I wonder what some of you more experienced riders will think...this is less a problem, than it is a matter of curiosity and a hope that I can change it.
<p>Here's the situation in a nutshell. I'm a new rider, & new to 24-7 horse care (though am an "always wanted to"). I'm lucky at this point in my life because I can have 2 private lessons per week (with a great instructor!) and I've been able to get in a trail ride on the weekend of late. My roommate & I share a small acreage on which we keep his 2 horses--neither of which are for novices, but they are both lovely social want-to-please. I don't know how to talk about training, but the one arab has been a dressage horse, and has done arena work (not much on the trails) whereas the other boy has done more trails etc. This boy is a bit of a head tosser (wears a pelham bit) and is always fully charged, ready to GO. All that said, both of these boys are wonderful and I love them and take part in their daily (sometimes hourly) care, like they were my own.</p>
<p>Here's my question/problem. It seems that on the 3 ocassions Roomie has let me on, I have nearly come off. Also, had a bit of an adrenalin lode the last time I was on the latter boy, as we'd stopped at the barn to pick something up--and my super-charged boy decided that he was going to follow his mate into the barn. I would have come off for sure, but in the end, I did manage to turn him back. But it scared me. Maybe it scared my friend more (they are his horses, after all, and he knows they are not beginner horses, I guess he just wanted to ride a little with me on one, and he on the other...)</p>
<p>I guess what forms the question in my mind is that when I am ANYWHERE else, with anyone else, I seem to be able to do fine--in control of the horse, confident (not polished perhaps, but capable of getting my horse to do what I want him/her to do, but the minute I get on top of one of these horses--who KNOW me, etc, I am like a person who is sitting atop for the first time.</p>
I do find the situation disheartening to say the least. I mean, I could barely stay on when in our arena! Trotting and cantering are out of the question for some strange reason. Am I that much of a dolt that I can ride other horses, away from home, but can't do anything RIGHT when I am here? </p>
<p>Here's the situation in a nutshell. I'm a new rider, & new to 24-7 horse care (though am an "always wanted to"). I'm lucky at this point in my life because I can have 2 private lessons per week (with a great instructor!) and I've been able to get in a trail ride on the weekend of late. My roommate & I share a small acreage on which we keep his 2 horses--neither of which are for novices, but they are both lovely social want-to-please. I don't know how to talk about training, but the one arab has been a dressage horse, and has done arena work (not much on the trails) whereas the other boy has done more trails etc. This boy is a bit of a head tosser (wears a pelham bit) and is always fully charged, ready to GO. All that said, both of these boys are wonderful and I love them and take part in their daily (sometimes hourly) care, like they were my own.</p>
<p>Here's my question/problem. It seems that on the 3 ocassions Roomie has let me on, I have nearly come off. Also, had a bit of an adrenalin lode the last time I was on the latter boy, as we'd stopped at the barn to pick something up--and my super-charged boy decided that he was going to follow his mate into the barn. I would have come off for sure, but in the end, I did manage to turn him back. But it scared me. Maybe it scared my friend more (they are his horses, after all, and he knows they are not beginner horses, I guess he just wanted to ride a little with me on one, and he on the other...)</p>
<p>I guess what forms the question in my mind is that when I am ANYWHERE else, with anyone else, I seem to be able to do fine--in control of the horse, confident (not polished perhaps, but capable of getting my horse to do what I want him/her to do, but the minute I get on top of one of these horses--who KNOW me, etc, I am like a person who is sitting atop for the first time.</p>
I do find the situation disheartening to say the least. I mean, I could barely stay on when in our arena! Trotting and cantering are out of the question for some strange reason. Am I that much of a dolt that I can ride other horses, away from home, but can't do anything RIGHT when I am here? </p>
