd much rather let it lie, but I can't help but feel it would be counterproductive to do so. By staying silent on the matter, I allow it to stand unchallenged and suggest I accept the conclusions reached by soom.
After Eastern Mojave, a post appeared on Ridecamp (a listserve for those interested in distance riding hosted by endurance.net) asking for "advice" on what to do about a rider "abusing" her horse. Although I was not identified by name, enough information was provided to make it very easy to determine exactly who was being discussed.
The particular incident initially brought up was the one I described in my post about Day 4 at Eastern Mojave. The original post went on to aver that I must "beat" Hoss to get him to go at all, to even get him out of camp and on the trail. Subsequent posts went on to assert Hoss only goes out of fear and doesn't like his job.
Many individuals responded to this thread. Nearly all respondents assumed the observations of the original poster (and another individual who did, indeed, call me between Death Valley and Bumble Bee) were absolute truth with no consideration given to the fact the other side had not been presented. At least one person pointed out I couldn't exactly jump on and defend myself without opening myself to attack, and exposing myself to further action.
I did not, initially, recognize myself in the post. In fact, I almost posted on the thread to point out that whoever was being discussed was being rather unfairly maligned. We cannot know what is in the mind of another individual, and even if we don't like what someone else does, we don't get to define it as wrong. I have seen plenty of things I disagree with, but my position is, it ain't my horse, and if the horse isn't being harmed, it's none of my business.
What disturbed me most was the responses from riders and others who have ridden with me or seen me on trail, opining my horse must be foot sore or his tack not fit, or if the respondent was still a ride manager, I would be disqualified. All of this without ever concerning themselves with knowing the other side of the story.
After a complicated mess which resulted in me taking another horse to 20 Mule Team for the 35 (details in the blog about that ride), I ended up speaking with an AERC board member. The conversation, from my perspective, was quite frustrating. I got the distinct impression this person had come to a conclusion and was solely interested in convincing me I am an abuser.
One of the incidents brought up occurred at Death Valley last year (2012 ride year). I have no memory of the incident in question, but evidently I was lunging Hoss after a ride day. I was whacking him in the butt with the whip because he wouldn't go. This person saw us, and asked me if he hadn't done enough already, and said he "looked tired." Not remembering this incident, I can only say I must have felt I needed to see something. Hoss dislikes lunging, and will dive in on the circle, which I will address by tapping his butt with the whip.
During the course of this conversation, there was nothing I could say that wasn't turned and contorted to this individual's point of view. Maybe his tack doesn't fit (trust me; I know his saddle fits perfectly); maybe he doesn't like his job. Maybe this, maybe that. I got more stories about misbehaving horses that "improved" with a job change than I can count. I was told I should get a different trainer.
In the end, this person just told me I abuse my horse. Obviously that ends the conversation. There's nowhere to go from there. I was told I would start being denied entry "for cause," and it was suggested I'd better not bring Hoss to any rides, at least for a while.
The distinction between "abuse" and "not abuse" is fine. I see it this way: A corrective action being taken with a horse, which the horse can gain relief from/cause to stop by behaving properly is acceptable. "Abuse" is when an action is taken from which the horse cannot find surcease through any change in behavior or action.
What I do to correct Hoss's behavior does not rise to the level of abuse. It is not abuse to require him to do his job and do it correctly. His stubbornness and insistence on continuing to try my patience does not transform my corrections into abuse.
I expect my horse to behave himself, under any and all circumstances. I expect him to stand quietly for the vet, walk when I ask, and trot when I ask. It's not too much. I have carefully conditioned him to meet the demands of our sport, and make sure he gets plenty of variety. He gives lessons to youngsters, goes to shows, and goes to gymkhanas. He is well rounded and by no means mentally frayed. He lives in a large pasture with lots of stimulation, including getting the watch the neighbors put a new roof on their house last month.
It would pay to remember I know my horse best. I know if I let him get away with a little thing, later it will be a big thing. I'm not going to put up with poor behavior just because someone thinks I'm too hard on my horse. If he has the energy to misbehave (try to bolt, calling, not going forward), he has the energy to behave, too.
My expectations of my horses are higher, by my observation, than what most endurance riders expect. Where other horses are allowed to call, kick, bite, threaten other horses/people, shove their way in to the water, etc., I expect my horse to be polite, let me know if he's unhappy with the proximity of another horse, and wait patiently for his turn at the water trough. It's not that hard. I don't really care if other people let their horses be undisciplined, so long as they don't harm me, so I expect the same level of respect for my personal desires.
Hoss has several traits that make him a challenge to ride. He's opinionated, stubborn, smart, and strong. These same traits make him an excellent endurance horse. When I see the horses blowing down the trail, pulling their riders' arms out of their sockets, I see horses that will be lame, burned out, and unmanageable in a short period. By contrast, Hoss considers what is ahead of him, pays attention, and keeps a reserve for use later. He'll last because, as much as I expect him to behave, he knows I will not ask more of him than he can give, and he is allowed to have some say in the matter. I can't always let him have his way. After all, deciding he wants to be with a particular mare is not conducive to finishing the task at hand. But I can let him tell me what he thinks and take his desires into consideration.
Hoss and I are a team. We support each other and listen to each other. He gets me through in the dark when I can't see, and I get him through when he's feeling low. We complement each other. I'm still the leader, but I'm also his friend, his protector, and his champion. He is my rock, my consistent partner, my reliable friend.
To suggest that I would abuse this horse is appalling and insulting. And that is all I have to say on the matter.
Saturday, March 23, 2013
2013 Eastern Mojave Scenic, Day 4
Hoss was plenty ready to go on Day 4. While I was still wrapping up my morning duties, he started calling and getting worked up because other horses were saddled and moving about. He managed to convince me I was late. I scurried about and got him saddled up, only to realize while I was leading him up to put our crew bag in the trailer that we were 10 minutes early! Okay, so we warmed up wandering around camp.
It was finally time to start and we rode out of camp to start the day. We ended up pretty close behind another pair of horses for a time, all through the burro canyon. Once the trail opened up, the other horses quickly left us behind and we were on our own at last.
By this time, Hoss had gotten into his head he should get to stop and graze anytime he pleased. Knowing there was plenty of hay for him back at camp, I objected to this idea, and we ended up having a bit of a problem over it during the ride. He'd see grass and ask to stop. I'd say no and keep him moving. The next time, he wouldn't ask before slowing or pulling to the side of the trail to snatch a bite. I had to be really on the ball to keep him moving forward.
