So sick of being short - changed by so -called horsy professionals.

S

showqa

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Jan 31, 2008
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I am utterly fed up and frankly at a loss. I haven't been happy with my horse recently, he started rushing, swishing his tail, generally being a bit naughty. I've consulted with my instructor weekly - BHS II I hasten to add - and she has made me feel pretty stupid by saying that he's being naughtly, he's an unbalanced youngster, he's trying it on, and I have to ride through it. commented on the saddle - no she said, you're just trying to find excuses for him being naughty. Finally, I decided to over- rule her and got an appointment with a physio.

The physio said the saddle (as I had thought) was no good - by quite a long way - and that he had a sore back that required rest, then controlled riding on a straight line, because now the muscle development to one side was far less than the other and hence he wasn't tracking up on the right side, and that correcting this was going to take "some time".

Now, I feel that I haven't done the right thing by my horse and in fact I feel as though I've let him down badly. Also, I feel angry that I've spent money with an instructor who clearly isn't really thinking and looking when she has me and my horse. And finally, I'm worried that I won't be able to correct all of this and get back to square one. The physio said that she was amazed that the instructor hadn't picked up on this.

I'm sooooo sick of the horse world being pepppered by people who are quick to take your money but not really giving you the right service. How the hell are you supposed to know which way to turn and who to trust???? Sorry - just had to say this - really really fed up.
 
What a shame I really feel for you, must make you want to look for a new instructor if your confidence in your current one has taken a knock..

On the bright side of this, you kew there was something wrong, you got the physio and you are now going towards righting the wrong - you should feel pleased that you spotted the problem and knew your horse well enough to get a second opinion.
 
Thanks Shiny Boy - appreciate your words of encouragement. I will be ditching the instructor - but don't really know how I'll be able to "trust" a new one either after this. You know, you follow their words of wisdom and then find out all the time that in fact they're wrong!
 
Hi, I know what you mean by not knowing who to trust and that some people are out to just make money out of well-meaning owner's inexperience to the detriment of the horse and owner.
I had an horrendous experience, but that is another story!
My advice would be to visit as many trainers as possible, ask as many questions and keep on trusting your instincts.
If I'd had the confidence to have trusted my instincts when I watched my horse suffer at the hands of a "professional", my poor horse would not have gone into a blind, panic and bolted screaming with terror.
Well done for having the guts to follow your heart.
 
My goodness I really feel for you as had had problems but the professional that let me down was a saddler. I did the same as you, distrusted him and got a physio out. I didn't mention and worries about saddles as I didn't want to 'lead the witness' so to speak. She soon picked up the issue though.

You HAVEN'T let your horse down. It takes a lot of balls to think that a trusted person might be wrong and that you should trust your instincts. You have done the right thing and you horse should feel blooming lucky to have you x ;)
 
Thank you Joyscarer, that means a lot.
It has taken a year to rebuild our trust in each other and now we are back on the right road.
Just....please beware good people...if you choose to send your horse away for remedial training, especially if the issues are fear based..please ask which methods will be used before they take place and what is hoped to be achieved by said methods.
I thought my trainer knew best, (he is brilliant and has fantastic successes with many horses), but each horse has individual experiences and issues and what may have been fine for some horses, terrified the life out of my boy, sent away to overcome a fear of saddling.
 
Well, I'm now trying every which way to figure out the best way to get the right saddle for him, and the best way to find a quality trainer. It's sooo difficult because although I know that I need the help of these people - although I'm reasonably experienced with day - to - day care, I haven't the experience to totally "go it alone". That does make me feel very vulnerable and I am really concerned about him. I sooo want to do the right thing by him and hate to think of him confused and uncomfortable during his work, because of all this - I shudder when I think of it. Thanks all.
 
I wish you the very best of luck Showqa. I think you will choose the right people as you obviously are very "in tune" with your horse and have his best interests at heart.
 
To be honest I seldom find a right and wrong situation with horses. They are not like cars with a manual and service guide.

A horse may appear to work correctly if the rider is compensating for one sided stiffness but will feel and look different if another person rides it. There is often a great deal of buckpassing, farrier blames rider, who blames trainer, who blames back person, who blames saddler, who blames dentist etc etc.

At the end of the day you are the one who knows your horse best. Back your own judgement.
 
Thanks eml - if I've learnt anything from this it is to trust my own instincts more. But I've always been one to respect what I perceive as greater knowledge and experience. I just want the best that I can provide for my horse (hence why I've enlisted the help of those who know more than me), and I certainly don't want to be asking things of him that he simply can't provide due to pain and discomfort.
 
I don't think that you are alone in having an instructor not pick up on physical issues - it is extremely common unfortunately. Now, in some kind of defence for these instructors they can't be expected to be an expert in everything naturally, but on the other hand I believe that they should be able to pick up on obvious pain issues and recommend that their client consults a vet / physio, etc. Sometimes it is very hard to see if something is a physical issue, but it is absolutely vital that physical pain is ruled out before looking at other things, like behaviour. Horses in my opinion don't go out to 'misbehave', there is often an underlying reason for their behaviour - not always physical of course. Horses put up with an awful lot before you really see a marked change in behaviour - the amount of horses I see who have badly fitting saddles, etc who just carry on performing for their owners (not comfortably I hasten to add, but manage to deal with it without showing very obvious signs of discomfort) is unbelievable.

Certainly don't beat yourself up about trusting the instructor - most people continue to not question the 'expert' which is a great shame as true 'experts' should welcome challenging questions. It is a shame when, particulary instructors, feel that they should be the font of all knowledge - how can they be? If they were then they would charge a fortune! I don't think I have ever come across a customer who hasn't appreciated the fact that I have been honest with them and said 'I don't know, so let's find out from someone who does'!

There are people out there Showqa that will do their best to help and I believe you are right to trust your gut instinct. My advice would be to get a variety of opinions from various different professionals (in whichever field) and then decide your course of action - then you are making an educated decision, which is all we can really do at the end of the day - we can't all be experts in everything and that includes you, so don't be too hard on yourself ;):)
 
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