Does anyone else find that anger almost HELPS them ride?

N

NuttyMare

Woody Be Mine
Aug 5, 2003
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England
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Not anger that results in physical abuse and unnecessary hitting of the horse, but yesterday, I got on a new horse and I'm generally too "nice" of a rider for a horse that needs "telling." This horse was generally taking the p*ss, so I got so angry that I let out a growl of "COOOOOOME ONNN!" and wouldn't take anymore nonsense of him. Just to clarify that i NEVER hit a horse unnecessarily, so this would not be in my nature, even in a fit of anger! He behaved himself a lot more until I had worked so hard that I had to stop because I felt sick with fatigue and tension :eek:
 
Definately - my friend's horse is very lazy and sometimes quite ignorant, and if I get really annoyed with her she works her socks off! I got annoyed with the horse I usually ride last night - it didn't work with her she just went into canter every time I asked for anything. But 99% of the time it works!
 
I can't even hold a whip on my horse - she goes mental. But if shes about to refuse a jump, you growl at her or do a real deep voice and she pops over as good as gold.
 
Anger seems to hurt my riding. I get upset, Cisco gets upset, and we get into a fight. I'm better off if I ask gently first, then escalate the cue if I have to with no emotion attached.
 
Depends on what I am angry about. I really don't have a horse insensitive enough to put up with me throwing a tantrum. In fact it's more like smaggie describes it. Things would just get worse.
The only good anger I've encountered in riding is being angry at myself for being scared or 'not getting' it. I can use that energy to overcome my own shortcomings.
 
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I know exactly what you are saying KarinUS. I sometimes will tell myself to "stop being a baby" about something and get a little mad at myself. Whenever I have gotten mad at my horse about something or ridden when I'm mad at somebody else, it's been a mistake. Cisco can feel the energy and it never works out well.
 
Definitly! Up until I began gaining weight, I was a very confident rider in my abilities but 10yrs later and a massive weight gain my body wouldn't work the same way anymore though my brain was still on the ball.
I would get very frustrated & began regressing until I hoked up with a coach again. She figured out that if she could get me angry enough, I'd get the job done.
I find because of the adrenaline (maybe) I become more focused, sharp & confident. Though I never lose my temper at anyone or the horse and I always praise the job instantly for giving me what I asked.

Sometimes I wish I was that confident all the time!;)

It's true that with some horses, that can spell disaster. So I am careful of my actions with some horses.
 
Its funny you should mention that actually...
Took Milly down the lane by herself this evening, only went a short way as she was a little tense about being on her own and there were bags and bins everywhere (i think we have only done this by ourselves once before) As we hadnt gone far i thought I would ride around the field when I got back to the yard. Arrived back and went to turn left up the field and would she heck go forward, I sat there for about 10 minutes growling, kicking, circling getting all hot and sweaty. I seemed to be making little progress so I jumped off, pretty annoyed by now, and dragged her up to the school. Jumped back on and made her work properly for 20 minutes, no head lolling everywhere - moving swiftly off my leg and into a nice outline. My friend was also schooling and said she has never seen Milly move that well before and I should get angry more often. As someone else mentioned, I think my "angry" is just me getting a bit more determined :eek: Must try and summon that determination everytime I school....
 
i'm the same as smaggi if i get angry its more likely it will upset amba and we both have a little war between us which just makes matters worse for both of us! :(
 
i can't think of anything worse than going to a jumping show and seeing people screaming at the top of their lungs to get their horse over each jump. its a cruel thing to do to yell and scream, its a natural human instinct to take control and become angry.
dont you think that if you yell and scream one time... you will see yourself doing it over and over again? its not the way to communicate with horses, it only makes them scared.. try building a friendship and a trusting bond instead.
 
I think if you are truly cross and angry that you wouldn't get the best out of your horse or yourself.

What you guys are describing above seems to be more 'assertiveness' and there is a big difference.

You need to be 'assertive' with your horse - he is there to do a job so do it.

When you are angry you risk being out of control with your emotions and worse still your actions when on a horse, dealing with people and children.

Please don't be angry with your horse just be assertive:D

xx
 
Not so much as Anger but annoyance helps a lot. Learnt this one with Rhi. Found I was a much stronger rider
 
Agree with miriam when you no your horse is just being plain naughty and you get really annoyed. E.g riding Spyder the other day just messing about and she normally reins back no problem but that day for some reason she thought no im not doing it. So i got really annoyed and me being a determined person sat there for about 45 mins untill she finally did rein back. then walked her off and got off hehe.
I think if a horse needs "riding" being determined helps a lot!
 
MollyLolly said:
i can't think of anything worse than going to a jumping show and seeing people screaming at the top of their lungs to get their horse over each jump. its a cruel thing to do to yell and scream, its a natural human instinct to take control and become angry.
dont you think that if you yell and scream one time... you will see yourself doing it over and over again? its not the way to communicate with horses, it only makes them scared.. try building a friendship and a trusting bond instead.
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That's not what this thread is about. It's about getting so annoyed (angry at the situation/themselves) that you become more assertive and get the job done 100%.

It's like you end up telling yourself: "Get your thumb out of your a** , focus & ride like you know you can to get the best out of your horse & yourself" instead of just sitting there & put in half the effort & whine about it.

And for some people, like myself at the moment, there's a need for a few knocks on the side of head with a 2 X 4 to get them to get on with it and stop playing around.

No one said anything about being aggressive towards their horse.
 
It's not anger you need, it's leadership, being top of the pile.

If you actually get cross at 99% of our lot they will become nervous and you won't get any sense out of them. Shouting at Hákon, when he's pratting about, is all he needs, getting cross will have no effect.

Horses will do what you want if you use the 5 point, basic requiremnt check.

First ask yourself, BE TRUTHFUL,

a) understand the request?
b) is he physically capable of carrying out my request (is there pain)?
c) is he mentally able to carry out my request?
d) is he scared?
e) does he have leadership from you?

If you can answer these questions honestly there should be no reason to have to growl to get a job done.
 
It's usually when I'm really worked up that I get what I want. Happened yesterday, actually. After weeks of being a Nervous Nellie about cantering due to a fall about two months ago, and until then I'd never been a nervous rider. So finally, last night, I finally got mad enough at myself for being scared that the anger at myself overpowered my fear, and off I went, like nothing had ever happened.

RI once said that little 5'0" me could mount a 17hh horse from the ground. She said all she'd have to do is tell me that I couldn't do it, and I'd do it. :rolleyes:
 
Wally said:
It's not anger you need, it's leadership, being top of the pile.

If you actually get cross at 99% of our lot they will become nervous and you won't get any sense out of them. Shouting at Hákon, when he's pratting about, is all he needs, getting cross will have no effect.

Horses will do what you want if you use the 5 point, basic requiremnt check.

First ask yourself, BE TRUTHFUL,

a) understand the request?
b) is he physically capable of carrying out my request (is there pain)?
c) is he mentally able to carry out my request?
d) is he scared?
e) does he have leadership from you?

If you can answer these questions honestly there should be no reason to have to growl to get a job done.
Click to expand...

Yeah, what she said... :)
 
Well it's not anger, liek my RI said, you have to be more stubborn that your horse, I tend to be a very soft rider, so the horse I ride sometimes, (who although I love him he is hard work) if he plays up a little, ie: going into canter and jumping a small jump instead of walking over it, if I get stubborn and sure that he is gonna do what I say no matter what, suddenly he relaxes and everything is fine, but I do understand that all horses are different, I ride many school horses on my lessons as I dont have my own, I treat them all differently but demand respect.
 
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