This bit of disagreement set the tone for much of the day. While we weren't exactly fighting, we were definitely not on the same page all the time. And sometimes, when he finds himself being thwarted, rather than simply go to work, Hoss will spend more time on defiant behavior.
That was definitely true during this ride day. He was keeping a pretty good pace, but he was certainly coming up with every excuse he could think of to do something other than simply move on down the trail. This did eventually set us up for a fight.
We were heading up hill and had just passed two other horses. For reasons not relevant now, I was uninterested in staying with those riders and just wanted to get on down the trail. Hoss had found himself the perfect opportunity to practice Not Doing What He's Told. He dislikes moving out uphill. He dislikes leaving other horses behind him. And he thought he should get to slow down, graze, or stay with the other horses if he wanted to, thank yew very much. So he was trotting, but he wasn't going in a forward manner, meaning he wasn't engaging his hindquarters to propel him forward.
A horse that is not moving forward is moving improperly. Allowed to continue in the manner, a horse is far likelier to become lame earlier in life. With Hoss's conformational challenges, if he doesn't move as he should, he'll be lame even sooner than a better put together horse would be. So it's important to me that he do what he should, and I'm not about to accept anything less.
I hadn't needed the whip up until this point, but now it was time to bust it out. Picking it up will usually cause Hoss to pay attention and do what he's supposed to, but not today. He ignored that I'd picked up the whip. I waved it at him, letting him know he'd better get his butt in gear. I got "the finger." I waved it at him harder. When that failed, I struck him over the rump with the whip. He took five steps in a forward manner and fell back off. Rinse, repeat. I think we went through this about five times, plus twice he dropped to a walk and I used the increasingly forceful barrel kick technique to get him moving again.
It isn't unusual for Hoss to get worse before he gets better. He is a Mustang. It took eleven months to break him in. He's just about as stubborn as they come. So I have to out-stubborn him, and it isn't easy. It means I cannot give up on anything I ask him. If I ask, I cannot back off, ever. He has to do it, pretty much no matter what.
It took some doing, but by the time we made the next turn Hoss had acquiesced to doing it "my" way.
Other horses caught up to us after a time, and Hoss used them as motivation for a while. I wanted to let them go, because the riders were pretty much letting them do whatever they wanted, and Hoss decided he should get to do whatever those horses were doing. So, if the rider let the horse stop and lick the snow, Hoss thought he should get to stop. It was a little frustrating. I used it as a "training moment," and managed to keep him moving at one point at which those two horses were stopped to graze.
I managed to get away from the other horses and we spent much of the rest of the ride largely alone. Hoss did get worse than usual about horses behind him, slowing earlier than usual when other horses started catching up. I would get after him a bit with heels and whip, since what I'd really like is for him to maintain his speed until I ask him to slow down to allow others to pass. That's a long term problem.
Despite our difficulties and our little spat, we finished in very good time on day 4. When we got back to camp, I discovered the promised bale of hay next to my tent. I began rolling it to the back of the trailer, much to Hoss's delight and excitement. He watched that bale eagerly. I managed to get it past him and into the trailer where I could pop it and throw out two flakes to a very grateful horse.
It was finally time to start and we rode out of camp to start the day. We ended up pretty close behind another pair of horses for a time, all through the burro canyon. Once the trail opened up, the other horses quickly left us behind and we were on our own at last.
By this time, Hoss had gotten into his head he should get to stop and graze anytime he pleased. Knowing there was plenty of hay for him back at camp, I objected to this idea, and we ended up having a bit of a problem over it during the ride. He'd see grass and ask to stop. I'd say no and keep him moving. The next time, he wouldn't ask before slowing or pulling to the side of the trail to snatch a bite. I had to be really on the ball to keep him moving forward.
This bit of disagreement set the tone for much of the day. While we weren't exactly fighting, we were definitely not on the same page all the time. And sometimes, when he finds himself being thwarted, rather than simply go to work, Hoss will spend more time on defiant behavior.
That was definitely true during this ride day. He was keeping a pretty good pace, but he was certainly coming up with every excuse he could think of to do something other than simply move on down the trail. This did eventually set us up for a fight.
We were heading up hill and had just passed two other horses. For reasons not relevant now, I was uninterested in staying with those riders and just wanted to get on down the trail. Hoss had found himself the perfect opportunity to practice Not Doing What He's Told. He dislikes moving out uphill. He dislikes leaving other horses behind him. And he thought he should get to slow down, graze, or stay with the other horses if he wanted to, thank yew very much. So he was trotting, but he wasn't going in a forward manner, meaning he wasn't engaging his hindquarters to propel him forward.
A horse that is not moving forward is moving improperly. Allowed to continue in the manner, a horse is far likelier to become lame earlier in life. With Hoss's conformational challenges, if he doesn't move as he should, he'll be lame even sooner than a better put together horse would be. So it's important to me that he do what he should, and I'm not about to accept anything less.
I hadn't needed the whip up until this point, but now it was time to bust it out. Picking it up will usually cause Hoss to pay attention and do what he's supposed to, but not today. He ignored that I'd picked up the whip. I waved it at him, letting him know he'd better get his butt in gear. I got "the finger." I waved it at him harder. When that failed, I struck him over the rump with the whip. He took five steps in a forward manner and fell back off. Rinse, repeat. I think we went through this about five times, plus twice he dropped to a walk and I used the increasingly forceful barrel kick technique to get him moving again.
It isn't unusual for Hoss to get worse before he gets better. He is a Mustang. It took eleven months to break him in. He's just about as stubborn as they come. So I have to out-stubborn him, and it isn't easy. It means I cannot give up on anything I ask him. If I ask, I cannot back off, ever. He has to do it, pretty much no matter what.
It took some doing, but by the time we made the next turn Hoss had acquiesced to doing it "my" way.
Other horses caught up to us after a time, and Hoss used them as motivation for a while. I wanted to let them go, because the riders were pretty much letting them do whatever they wanted, and Hoss decided he should get to do whatever those horses were doing. So, if the rider let the horse stop and lick the snow, Hoss thought he should get to stop. It was a little frustrating. I used it as a "training moment," and managed to keep him moving at one point at which those two horses were stopped to graze.
I managed to get away from the other horses and we spent much of the rest of the ride largely alone. Hoss did get worse than usual about horses behind him, slowing earlier than usual when other horses started catching up. I would get after him a bit with heels and whip, since what I'd really like is for him to maintain his speed until I ask him to slow down to allow others to pass. That's a long term problem.
