| Ona is a stocky built Arabian that I got over a year ago from a rescue. I was told that she was registerable, but she didnt come to the rescue with any papers. When I got her, my vet told me she had heaves, but he said her lungs sounded really good when he gave her a listen this past fall. I keep her pastured instead of stalled and feed square bale hay, but other than that she hasnt required anything special.
She has nice ground manners and is attentive to your lead, but she is nervous about being tied by herself. She will tie still if another horse is tied by her, but if shes tied alone, she gets to dancing around and calling out, etc. She does well for the farrier though. If shes the only horse, I would just hold the lead instead of tying her. Shes not a danger to herself or others when shes tied, but shes hard to work with sometimes.
Ona hasnt been ridden much in the last 3 or 4 years, that I know of. I havent ridden her more than a handful of times myself, because I am a beginner, and she is a challenge. She tosses her head when I ask her to turn, and she even bucked me off once. Shes not mean, but she needs some more training than I know how to give her. She rides in a hackamore only, I am told.
She is very loving, but she was slow to trust us in the beginning. She bonds to people and other horses. She does need confidence. She is not a leader, but a follower. When I test rode her at the rescue, I thought that she was following my lead, but it turns out, she was just following the other horse. If one of my kids walks around the pasture in front of her (no lead attached), she will follow anywhere with me on her back, but if I try to steer her with the reins, then she resists. I have ridden her several times without any indication of bucking. The time she bucked me off, we had been arguing over leaving her buddy, and she bucked me off and then trotted off after her friend. I caught her easily and got back on and worked with her a little bit, without more bucking, so I dont think that that is going to be a habit for her.
I enjoy her company, but I can only afford the time and cost of training my younger horse right now. I am hoping to find her a home where she is needed as a pasture pet, horse buddy, or someone who would be happy to work with her a little bit to finish out her training, even in her old age. She is an easy keeper, only requiring hay, and shelter, to keep her dry and out of the wind.
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