How good/bad is your riding when trying out new horses?

RRA

RRA

New Member
Jan 30, 2008
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Berkshire
I am currently looking for my first horse after riding for 20+ years. I have ridden a variety of 'types' since I was young and thought I was relatively competant and I'm not a nervous rider either. But since I have started going along to try out potential horses, and I am quite sensible about choosing the horses and asking the right questions from the owners before I arrange to see them, but have found once in that saddle my riding goes to pot I feel a complete novice and its just so embarrasing.

I guess that when I first meet the horse and it matches up to or exceeds expectations on the ground I hope that it will feel just right once I'm in the saddle and when it doesn't I blame myself for riding badly. I don't have a problem walking away if it isn't what the owner has advised - I am good at not letting my heart rule my head, too much at stake here!

Perhaps its the whole 'trial' scenario that puts me off, its like taking a driving test again with everyone watching! Its really starting to annoy me because if I had gone for a lesson/hack somewhere and they put me on something I'd never sat on before I would just get on with it and probably be absolutely fine.

I had been riding the same horse for the last 18 months until recently when she was sold but she is not like the type I want to buy (going from 14.2hh cobby type to 16hh + athletic type) so understandably they are quite different in the way they go although I have ridden the type I am looking for in the past on many occasions. I am not hurrying into this and am fully prepared to wait for the right one but this is starting to really bug me and knock my confidence.

How have you got on with this part of the buying process? any similar experiences? any hints or tips anyone??:confused:
 
I'm a whimp when it comes to others watching me ride.

I never had group riding lessons when I returned to riding after a long break and always had private because I wouldn't be good enough.

As it was this went in my favour because I ended up buying my favourite horse who was on working livery at the RS so no need to trial any either she just feel into my lap.

I can completely understand where you are coming from re nerves and don't have anything constructive to add but just wanted to let you know you are not alone :eek:
 
I know what you mean. Im not nervous normally but hate the idea of someone watching me riding their horse especially if its one Im hoping they'll sell to me. Your probably not as bad as you think you are. Just try and ignore all around you and consentrate on the horse. Hope you find 'the one' soon.
 
As I work for a dealer I have to ride the horses for potential purchasers before they have a go and I find my riding goes to pot despite riding said horses every day.

I think its just down to how much is at stake ( a new horse for you, a potential sale for me). The one thing I have learnt though is you never usually look as bad as you think you do.

Sooner or later you will find one you click with, and if it feels right when you are riding badly, imagine what it will feel like when you take him home and ride well. good luck with your search x
 
I am totally the same.....feel completely rubbish!! I had to ride jez in front of Sue Dyson (top vet at Newmarket) a few weeks ago, and yes I wanted jez to act up in his normal fashion, but I did feel like such a wally. And I forgot to do my girth up and she had to point it out. :eek: ooops!

When test riding jez I'd had a jumping lesson the day before and the horse had had a bucking fit and I had SERIOUSLY pulled all the muscles in my legs/butt trying to stay on. They were so sore I couldn't ride him properly and just kind of wobbled about, am surprised the owner actually sold him to me as I looked a mess!!!!!!
 
i've only ever tried out one horse :eek: bought the first pony at the auctions and then the two horses after that were given to us. When my first pony was pts and we started looking for another horse, there didn't seem to be anything i was looking for. a friend told us of a friend with an arab and we went to see him. i was only 12 and i was taken out for a hack on him. went for a second viewing a while later and i asked for him to be lunged and for me to ride in the field (as that's what i do at home and i wanted to see how he would react) - the current owners said they liked my riding... i just don't think about it :p
 
I hate people watching me ride! Made a complete nob of meself when I went to try different horses before getting storm. Was so bad at one that they suggested I use a neck strap for trotting. Couldn't even get one horse to break into a trot. Saddler told me I was so bad a rider she'd never seen anything quite like and that I was lucky that I hadn't damaged my horse!!!!! (I'm not that bad honest!!!!!!). I just go to pieces when being watched. I think I'd have to take some herbal calmers if I had to go through it all again.....
 
I initially felt a wally - the horse wouldn't even move for me! But I then treated it like one of the "difficult" RS horses and got a reasonable trot and then a canter out of it. I wasn't worried about what I looked like - I just wanted the thing to go!
 
hit and miss I think!! When I was looking for Ferdie I was dodgy to say the least - when you've had a one to one ridden relationship for some time with one horse it's very hard to adjust.

now that I have worked in a riding school and ridden all sorts in my exam training, I'm much more competent at getting on various horses and getting them working - but much worse when the owner is there watching!