Despite our difficulties and our little spat, we finished in very good time on day 4. When we got back to camp, I discovered the promised bale of hay next to my tent. I began rolling it to the back of the trailer, much to Hoss's delight and excitement. He watched that bale eagerly. I managed to get it past him and into the trailer where I could pop it and throw out two flakes to a very grateful horse.
2013 Eastern Mojave Scenic Day 3
Late in the night, I could hear the shushing sound of snow on the tent. I was snug enough in my cocoon of sleeping bags. Hoss was comfortable in his heavy blanket.
I got up early enough to get Hoss fed and my breakfast and lunch made. Then we got saddled up and hit the trail.
Hoss, like most horses, is a fan of cold weather. He likes to get up and move when it's cold. He was quite the handful getting out of camp. We started out okay, walking pleasantly, until we hit the road outside of camp and he wanted to just run his legs off.
I spent quite a lot of energy on keeping Hoss in hand until we caught up to Randy Cowin and Assad riding with Jackie Bumgardner riding Fire Mt Zane. Hoss really likes Assad, so I was able to use Assad's presence to get Hoss to behave himself. I didn't mind riding with Randy and Jackie. So long as Hoss didn't get stupid about Zane, we would be fine.
Most of the time, Hoss dislikes having other horses behind him. Assad is an exception. Hoss doesn't mind at all having Assad follow him. So what wound up happening was, Zane would be in the lead, then Hoss, and Assad behind us. Except Hoss couldn't really keep up with Zane's pace. So Zane would end up getting way ahead of us, while Assad and Hoss cheerfully kept to their happy pace and watched him leave. At one point Jackie and Zane got so far ahead we thought she'd hooked up with different riders and left Randy with me.
We alternated walking and trotting, and stayed pretty much in a loose group throughout the day. Approaching the vet check, Randy and I decided to dismount pretty early. Hoss recovers better if I get off and walk him the last quarter mile or so in to the check. It gives him a chance to relax and prepare for rest and recovery.
After I dismounted, I removed Hoss's bit. I was chatting with Randy while I was disconnecting the reins. When I pulled the reins over Hoss's neck, I gave it a bit too vigorous a pull and the snap whipped over his neck and whapped me in the face right in the sunglasses. It got my cheekbone, but thankfully the sunglasses I was wearing protected my eye. Darn thing hurt bad enough as it was!
We found a place to hide out from the wind behind a truck and trailer for our hold. Hoss ate his bran mash and had a little bit of hay, but it was less than he would usually have eaten during a hold. Still, he was okay and there was more hay back at camp. Also, Randy was leaving the next day, and had picked up a bale of hay which he was not going to need. He gave that bale to us, a great relief.
After the vet check, we continued on through some very pretty countryside. We passed what's called "Hole in the Rock," which I got on video pretty well. Much of the last several miles was along the highway and thus less interesting.
We made it back into camp. Knowing I'd have plenty of hay for Hoss, I gave him a bunch of what I'd gotten from Heidi. Just one more day to go!
I got up early enough to get Hoss fed and my breakfast and lunch made. Then we got saddled up and hit the trail.
Hoss, like most horses, is a fan of cold weather. He likes to get up and move when it's cold. He was quite the handful getting out of camp. We started out okay, walking pleasantly, until we hit the road outside of camp and he wanted to just run his legs off.
I spent quite a lot of energy on keeping Hoss in hand until we caught up to Randy Cowin and Assad riding with Jackie Bumgardner riding Fire Mt Zane. Hoss really likes Assad, so I was able to use Assad's presence to get Hoss to behave himself. I didn't mind riding with Randy and Jackie. So long as Hoss didn't get stupid about Zane, we would be fine.
Most of the time, Hoss dislikes having other horses behind him. Assad is an exception. Hoss doesn't mind at all having Assad follow him. So what wound up happening was, Zane would be in the lead, then Hoss, and Assad behind us. Except Hoss couldn't really keep up with Zane's pace. So Zane would end up getting way ahead of us, while Assad and Hoss cheerfully kept to their happy pace and watched him leave. At one point Jackie and Zane got so far ahead we thought she'd hooked up with different riders and left Randy with me.
We alternated walking and trotting, and stayed pretty much in a loose group throughout the day. Approaching the vet check, Randy and I decided to dismount pretty early. Hoss recovers better if I get off and walk him the last quarter mile or so in to the check. It gives him a chance to relax and prepare for rest and recovery.
After I dismounted, I removed Hoss's bit. I was chatting with Randy while I was disconnecting the reins. When I pulled the reins over Hoss's neck, I gave it a bit too vigorous a pull and the snap whipped over his neck and whapped me in the face right in the sunglasses. It got my cheekbone, but thankfully the sunglasses I was wearing protected my eye. Darn thing hurt bad enough as it was!
We found a place to hide out from the wind behind a truck and trailer for our hold. Hoss ate his bran mash and had a little bit of hay, but it was less than he would usually have eaten during a hold. Still, he was okay and there was more hay back at camp. Also, Randy was leaving the next day, and had picked up a bale of hay which he was not going to need. He gave that bale to us, a great relief.
After the vet check, we continued on through some very pretty countryside. We passed what's called "Hole in the Rock," which I got on video pretty well. Much of the last several miles was along the highway and thus less interesting.
We made it back into camp. Knowing I'd have plenty of hay for Hoss, I gave him a bunch of what I'd gotten from Heidi. Just one more day to go!
Friday, March 22, 2013
2013 Eastern Mojave Scenic, Day 2
I hadn't made the ride meeting the prior night, running around to get myself propane, so I went off looking to get my ride map in the morning before we left. Once that was taken care of, I got Hoss ready and we hit the trail.
If anything Hoss was quite a bit more enthusiastic for Day 2 than he had been on Day 1. I even had to get after him for trying to bolt after other horses. I do expect him to control himself, no matter how excited and energetic he feels.
We got out and got into our groove pretty well. Still not having any hay, I was continuing to let Hoss graze as possible. By this time I was pretty desperate. I had decided if I couldn't find something for him I was going to have to cut the weekend short and take him home.
The wind was pretty strong and the weather cool, so Hoss was happy to go. I had to hold him back in the rocks, and a few times we really got into it when he wanted to bolt.
