first horse

[Eve]

hi everyone got my new horse just before christmas .Had this dream fisrt horse everything would be great would be riding doing all the things that i cant do with bess(she is retired and on loan ) fell like i was missing out i aint the most confident rider so wanted a boomproof horse anyway the yard owner got this mare and liked her so bough her.Rode her a few times and she was sweet and lazy perfect .how that has changed i cant even sit on her and want to cry as my friends are enjoying my girl a few weeks ago fell of not a nasty fall but felt upset as mates were there and felt stupid did get back on but with someone walking with me then just had to get of so a mate got on and ella( my girl) nearly had her over the fence was bucking and rearingso i said get off .took her up and told RI and she got on her and it was all going well then ella decides thats it i want you of so it was like a cowboy fim this bucking rearing horse up and down so cant bring myself to ride and in my heart all i want is to enjoy her.At least i still got bess to give hugs to.SORRY it is so long and spelling is bad.i just want someone to say im not alone and it will get better sorry again

[PonyGirlAsh]

You aren't alone!! I just started loaning a horse, who was absolutely perfect for me the first few times I rode her. I'm talkin, the best horse I've ridden, hands down! But after a couple weeks, she started acting funny, developing some bad habits and in general being unpleasant to ride. She's not bucking or acting totally insane yet, but I can definitely relate with you on feeling crummy about the new love of your life.

I would suggest putting her through some training with your RI, and you sticking to groundwork for now to develop a bond and a good relationship. You don't want her associating you with anything negative.

Also, you of course want to make sure she isn't in any pain and that her saddle is fitted correctly, as some horses may work through the pain at first, but then get fed up and start causing a riot with you on board.

Hope that helps! :)

[Walnut]

I can echo last post. Have been loaning most beautiful horse for nearly three years, finally got to have him permanently and he bolted with me! Never even thought he had the energy to bolt, let alone the inclination! :eek: Makes you lose confidence but more worried about what was going on in his mind when he did it! Keep working together and find out what works... Good luck:)

[*Sez*]

I'm sure you'll work through it. :) All horses start testing their new owners/loaners once they realise that something has changed in their lives. My horse was such a good lad when I tried him out, and when he came home, he turned into a monster! :rolleyes: It happens. If she is quite new to the yard as well as being new to you, she will need a bit of time to settle in properly and might be a bit nervous about what's going on.

There's loads of people in the same boat (it gets called New Horse Blues by some :D ), and I'm sure that with some perceverance (sp?) and determination you'll get through it. You will hear the mantra of "Teeth, Back & Tack" a million times, and I suggest that for any new horse, you get these looked at carefully by a professional. You may as well start over on a fresh slate, rather than carrying on in a badly fitting saddle/on a sore back that you don't know about. Just because the previous owners said the saddle was professionally fitted recently, doesn't mean that it still fits perfectly :) .

Good luck, and I'm sure in a few months you will be wondering what you were so worried about :)

[mayoguinness]

Yeah I'd defantly check the saddle, her back and her feet to make sure shes completely sound first! Then I'd do some Natural Horsemanship ground work to get her trust in me an show her that she must listen!Maybe she doesn't like the bit! ;) Good Luck :)

[Joyscarer]

Joy used to be on working livery at the riding school I went to which is when I first fell for her. I then managed to get an arrangement with the owner so that I could ride her on loan 3 morning a week and fell off on my second morning out hacking with her :o

I lost a lot of confidence through that and stuck to walk and trot when out and about using the lack of good ground as an excuse.

After a while I desparately wanted to go back to cantering again and I should just point out that this was after I had bought her not before.

In short, stick to what you are comfortable with until you reach the stage where you really want to go a little bit further. Your horse will pick up on how you are feeling and take its' cues from you.

If you need to have somebody lead you then do it. Only move on to the next stage when you are happy to ;)

Also don't forget that there are so many things you can do with your horse without needing to ride her. Groundwork might be the road forward if you are own you own and still want to work your horse :)

[Eve]

Hi thanks for the good advice its nice to know im not alone . i know ella is a good horse and maybe she needs time .im useing the riding school saddle at the moment but saddle fitter is coming on sat with a few to try out not sure how i will get around that one .ella is riden in a snaffle.my friend rode her tonight and she was fine but then my friend has got a 4yr old welsh/thoroughbred so calm she is.im going to ride ella at the weekend i think the longer i leave it the hard it is.she is good to lunge well she should be as that what we do lol.and her stable manners are good sorry its long will let you know how i get on .

[mayoguinness]

Ever thought of trying a treeless saddle and a bitless bridle? It might make her a bit more comfortable

[alwaysfallingof]

Sorry to hear that you're having problems. If it's any comfort, I couldn't canter my pony for the first 6 months I had him, and he used to spin, buck and try to bolt when hacking out by ourselves. Now...2 years on he is the most bombproof horse I've ever sat on, and we have a fantastic relationship. It just takes a while to build trust. Even if you're not riding, make sure that you do ground work with her, even just spending quality time grooming each day so that you can continue to build a relationship.

