Advice - Pretty Please???

[Flony_Pony]

OK some of you know Jess story already but the basics are, she is 14hh NF X Cob 5 year old. I have had trouble with her rearing and running off, even jumping out my school with me. I took her to Twin Oaks as a boot camp style, and she was as good as gold, i braught her home with the ladys help and she was her true self - a nightmare, rearing etc. Well she got better and started to behave better and nicely on her bit too.

Well yesterday she was a saint for about 15mins then started running off in every direction. I got on her for my lesson (after lunging 10mins first) and i got off in 5 mins! I just could hold onto her and she scares me something stupid. My instructor rode her for the rest of my lesson.

Now i am turning jess away at the end of the month as i have an endurance ride to do on the 30th and know this will end on a good note.

Any advice on how to get my confidence back on her??

 

[Yummymummy]

Advice

To get your confidence back, I would get another pony!

There is no way I would ride a horse that I was terrified of and was uncontrollable. Don't become a statistic.

Two of my neices are in hospital with life theatening injuries from being tailgated by a stupid driver who nearly killed them, life is too short and precious to take the risk. You should be enjoying riding my lovely not being frightened half to death

YM xxxxx

 

[XmeganX]

hey, i used ride a 12.2 gelding who bolt like that constantly out of fear and spook constantly he,d bolt if you clicked your tounge and he,d bolt into fences he was 5 at the time i rode him comfortably i knew he wasnt being malicious i trusted him 100% hes now 7 and has grown out of bolting..perhaps you could try some join up..it seems your terrified and you may well be frightenng your pony, i know the gelding i used ride trusted me completely it took time but you have to be patient!

might i ask are you more nervous or anious wihtout your instructor say at home that could add to her behaviour also she is young at 5 its great tht your turning her away it,ll give her time to mature some take longer than others!! hope ive been some help!

 

[KateWooten]

Well, now. When she was at the boot camp - picture the lady that had the success with her .. how did she differ from you ?

You need to have this horse's respect. The horse needs to know that you're strong and confident - and that out of the two of you, if anyone's got to keep a lookout for lions and quicksand - then you're the man for the job. Then the horse can relax and get on with the job of just being the horse and moving about where she's told to.

It starts on the ground. There are some really good groundwork programs. I personally get on well with the morse western sort of Natural Horsemanship type of things, but anything that will get you establishing respect by moving their feet is a good start. Along the line, you want to learn and get into the 'one-rein'stop' because any time a ride starts going to worms, you one-rein-stop it right there, and get the horse's focus back on you. It nips it in the bud before it gets to anything dangerous, and before you know it, you never have to use it, because the horse knows it's there, ... and the bad stuff stops happening.

And when that's happened, one day you wake up and realise you have confidence again. Becuase confidence presumes that you can control the situation, and are not going to get hurt... so work on the control first and the confidence will follow.

 

[PatchyPony]

whats a one rein stop Kate? Would you recommend any websites that would enlighten about the methods you mention?
ta

 

[igloo]

Yeah.
I'm no expert at all.
But I'd personally work on the ground with her more - and like Kate said look at how the other lady differs from you and try to pick up those techniques. Also, don't work with her if you've not got confidence - it'll only make it worse. Ride another horse or something to get it back

 

[Flony_Pony]

Thanks Everyone

When i sent her away i went with her, Trudy (the lady who rode her) rode her first and then i rode, and on the last day i got on her first and she was a star, so we brought her back and did the same thing again, i only walked the first day as she ran into the fence and reared in the middle of the poles!! but trotted and cantered the next as she was good. I have no problem hacking her as long as im in company and have been fine in the school up until yesterday!!

I would like to try natural horsemanship type stuff, join up or the ground work for parelli with her and may spend time doing that before i bring her back into work! I am going to give her 6 months off and have been told just to ignore her - check she has four legs and change rugs etc but nothing else! Then will spend a month or so on the ground before i get back on her. If she is no better then i have come to the conclusion that a different pony is prob my best option!

I have flo who is an absolute saint but my problem isnt riding in general its riding Jess, but i've got a few friends who i am going to ask if i could ride their horse once a week or so to ride different ponys!!

Thanks again guys!