After the vet check, we were still going at a relatively sedate pace, grazing as we could, and just taking our time. I rode for a time with Heidi Helly, and she allowed as she could trade me some hay. There was alfalfa/orchard hay available for sale in camp, which Hoss cannot have. Heidi would trade me some of that for some alfalfa and bermuda. That was a relief. Hoss would have hay!
As the day wore on, the cloud cover rolled in. Hoss really had his frisky on, and we finished in decent time.
After I took care of Hoss, I went and bought a 70 lb bale of hay. I traded with Heidi for hay he could have. It still left me with less hay than he really needed, but I felt I could at least jolly him through the rest of the weekend.
If anything Hoss was quite a bit more enthusiastic for Day 2 than he had been on Day 1. I even had to get after him for trying to bolt after other horses. I do expect him to control himself, no matter how excited and energetic he feels.
We got out and got into our groove pretty well. Still not having any hay, I was continuing to let Hoss graze as possible. By this time I was pretty desperate. I had decided if I couldn't find something for him I was going to have to cut the weekend short and take him home.
The wind was pretty strong and the weather cool, so Hoss was happy to go. I had to hold him back in the rocks, and a few times we really got into it when he wanted to bolt.
After the vet check, we were still going at a relatively sedate pace, grazing as we could, and just taking our time. I rode for a time with Heidi Helly, and she allowed as she could trade me some hay. There was alfalfa/orchard hay available for sale in camp, which Hoss cannot have. Heidi would trade me some of that for some alfalfa and bermuda. That was a relief. Hoss would have hay!
As the day wore on, the cloud cover rolled in. Hoss really had his frisky on, and we finished in decent time.
After I took care of Hoss, I went and bought a 70 lb bale of hay. I traded with Heidi for hay he could have. It still left me with less hay than he really needed, but I felt I could at least jolly him through the rest of the weekend.
2013 Eastern Mojave Scenic, Day 1
Once again we arrived at camp very late in the day, resulting in the early-morning trot-by "vetting" Dave Nicholson is famous for with horses he's seen frequently. When I set up camp, I discovered I'd forgotten to pack the new propane tanks for the Coleman stove. What a problem. The only tank I had left was nearly empty. I managed to cook myself dinner and breakfast on it, but I knew it wasn't going to last me all four days.
This year, the whack-a-doodles had made quite an impact. All horses were to be eating weed-free hay not only during the ride, but for 48 hours prior to entering public lands. I had brought along pellets, figuring they were novel so Hoss would be thrilled to eat them for four days. I hadn't been able to find certified weed-free hay before heading out. So the pellets would have to do. I also figured I'd be able to procure some hay at the ride.
We left camp in the morning, eager and ready to go. Hoss was his usual strong self, but also had good self-control. I had started working with him a little bit on getting himself under control and being more responsive again.
I managed to get us into a "pocket" on our own. Hoss was cheerful and happy to keep moving. When we got passed, he was okay with being left behind by the other horses.
Because we didn't have hay, I stopped Hoss to graze pretty frequently. It didn't take him long to start taking advantage of this and asking to stop at every little clump of grass he saw. Mostly I did let him stop, since I felt bad that he didn't have hay, but I didn't exactly let the grass grow under our feet either.
At the vet check, Hoss was unhappy. He ate his bran mash, but what he wanted was hay. There wasn't a great deal of grass around. I found some left over hay, but it was orchard, which he is allergic to. In the end, I let him eat some of it and crossed my fingers.
After we left the check, we caught up with Cheri Briscoe and Echo and rode with them for a time. We missed a turn, which evidently happened to several people, and had to back track. The trail we took had plenty of hoof prints, so it took us a few minutes to realize there were no trail markers, and there were just as many tracks going the way we were going as back.
We crossed the highway, and Echo picked up the pace. Knowing Hoss couldn't really keep up, I held him back and we continued at our own pace.
The ride was uneventful and we finished at a reasonable pace. I plopped a bucket of pellets in front of Hoss, as well as some bran mash. It wasn't quite cold enough yet to put his blanket on.
Once Hoss was settled, I unhitched the truck and drove into Baker to look for propane. I stopped at every single store, likely and unlikely, in the little town. I finally found one tank, the only one of its size which appeared to be in town. Once I found it, I got myself some dinner before heading back to camp to put Hoss's blanket on and go to bed.
This year, the whack-a-doodles had made quite an impact. All horses were to be eating weed-free hay not only during the ride, but for 48 hours prior to entering public lands. I had brought along pellets, figuring they were novel so Hoss would be thrilled to eat them for four days. I hadn't been able to find certified weed-free hay before heading out. So the pellets would have to do. I also figured I'd be able to procure some hay at the ride.
We left camp in the morning, eager and ready to go. Hoss was his usual strong self, but also had good self-control. I had started working with him a little bit on getting himself under control and being more responsive again.
I managed to get us into a "pocket" on our own. Hoss was cheerful and happy to keep moving. When we got passed, he was okay with being left behind by the other horses.
Because we didn't have hay, I stopped Hoss to graze pretty frequently. It didn't take him long to start taking advantage of this and asking to stop at every little clump of grass he saw. Mostly I did let him stop, since I felt bad that he didn't have hay, but I didn't exactly let the grass grow under our feet either.
At the vet check, Hoss was unhappy. He ate his bran mash, but what he wanted was hay. There wasn't a great deal of grass around. I found some left over hay, but it was orchard, which he is allergic to. In the end, I let him eat some of it and crossed my fingers.
After we left the check, we caught up with Cheri Briscoe and Echo and rode with them for a time. We missed a turn, which evidently happened to several people, and had to back track. The trail we took had plenty of hoof prints, so it took us a few minutes to realize there were no trail markers, and there were just as many tracks going the way we were going as back.
We crossed the highway, and Echo picked up the pace. Knowing Hoss couldn't really keep up, I held him back and we continued at our own pace.
The ride was uneventful and we finished at a reasonable pace. I plopped a bucket of pellets in front of Hoss, as well as some bran mash. It wasn't quite cold enough yet to put his blanket on.
Once Hoss was settled, I unhitched the truck and drove into Baker to look for propane. I stopped at every single store, likely and unlikely, in the little town. I finally found one tank, the only one of its size which appeared to be in town. Once I found it, I got myself some dinner before heading back to camp to put Hoss's blanket on and go to bed.
