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Libby is such an amazing horse & incredibly talented. The problem is, she will never make a competition horse. She can do anything - but would rather do what she wants to do. She has the ability, physically & training wise, to win absolutely anything - but temperament wise she doesn't see why she should do it. She is not stubborn or lazy, it's just that she'd rather do something she considers fun. And I don't blame her for it.
They say horses are like their owners - and in this case it is 100% correct. Everything Libby does, I have done hundreds of time before. It's like me & maths - sure, I can do it but why would I want to when I can talk instead? Libby can do flat work, but she says 'why would you want to do that if we could gallop or jump instead?'. If it's something she enjoys though, she gets completely carried away and does it better than anyone else - like me in English. I have 3 extensive answers to every question and it's because I enjoy it, so I get excited and therefore am better at it than anyone else. Except she does it in jumping - a 80cm jump, let's clear it like it's 200! I don't blame her for hopping round when she's bored - I do the exact same! I never walk - I always skip or hop or leap or run; which is why I'm not at all afraid when she goes from a piaffe into a collected canter, crows hops and then caprioles - I know it's just high spirits. And in an open space, it is completely understandable that she wants to gallop. Who cares that the other horses are trotting sedately around - same with me at the wedding, off go the high heels and I'm playing soccer with a 7yo barefoot whilst the adults stare.
Unfortunately, other people do not understand which is why she will never make a competition horse. Shame that - she can jump a house, is faster than Phar Lap, can do leg yield, piaffe, renver, traver, shoulder-in, turn on the haunches, turn on the forehand, pirouette, flying changes, counter canter and can trot like nothing you've ever seen before. But that is why I am looking for a new horse. Not as talented, I'm not expecting that. But something I can compete with. It's like with people - the more talented the more difficult/quirky etc. Of course, I won't sell her. I have too much fun with her. It's not like Gemma: when you give the right aids you get a decent reaction. With Libby, she's a bomb waiting to explode. You may get what you want, or you may get something completely different. And when you do get what you want, you have to be thinking the entire time ('a little bit more left leg, quick! squeeze with the right rein & a tickle with the fingers...ah, good! but she's falling out through the right shoulder - a harden of the outside contact'. It all makes perfect sense - I get the best, most mind-bogglingly perfect work when she has a purpose - I get my best renver, shoulder-in etc. on the road during a trail ride as, as far as she is concerned, she is doing something.
Sorry, that ended up being just as much about me as her, but I was trying to get the point across.

Description
Libby is such an amazing horse & incredibly talented. The problem is, she will never make a competition horse. She can do anything - but would rather do what she wants to do. She has the ability, physically & training wise, to win absolutely anything - but temperament wise she doesn't see why she should do it. She is not stubborn or lazy, it's just that she'd rather do something she considers fun. And I don't blame her for it.
They say horses are like their owners - and in this case it is 100% correct. Everything Libby does, I have done hundreds of time before. It's like me & maths - sure, I can do it but why would I want to when I can talk instead? Libby can do flat work, but she says 'why would you want to do that if we could gallop or jump instead?'. If it's something she enjoys though, she gets completely carried away and does it better than anyone else - like me in English. I have 3 extensive answers to every question and it's because I enjoy it, so I get excited and therefore am better at it than anyone else. Except she does it in jumping - a 80cm jump, let's clear it like it's 200! I don't blame her for hopping round when she's bored - I do the exact same! I never walk - I always skip or hop or leap or run; which is why I'm not at all afraid when she goes from a piaffe into a collected canter, crows hops and then caprioles - I know it's just high spirits. And in an open space, it is completely understandable that she wants to gallop. Who cares that the other horses are trotting sedately around - same with me at the wedding, off go the high heels and I'm playing soccer with a 7yo barefoot whilst the adults stare.
Unfortunately, other people do not understand which is why she will never make a competition horse. Shame that - she can jump a house, is faster than Phar Lap, can do leg yield, piaffe, renver, traver, shoulder-in, turn on the haunches, turn on the forehand, pirouette, flying changes, counter canter and can trot like nothing you've ever seen before. But that is why I am looking for a new horse. Not as talented, I'm not expecting that. But something I can compete with. It's like with people - the more talented the more difficult/quirky etc. Of course, I won't sell her. I have too much fun with her. It's not like Gemma: when you give the right aids you get a decent reaction. With Libby, she's a bomb waiting to explode. You may get what you want, or you may get something completely different. And when you do get what you want, you have to be thinking the entire time ('a little bit more left leg, quick! squeeze with the right rein & a tickle with the fingers...ah, good! but she's falling out through the right shoulder - a harden of the outside contact'. It all makes perfect sense - I get the best, most mind-bogglingly perfect work when she has a purpose - I get my best renver, shoulder-in etc. on the road during a trail ride as, as far as she is concerned, she is doing something.
Sorry, that ended up being just as much about me as her, but I was trying to get the point across.