Ever thought of trying a treeless saddle and a bitless bridle? It might make her a bit more comfortable

I don't think that putting a horse in a bitless bridle necessarily makes them any more comfortable, and in fact IMO taking the bit away on an already difficult horse is asking for trouble.
Also, a lot of treeless saddles (barefoot, torsion types) can give you a bit of an insecure position at first, due to having no knee rolls and stirrup irons set further back, and so aren't too good for sticking onto until you get used to them.

Checking that your current saddle fits is always a good idea though:)

Best of luck, I am sure that you'll get your problems sorted soon.

[Unbeatable-TB]

oh wow!:eek: i wish my parents would spiol me soo much on chrissy! goodluck with the new horse!:D

[Eve]

hi just thought i would let you guys know how me and ella are geting on.I rode her last sunday in the school with 6 other people and they were jumping and she was a angel:) we trot around i think i was down there for 15 mins better than nothing but monday is different story decide to lunge what a mad cow she was had to let go of the lunge line .just was going one way not the way i wanted so the two girls that were in there riding said we are going up so i said me to as we got out the gate ella shot pass me :eek: me nearly on the floor her spining ans snorting her scared of something in the barn and me of her.but after all the bad i still love her and think that she is so beautiful:) :) but not as great as bess :) its hard riding in the week roll on spring not keen on the dark.got a friend riding her and she is great for her but the she just oozes confidence 'but hey we will get there:) i think that i am scared of upsetting her so i let her walk all over me hopefully not literally .any helpful tips or advice would be appereciated.just to say that when i got out of the school needed one or the girl to hold the other side of her bridle she was leading her pony up and lucky they are field friends .

[Cupcake]

Sounds like you've got a naughty one :D Any pics? How old, tall and details. Your first horse will take a while to get into the groove with. Try and ride her as much as possible, even though it's excellent that other people are riding her as well. How often a week are you riding her? And for how long? If she's young it's proberly best you try and ride her at least 4 times a week, or get her ridden that many times.

[TheHoglet]

i think that i am scared of upsetting her so i let her walk all over me.

been there done that. turst me its not good! lease please promise me you wont get your self into that hole. its not love you are looking for in your ony its respect, you've got to show her that you are the boss (or the alfa horse) and not her, it may seem harsh but it will all work our in the long run.
after a year of letting my pony walk all over me and letting him get away with blue murder in the hope that he would love me like i loved him, i was left with a pony who had attrocious stable manners, barging me out the was kiking and stamping his feet when i asked him to do anything and in the feild he would run me over and it was impossible to hack him out without having to sit a bolt and endure endless spooks at thing that just werent there:eek: but with in a coupple of weeks all that has changed and i can now get him to do anythng i say even things we've never benn able to do before all because he know's i'm the boss and i take no nonsense;)

hope this helps
let me know how you get on with ella

xx bex

[NoviceNic]

You sound as though you really want to make things work out with your new horse. That is the most important start to any new relationship between horse and human. Can you get any lessons and support with groundwork. It seems to me as though she needs to respect you on the ground first before you can earn her respect from the saddle..;) Have you had a routine check on her back lately. It may highlight some issues with her bucking. There are other routine checks that you will want to consider to be able to eliminate any pain related issues. Check her feet, teeth, back and tack.

Also dont look at your friends and think that they are far better riders than yourself. Your horse needs you, not your friends. You can do this with positive feelings. Keep your mind on the job and praise your horse for all the good things that she does, even the little ones. :)

[Eve]

ella is 15hh and 10yrs old and she is connamara cross.

Had a bad day with ella a lady that use to be on the yard came down to say hi to everyone we got talking as she said she would lead me around didnt want to but said yes was a bag of nerves as it was just the 3 of us .i think ella like it when others horse are in there school anyway linda was by her horse box and she opened the door and it made a noise and ella jumped :eek: which made me jump:eek: then jan said its ok but i had to get off my little scream didnt help so once again a friend got on her and she try to buck.

im so scared that she will go up .its hard to say she dont shot of but like having a tantrum insted . her teeth have been checked and she has a new saddle that was only fitted a week ago back lady comeing on the 9 of feb.

i dont want to sell her but what do i do.will it get better will i be brave .i must say that i dont ride in the week only have rode at weekends just cant bring myself to ride was think of trying parelli .

[Eve]

Me again on tuesday i sat on ella on the yard and walked around :) .my Ri rode her and she was fine .was not at the yard tonight but my friend rode her and she said she was good as gold.

Its nice to see other peolpe ride her as it makes me think see is good but then it makes me realise how crap i am might start having some lesson on school horse just to pick me up.has anybody done parelli see a dvd of it and it lookes amazing but does it work.my RI is going to ride her again and take her out on a hack.so my question is does parelli work