Wednesday, March 13, 2013
2012 Lead Follow or Get Out of My Way at Bumble Bee Ranch, 50 Miles
This was the first time this particular ride was put on. Being just outside Phoenix, Arizona, and well within reasonable driving distance, I decided we'd do it. It was only a week after Death Valley, but I felt Hoss was in plenty good enough condition to do another fifty within a week. It did make for an entertaining turn-around.
We arrived at camp late in day. I was able to get camp mostly set up before making it over to the ride meeting. Hoss would be vetted in the morning. The vet said to me he'd vet him on one condition -- that we finish before dark. Fair enough.
The night was quite cold. I had brought along my husband's travel alarm clock which has a temperature display. It got down to 25 degrees before I had made and eaten my dinner and tucked Hoss in for the night. He was quite comfy in his heavy winter blanket with hay up to his knees. So comfortable, in fact, that he lay down in the night to sleep. When he arose, he got one front foot over his lead rope, getting it quite stuck. He made noise enough to arouse me, then settled down when he heard me getting up. I had to pry his foot off the rope so he could get up. Once I had his foot free, he laid still for a few minutes, assessing things, before getting to his feet.
In the morning, Hoss's leg where it was stuck over the lead rope was a little tender. It wasn't swollen, but he didn't want me to touch it. So I re-presented him to the vet to make sure everything looked okay. He was sound, so we set off down the trail.
Hoss started out very well, eager and happy to hit to trail. He seemed to have perked up a bit after Death Valley. Early on, there was a lot of checking him back so he wouldn't go faster than he really can. He really does get it into his head he can keep up with any other horse he pleases. Usually he realizes this is a pipe dream and lets them go, but it can be a battle at the beginning.
The morning was beautiful. It didn't take us long to get into our accustomed "pocket" and be largely on our own. There were a few climbs and plenty of turns -- enough to make the trail interesting. We had to pass a dead, headless cow, which Hoss didn't even bother to look at. I don't know if other horses gave it the hairy eyeball or not.
We got to a section of trail that is Hoss's absolute favorite type: twisty, windy, and rolly single track. He really got to moving out on that trail. Only two problems: Just because he's moving out, doesn't mean he's fast enough to stay ahead of other horses; and I have to watch him for figuring out how to cut the trail.
Being passed on single track is difficult, and Hoss really detests being passed, even though he can't keep up with the horses and he doesn't really like having them behind him. He can't think past the moment of being passed, which certainly makes sense. He's a horse, not a human! So letting other riders by was a bit of a challenge. I had to find safe places to stop and let horses by, all the while convincing Hoss to let them not only pass, but get away from him.
Coming back into camp, we had to open a couple of gates and close them behind us. I opened the first, called Hoss through, and shut it behind him. At the second, I repeated the process, but rather than stop and wait, Hoss continued on down the trail! I hollered at him a couple of times before I ran after him and stopped him. Rotten horse.
There was a little confusion on the trail coming back to camp for the vet check, but we muddled through and made it back for our hour hold. After vetting, I gave Hoss his customary bran mash and hay, and made myself a quick lunch.
Back out on trail again, we found ourselves with another horse and rider. We stuck with them the rest of the ride.
The trails were beautiful, passing through a stream bed and up and down some pretty good-sized hills. Hoss handled it all with his usual aplomb, although he is definitely of the opinion he should get to contemplate drinking at every water source, no matter how recently he's tanked up. This makes for some slow going when we have to cross water several times.
On our way back toward camp, we passed through the campsite of some off-roaders. There were four or five children who were extremely excited to see horses. Of course all the previous horses hadn't been interested in stopping to visit, and their mom was calling them back. Hoss, however, just turned into a horse-shaped pile of goo and pleaded to get to visit with the children. I walked him over and let the children pet him. He stood there like a plant, enjoying the attention. I swear if they had decided to pull his nostrils over their heads, he would have happily allowed them to do so. I just wish I had had the presence of mind to turn my video camera on for that one.
We ended up taking longer than I would have liked, coming in just at dusk. The other rider we ended up with wasn't particularly keen to go any faster. I knew it would be a battle to get Hoss to leave the other horse behind and decided it simply wasn't worth it. He kinda wanted to go faster, but he would only pull away a few hundred feet before he wanted to let the other horse catch up. We were going to make it back before cut-off if we walked anyway, so we might as well not get into a fight.
We pulled in to camp as the sun disappeared from the sky and dusk took over. I got "the look" from the vet about our "deal" from the previous evening. I explained the other rider hadn't wanted to go faster and I just didn't want to get in a fight with Hoss. He accepted this as reasonable and allowed our completion.
We arrived at camp late in day. I was able to get camp mostly set up before making it over to the ride meeting. Hoss would be vetted in the morning. The vet said to me he'd vet him on one condition -- that we finish before dark. Fair enough.
The night was quite cold. I had brought along my husband's travel alarm clock which has a temperature display. It got down to 25 degrees before I had made and eaten my dinner and tucked Hoss in for the night. He was quite comfy in his heavy winter blanket with hay up to his knees. So comfortable, in fact, that he lay down in the night to sleep. When he arose, he got one front foot over his lead rope, getting it quite stuck. He made noise enough to arouse me, then settled down when he heard me getting up. I had to pry his foot off the rope so he could get up. Once I had his foot free, he laid still for a few minutes, assessing things, before getting to his feet.
In the morning, Hoss's leg where it was stuck over the lead rope was a little tender. It wasn't swollen, but he didn't want me to touch it. So I re-presented him to the vet to make sure everything looked okay. He was sound, so we set off down the trail.
Hoss started out very well, eager and happy to hit to trail. He seemed to have perked up a bit after Death Valley. Early on, there was a lot of checking him back so he wouldn't go faster than he really can. He really does get it into his head he can keep up with any other horse he pleases. Usually he realizes this is a pipe dream and lets them go, but it can be a battle at the beginning.
The morning was beautiful. It didn't take us long to get into our accustomed "pocket" and be largely on our own. There were a few climbs and plenty of turns -- enough to make the trail interesting. We had to pass a dead, headless cow, which Hoss didn't even bother to look at. I don't know if other horses gave it the hairy eyeball or not.
We got to a section of trail that is Hoss's absolute favorite type: twisty, windy, and rolly single track. He really got to moving out on that trail. Only two problems: Just because he's moving out, doesn't mean he's fast enough to stay ahead of other horses; and I have to watch him for figuring out how to cut the trail.