I would suggest though, that if you've not been on the market for a horse before, that it could be really worthwhile going to a RS (not your current one - a good, but different one!) and having a few lessons on a few different horses - just to get a better feel of what suits you, and adjusting to different types.

The other thing to do is to take your instructor with you if you can - then they can get on and impress the current owner of the horse - that's what I did!
 
(not your current one - a good, but different one!) and having a few lessons on a few different horses -
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Agree absolutely with that.
And specify a practice ride on the type of horse you might want to buy, e.g. a warmblood or a tb and, if possible, of the same quality.
As for taking your RI with you, some instructors will help clients and others won't (and then criticise the horses their clients buy). Some RS and livery yard owners deal in horses on the side and others dont.
That's a good reason to change yards, if you are thinking of buying. How I envied Jane Shilling whose RI took her to Ireland and helped her choose a horse there.
 
I rode Casper several times before he was even up for sale so I knew I was capable of riding him but the time I rode him with the view to buying him I was awful - I rode terribly because I was trying too hard - I wanted to ride him perfectly, I wanted him to be the one and I put too much pressure on both of us. If I hadn't ridden him before so well I may not have bought him and missed out on my dream horse!:eek:

How about just asking if you can ride without anyone watching and just wander round for 5/10 minutes in walk to relax before putting it to the test. Also, do you know anyone that rides at a similar level as you who would also be able to have a sit on him?
 
i was complimented on my riding when i tried out a horse for my sister... only because i sat the bucking bronco-ing all the way back down the field into the yard until it said fair enough you can get off here if you like. :rolleyes: try sitting on a barrel in a too small rocky saddle while its bucking, farting and kicking- not the funnest (*is that even a word!) thing i can tell you :p

it was a complete pig had no steering, brakes, transistions and was spooky.
sold as "perfect for young/novice rider, bombproof, safe sane ride" :eek: in the flesh it was nothing like that- infact probably the exact opposite

when we tried out the pony we got we all rode (family pony, had to be straight and i had to ride before my sister so she knew she was ok) then my dad rode her back to the yard because his knee/hips were hurting.

she was perfect and the seller was really glad that she was going to be used to her full potential and not be sat out in the field/stable going to waste.

slightly O/T but rambled on slightly :eek::)
 
Don't be too hard on yourself. Maybe, if you really like the horse on the ground, go back a few times to ride. Everyone rides differently, and maybe it will just take a few times to get used to each other. There is no such thing as the "Perfect" horse, just look for one with small issues that you can handle!
 
I am dreading it, i ride a highland pony at the moment but would like something finer (TB, WB etc) and i'm worried i will be so used to Fin i won't manage to ride others.

I think i am just going to have occasional leesons and ask to be on something completely different and am hoping to go on a riding holiday at the end of this year so will do the same then, then just before i decided to start looking will do a course of lessons at a RS again.
 
I think it's completely normal to feel like you're riding badly when trying out a horse as you're with people you don't know, riding their horse, in an unfamiliar environment, you don't know the horse etc etc etc. So all of that puts you on the back foot to start with! Also I think people usually ride more defensively on a horse they don't know, which never looks as pretty but ensures you're not as likely to hit the deck should the horse go loopy.
 
As for taking your RI with you, some instructors will help clients and others won't (and then criticise the horses their clients buy).
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i have found that most the time, RIs have been very helpful in going to look at horses - we usually brought one along on the second viewing - so we were interested, but just doing all the double checks. My RI used to offer to come along for free, but in the past we have paid them fairly for this service - this is usually enough to convince them! As regards riding school instructors - some are great, and will use their day off to help. Others, quite understandably, want to have their day off, off, as it were! Beware though, a lot of riding school instructors have never owned their own horses, or have spent much time looking to buy horses - it's not a problem for riding school teaching, but not entirely worth bringing them along to look at horses for sale.
 
When I went to try my horse out it was all so posh,I was a bag a nerves.The owener had a few friends their and I saw this girl ride my horse first she really had to use the riding crop to get him going which the owener was abit embarrased about him being thrashed so much so I get on and couldnt get any more than a trot out of him in the school but I did get a canter when I rode him down the field (on my own without a whip)I said b4 I got on him please dont mark me down as I was so nervous and it was fine I think with some things you can be cocky and people dont like that and nine times out of ten they have been in the same situation as you,so dont be nervous and its never as bad as you think!!!Good luck.:D:D
 
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