Legging Up with Limitations — Iggy’s Story

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by Patti Stedman | Jun 22, 2017

Three months ago, we bought Iggy, an 11 year old Arabian who had done a couple of 25 mile rides and a moderately paced 50 miler at age 6 or so. He’d been purchased, but life got in the way with his new owner, and he didn’t have a full time (or even part-time) job for the last few years.

Me, on the other hand, well, I have two full-time jobs right now.

I’m continuing to work steadily with my long-standing training and consulting business, while working feverishly on establishing and growing the new one, a web-based training business, just a year old.

I don’t think my conundrum is the least bit unique. Most endurance riders with horses they are legging up struggle just like me, finding the time (and sometimes the energy) to train and condition.

So here’s the good news about Iggy:

He’s got good bone structure, a solid education, and an unflappable nature. He loves to eat. (And yes, that is actually a very big deal.) He’s an excellent traveler and found camping at a ride to be a non-event.

Here are some of our challenges:

Iggy’s work ethic is dubious. He’s a little barn sour. I’ve worked on this in some traditional ways. I’ve insisted on him moving forward (whip and a few leg thumps), left him alone (militantly legs off, seat quiet) when he’s traveling along freely or offers to go forward after hesitating or balking. I’ve done the come back to the barn but then do a little ring work, or come back to the barn and head right out for the driveway for a little jaunt, so that coming home doesn’t always mean dismount, untack, get turned out...

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