Being passed on single track is difficult, and Hoss really detests being passed, even though he can't keep up with the horses and he doesn't really like having them behind him. He can't think past the moment of being passed, which certainly makes sense. He's a horse, not a human! So letting other riders by was a bit of a challenge. I had to find safe places to stop and let horses by, all the while convincing Hoss to let them not only pass, but get away from him.
Coming back into camp, we had to open a couple of gates and close them behind us. I opened the first, called Hoss through, and shut it behind him. At the second, I repeated the process, but rather than stop and wait, Hoss continued on down the trail! I hollered at him a couple of times before I ran after him and stopped him. Rotten horse.
There was a little confusion on the trail coming back to camp for the vet check, but we muddled through and made it back for our hour hold. After vetting, I gave Hoss his customary bran mash and hay, and made myself a quick lunch.
Back out on trail again, we found ourselves with another horse and rider. We stuck with them the rest of the ride.
The trails were beautiful, passing through a stream bed and up and down some pretty good-sized hills. Hoss handled it all with his usual aplomb, although he is definitely of the opinion he should get to contemplate drinking at every water source, no matter how recently he's tanked up. This makes for some slow going when we have to cross water several times.
On our way back toward camp, we passed through the campsite of some off-roaders. There were four or five children who were extremely excited to see horses. Of course all the previous horses hadn't been interested in stopping to visit, and their mom was calling them back. Hoss, however, just turned into a horse-shaped pile of goo and pleaded to get to visit with the children. I walked him over and let the children pet him. He stood there like a plant, enjoying the attention. I swear if they had decided to pull his nostrils over their heads, he would have happily allowed them to do so. I just wish I had had the presence of mind to turn my video camera on for that one.
We ended up taking longer than I would have liked, coming in just at dusk. The other rider we ended up with wasn't particularly keen to go any faster. I knew it would be a battle to get Hoss to leave the other horse behind and decided it simply wasn't worth it. He kinda wanted to go faster, but he would only pull away a few hundred feet before he wanted to let the other horse catch up. We were going to make it back before cut-off if we walked anyway, so we might as well not get into a fight.
We pulled in to camp as the sun disappeared from the sky and dusk took over. I got "the look" from the vet about our "deal" from the previous evening. I explained the other rider hadn't wanted to go faster and I just didn't want to get in a fight with Hoss. He accepted this as reasonable and allowed our completion.
2012 Death Valley Encounter, Day 4, 50 Miles
Final day. This day's ride would stay pretty close to camp, circling around back to camp and repeating some of the trail from the day before. I got myself up and Hoss saddled and ready to go for the start and we hit the trail.
I could tell Hoss was feeling the previous three days' riding. He hit the trail well enough, just not as cheerfully as he typically starts a morning. I sort of nursed him along, catering to him just a bit.
We started out with another horse we had spent a little time with the previous afternoon, but she decided she'd rather be with a different horse which was going faster than Hoss. They really weren't a good match anyway. Both of them have that tendency to not go forward with the "brakes on" feeling. The two of them together just fed off each other and neither would really move out. While Hoss was a little sad to be left behind, I was a little relieved.
Hoss didn't get terribly upset over being left behind. He usually realizes he can't keep up with another horse in fairly short order. This day he settled in to being alone in relatively short order.
The problem started when another horse passed and he decided he didn't like that. He wanted to try to keep up. I could tell he wasn't going to pass, either, and I could just feel I'd have to beat every step out of him if I tried to make him. Since the other horse is typically faster than he is, I held him back. Several times I had to work him a bit hard to keep him from bolting off after the horse.
We were a few miles from camp when, lo and behold, that little mare caught up to us. Now I really had a horse with an attitude. I let the mare and the horse she was with past us and held Hoss back the rest of the way in to camp. I hoped I had let the mare get far enough ahead that, by the time our hold was over, she'd be gone.
We went to the trailer for our hold, and I shoved food at him and hoped he'd forget about the mare. When our hold time was over, I checked out and we headed for the trail.
At the entrance to the trail, there was the mare, tied to her trailer. Oh, dear. Hoss really didn't want to leave now. How could he possibly leave the love of his life behind? He would barely trot, then started swinging his head around to look for her. No amount of tugging on the reins would get him looking ahead. He even started doing this bending thing and made it clear he was going to find a way to make me slow down no matter what. I eventually ended up using the end of my crop to bop him in the face to make him face forward. It didn't cure the problem, but he started to take me a little more seriously.
Once another horse passed us, Hoss started doing a little better, but he was still looking for that mare. And finally, she caught up at passed us. I was annoyed enough at this point there was no way I was going to let him keep up with her now. I kept him back and let her get far ahead of us.
We eventually did catch back up with the mare. She had started to go off, and the rider had slowed her to a walk in the hope of her getting better. It eventually became clear she wasn't going to get better, so the rider got off and started walking the horse back. I now had to make Hoss pass the mare and get down the trail.
There was some doing involved in getting him to keep going. Despite another horse ahead of us, who had also been riding with the mare, he was stuck on the notion of staying with her. It took some doing, but he finally let it go and trotted on down the trail. It helped when he realized where we were and were getting close to the finish. He even got a little cheerful.
We finished well and happily.
I spent a little time at the New Year's Eve party, but I did exactly what I said I would. I rang in the New Year at 9pm and was in bed by 9:30.
I could tell Hoss was feeling the previous three days' riding. He hit the trail well enough, just not as cheerfully as he typically starts a morning. I sort of nursed him along, catering to him just a bit.
We started out with another horse we had spent a little time with the previous afternoon, but she decided she'd rather be with a different horse which was going faster than Hoss. They really weren't a good match anyway. Both of them have that tendency to not go forward with the "brakes on" feeling. The two of them together just fed off each other and neither would really move out. While Hoss was a little sad to be left behind, I was a little relieved.
Hoss didn't get terribly upset over being left behind. He usually realizes he can't keep up with another horse in fairly short order. This day he settled in to being alone in relatively short order.
The problem started when another horse passed and he decided he didn't like that. He wanted to try to keep up. I could tell he wasn't going to pass, either, and I could just feel I'd have to beat every step out of him if I tried to make him. Since the other horse is typically faster than he is, I held him back. Several times I had to work him a bit hard to keep him from bolting off after the horse.
We were a few miles from camp when, lo and behold, that little mare caught up to us. Now I really had a horse with an attitude. I let the mare and the horse she was with past us and held Hoss back the rest of the way in to camp. I hoped I had let the mare get far enough ahead that, by the time our hold was over, she'd be gone.
