Rosso - the big red chicken - another story

We brought Rosso home 2 yrs ago around Thanksgiving.

He loaded in the trailer o.k. and travelled o.k. and when I led him to his new pen he was o.k. Never seemed to be a bit off in the head. He was jumpy - if you touched him he would jump/flinch. If you walked into his pen he moved as far away from you as he could.
I chalked it up to the fact he was new at our place, didn't know us and didn't know the routines.

Heck, if I moved somewhere and didn't know anyone or how things were supposed to go, I'd be jumpy too.

Well after about two weeks I thought: "I bet Rosso would like to get out into the pasture and stretch his legs a little bit"

I put his halter on and walked him out to the pasture. I put our existing horses in another pasture because I didn't want any fights with a new horse in the herd.

The existing horses were in full view and in the pasture adjacent to Rosso. Figured that would be comforting to him - to see the horses that would eventually become his herd.

I walked Rosso all around the pasture fence - in both directions - so he'd have an idea of the boundaries. I let him graze a little. Then I took the halter off and he was free.

He grazed a little bit - for about 3.3 seconds. He lifted his head. His eyes began bugging out of his skull. And he lost his mind. He seriously lost his mind. I've never seen a horse lose it's mind and it is a really scary thing. This all happened in about 5.8 seconds.

He took off running at top speed...

He slammed INTO the fence, flipped over it and was in the Dailey's yard. They have barb wire fencing and that can seriously jack up a horse - lots o' gruesome injuries can occur. We also live on a dirt road that people fly down at 50-60 mph. I've never seen a car hit a horse and I hope to never bear witness to it.

This is what was going through my mind with Rosso loose and running like a frickin' frieght train in our neighbor's property.

He slammed back into our fence and flipped over it a second time - back into our pasture - this time into the pasture where our other three horses were. And he kept running...

I thought he was going to kill himself or someone else if he got out and on the road.

The existing three horses closed in a tight clump together and stayed in one place watching the madness. Which was really smart of them actually... who knows what could have transpired if they all started running around too, ya know? I credit the old horses for this maneuver. Smart, smart old horses!

I think the idea of the herd was what saved Rosso. He didn't want to leave the area where the other three horses were. I got into the pasture where Rosso was... I was talking to him quietly and had the lead rope and halter in hand...

Every single muscle on that horse was taut and humming like a live wire. He let me walk up to him and put the halter on. Then he began shaking all over. I began shaking all over.

I walked him back to his pen.

Somehow he hardly had a scratch on him.

He didn't get to go out for a long time after that.

I spent time buddying him up with my old gelding who is incredibly SANE and would never run through a fence. I wanted Rosso to take Brandon's cue if he got scared. I took him out into the pasture daily on a longe line and exercised him. I walked him in our pastures hand grazing him for hours.

The day I turned him loose I was scared to death. I clamped my hands over my eyes and peeked thru... he was perfectly fine. He stood grazing like horses are supposed to do.

Two years later, he's learned a lot about just being a horse. He goes out to pasture regularly. He likes people and will come to you when you walk into his pen or into his pasture. The farrier can trim his feet. I'm riding him. But it's really hard to get that image out of my mind... of him losing his ever loving mind and going through a fence TWICE. You'd sorta hate for that to happen if you were along for the ride... That is why I'm careful about riding him and keeping my eyes open for a FREAK OUT mood.

This is why it's my goal to get him out and about and exposed to different barns... so when the time comes to ride in a clinic or in a horse show where he's not familar with the surroundings...he does not FREAK OUT.

Sorta like doing your homework or eating your vegetables. It's not the most fun thing - taking a scared 1500 lb animal to different places and making sure he doesn't get away, run through fences or kill himself. It's o.k. for him to be scared, but it's not o.k. for him to lose his mind. I gotta do it so he knows what is expected of him.

It is scary for me too. And yet, I keep saying it will make me a better rider, it will make me a better rider, it will make me a better rider. That is my chant during those times....