We went to the trailer for our hold, and I shoved food at him and hoped he'd forget about the mare. When our hold time was over, I checked out and we headed for the trail.
At the entrance to the trail, there was the mare, tied to her trailer. Oh, dear. Hoss really didn't want to leave now. How could he possibly leave the love of his life behind? He would barely trot, then started swinging his head around to look for her. No amount of tugging on the reins would get him looking ahead. He even started doing this bending thing and made it clear he was going to find a way to make me slow down no matter what. I eventually ended up using the end of my crop to bop him in the face to make him face forward. It didn't cure the problem, but he started to take me a little more seriously.
Once another horse passed us, Hoss started doing a little better, but he was still looking for that mare. And finally, she caught up at passed us. I was annoyed enough at this point there was no way I was going to let him keep up with her now. I kept him back and let her get far ahead of us.
We eventually did catch back up with the mare. She had started to go off, and the rider had slowed her to a walk in the hope of her getting better. It eventually became clear she wasn't going to get better, so the rider got off and started walking the horse back. I now had to make Hoss pass the mare and get down the trail.
There was some doing involved in getting him to keep going. Despite another horse ahead of us, who had also been riding with the mare, he was stuck on the notion of staying with her. It took some doing, but he finally let it go and trotted on down the trail. It helped when he realized where we were and were getting close to the finish. He even got a little cheerful.
We finished well and happily.
I spent a little time at the New Year's Eve party, but I did exactly what I said I would. I rang in the New Year at 9pm and was in bed by 9:30.
Tuesday, March 12, 2013
2012 Death Valley Encounter, Day 3, 50 Miles
Hoss was a different horse on day three. He headed out with, well, verve.
In the past, day three has been run by heading up to the towers on the longer, less steep slope, and come down the rather steep side. I didn't remember it from last year, nor do I remember being particularly opinionated one way or another about which way would be better. This year, though, management decided to run the trail "backwards" from the way we did it in the past. This meant going up a rather steep slope. In hindsight, I don't know why anyone would want to come down that particular section of trail. I'd much rather go up it!
Heading up the hill, Hoss was pulling the hill well, doing much better than his usual uphill performance. He really does seem to do better on single track and challenging trail, as if he wants something to challenge his mind a little. Flat wide roads are easy and, thus, boring.
When we topped the hill, I noticed another rider had caught up. I offered to let him pass, but he declined, content to stay behind us. Many times, when a horse is behind him, Hoss will slow down. This time, though, he did pretty well and I didn't need to get after him to keep a good pace.
As we were riding, the gentleman behind me started chatting a bit. We talked about various things from time to time, and as we continued down the trail, it gradually came out that he had "selected" me to ride with! He said he had liked the pace I set on the previous day, and wanted to hook up with me and Hoss for the ride.
This rider, Randy Cowin, and I, got along just fine. And our horses got on, too. Hoss would cheerfully lead this particular horse, when most of the time he prefers not to have other horses behind him. He just as cheerfully followed, when Randy's horse, Assad, was feeling more motivated.
At one point, Hoss got his foot hung up in the rocks and loosened a shoe. I heard it right away, but recognized I wasn't going to be able to get it off by hand for a while. Once it got loose enough, I hopped off and replaced it with a boot.
We were coming down a long downhill, and this was right in Hoss's wheelhouse. He hit the trail and worked like he's supposed to. I had my horse back. What a relief.
We did well enough on the first half to have Randy and Assad finish the 25 in the top ten. I waited with him until Assad recovered, then headed to the trailer to feed Hoss and put his shoe back on.
I was feeling pretty whipped, trying to do all this riding and overcome bronchitis at the same time. After I ate, I laid down for a time to get a little extra rest before we hit the trail again.
After our hold, we headed out for the second half of the ride, which was largely flat. Hoss was mostly well behaved, only giving me a problem when I wanted him to pass and leave behind other horses. It was still better than it could have been and I didn't have to fight him too hard. It was easier once we hit downhill stretches and he would really get to trotting out.
We finished the second loop in good time and got ourselves back to camp and ready to rest.
When we got back to the trailer, I was feeling a bit puzzled over how clean our space looked. I was pretty sure I would need to clean up after Hoss once we got back. It took a few minutes, but I realized our very kind neighbors had cleaned up for me. They had noticed my bottle of high-power cough syrup in my tent, and decided to help me out. I could not have been more grateful.
In the past, day three has been run by heading up to the towers on the longer, less steep slope, and come down the rather steep side. I didn't remember it from last year, nor do I remember being particularly opinionated one way or another about which way would be better. This year, though, management decided to run the trail "backwards" from the way we did it in the past. This meant going up a rather steep slope. In hindsight, I don't know why anyone would want to come down that particular section of trail. I'd much rather go up it!
Heading up the hill, Hoss was pulling the hill well, doing much better than his usual uphill performance. He really does seem to do better on single track and challenging trail, as if he wants something to challenge his mind a little. Flat wide roads are easy and, thus, boring.
When we topped the hill, I noticed another rider had caught up. I offered to let him pass, but he declined, content to stay behind us. Many times, when a horse is behind him, Hoss will slow down. This time, though, he did pretty well and I didn't need to get after him to keep a good pace.
As we were riding, the gentleman behind me started chatting a bit. We talked about various things from time to time, and as we continued down the trail, it gradually came out that he had "selected" me to ride with! He said he had liked the pace I set on the previous day, and wanted to hook up with me and Hoss for the ride.
This rider, Randy Cowin, and I, got along just fine. And our horses got on, too. Hoss would cheerfully lead this particular horse, when most of the time he prefers not to have other horses behind him. He just as cheerfully followed, when Randy's horse, Assad, was feeling more motivated.
At one point, Hoss got his foot hung up in the rocks and loosened a shoe. I heard it right away, but recognized I wasn't going to be able to get it off by hand for a while. Once it got loose enough, I hopped off and replaced it with a boot.
We were coming down a long downhill, and this was right in Hoss's wheelhouse. He hit the trail and worked like he's supposed to. I had my horse back. What a relief.
We did well enough on the first half to have Randy and Assad finish the 25 in the top ten. I waited with him until Assad recovered, then headed to the trailer to feed Hoss and put his shoe back on.
I was feeling pretty whipped, trying to do all this riding and overcome bronchitis at the same time. After I ate, I laid down for a time to get a little extra rest before we hit the trail again.
After our hold, we headed out for the second half of the ride, which was largely flat. Hoss was mostly well behaved, only giving me a problem when I wanted him to pass and leave behind other horses. It was still better than it could have been and I didn't have to fight him too hard. It was easier once we hit downhill stretches and he would really get to trotting out.
We finished the second loop in good time and got ourselves back to camp and ready to rest.
When we got back to the trailer, I was feeling a bit puzzled over how clean our space looked. I was pretty sure I would need to clean up after Hoss once we got back. It took a few minutes, but I realized our very kind neighbors had cleaned up for me. They had noticed my bottle of high-power cough syrup in my tent, and decided to help me out. I could not have been more grateful.
Friday, March 1, 2013
2012 Death Valley Encounter, Day 2, 50 Miles
I rolled out of bed early to get Hoss fed and prepped for the ride. I was still recovering from a bout of bronchitis, so was a bit miserable. Still, I had some pretty good meds with me, and I was able to keep up my spirits for the most part.
The trail for day 2 is pretty straightforward. We rode out to the vet check, past it into Goler Canyon, turned around at the top, and headed back down. Vet check, then back to camp. Simple enough.
The drawback to this particular setup is, once the horses ahead of us get to the top, they turn around and head back down, passing us on their way back. This results in Hoss thinking I must be stupid, and we should turn around because clearly, we are going the wrong way.
I knew this going in. We got out of camp, and I realized early on it was not going to be one of Hoss's better days. There was a lot of what I call "trotting with the brakes on." It feels a lot like driving a car with the emergency brake set. This gets Hoss in trouble. He knows better. Usually all I need to do is reach for the whip and he'll shape up, but lately he's decided that doesn't have to be enough. I really had to get after him to get more than a few steps of going properly.
At the vet check, we paused long enough to get a drink and to give him his electrolytes before continuing on up into the canyon. Hoss was particularly obstinate and did not want to move out up the canyon. It was frustrating, but we got through it.
And then other horses started coming back down the canyon. As mentioned, Hoss thinks this means we are Going The Wrong Way. About the fifth horse to pass us, he was really sure I'm stupid. A rider commented "He looks tired." This annoys me, because what looks like "tired" on most horses is really just "I should get my way" on Hoss. His "tired" is a little different, and I suppose the subtleties could be lost on many, so perhaps I shouldn't let such comments bother me.
Once we (finally) reached the top, Hoss got a drink and we started heading back down. Hoss typically does pretty well trotting downhill, so I was hopeful he'd do well heading back. Well, not so much. We were with a couple of other horses for a few minutes, but I needed to stop for a "potty break," letting them get away from us. Usually Hoss will pick up after such stops, but not today. He was just barely keeping any sort of trot going.
I worked pretty hard to keep him going, giving him breaks from time to time so he wouldn't get discouraged. I think the most annoying thing was, other horses passed going up the canyon, and he gave me, "Wait, I think we're going the wrong way!" again. Ugh!
On our way downhill, we caught up with several other horses, including a mare we rode with a couple of years ago at the Death Valley Warmup ride. Hoss just loves her. He would very much like to take her home and keep her in his pasture forever. This creates a problem. He wanted to get real close to her and make all the other horses stay away. I finally had to pull him up and make him let her get away before he'd stop being a jerk.
Back at the vet check, we hung out and ate during our hold, and I made sure that little mare was going to be well gone before we hit the trail again.
Once our hold was over, we hit the trail again, doing the typical thing. It didn't take quite as long for him to pick it up as it had on day one, which after the way he'd been behaving all day was a relief. The rest of the way back to camp was uneventful and he behaved pretty well. I think he'd figured out where he was and we were on our way back. He finished pretty well, better than he started. I got him vetted through and back to the trailer for another night.
The trail for day 2 is pretty straightforward. We rode out to the vet check, past it into Goler Canyon, turned around at the top, and headed back down. Vet check, then back to camp. Simple enough.
The drawback to this particular setup is, once the horses ahead of us get to the top, they turn around and head back down, passing us on their way back. This results in Hoss thinking I must be stupid, and we should turn around because clearly, we are going the wrong way.
I knew this going in. We got out of camp, and I realized early on it was not going to be one of Hoss's better days. There was a lot of what I call "trotting with the brakes on." It feels a lot like driving a car with the emergency brake set. This gets Hoss in trouble. He knows better. Usually all I need to do is reach for the whip and he'll shape up, but lately he's decided that doesn't have to be enough. I really had to get after him to get more than a few steps of going properly.
At the vet check, we paused long enough to get a drink and to give him his electrolytes before continuing on up into the canyon. Hoss was particularly obstinate and did not want to move out up the canyon. It was frustrating, but we got through it.
And then other horses started coming back down the canyon. As mentioned, Hoss thinks this means we are Going The Wrong Way. About the fifth horse to pass us, he was really sure I'm stupid. A rider commented "He looks tired." This annoys me, because what looks like "tired" on most horses is really just "I should get my way" on Hoss. His "tired" is a little different, and I suppose the subtleties could be lost on many, so perhaps I shouldn't let such comments bother me.
Once we (finally) reached the top, Hoss got a drink and we started heading back down. Hoss typically does pretty well trotting downhill, so I was hopeful he'd do well heading back. Well, not so much. We were with a couple of other horses for a few minutes, but I needed to stop for a "potty break," letting them get away from us. Usually Hoss will pick up after such stops, but not today. He was just barely keeping any sort of trot going.
I worked pretty hard to keep him going, giving him breaks from time to time so he wouldn't get discouraged. I think the most annoying thing was, other horses passed going up the canyon, and he gave me, "Wait, I think we're going the wrong way!" again. Ugh!
On our way downhill, we caught up with several other horses, including a mare we rode with a couple of years ago at the Death Valley Warmup ride. Hoss just loves her. He would very much like to take her home and keep her in his pasture forever. This creates a problem. He wanted to get real close to her and make all the other horses stay away. I finally had to pull him up and make him let her get away before he'd stop being a jerk.
Back at the vet check, we hung out and ate during our hold, and I made sure that little mare was going to be well gone before we hit the trail again.
Once our hold was over, we hit the trail again, doing the typical thing. It didn't take quite as long for him to pick it up as it had on day one, which after the way he'd been behaving all day was a relief. The rest of the way back to camp was uneventful and he behaved pretty well. I think he'd figured out where he was and we were on our way back. He finished pretty well, better than he started. I got him vetted through and back to the trailer for another night.
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