How do you hang on!!

[cathUK]

I'm loving riding Lucy and she feels fine sizewise (she is 11.3 and I am 5ft) unless ...

She bucks or spins or puts her head down (not that she does this much, but she is a baby, so there are times).

Suddenly there is no pony there and I am feeling a little vunerable!

Hopefully this will improve when her neck muscles up a bit, but if anyone has any suggestions, I would be grateful.

ATM I am just sitting up very straight, making sure she can't get her head down and talking to to her to calm her down.

I'm only walking her on hacks, but I can really feel her want to go faster. This makes me a bit nervous, but I'm trying my best to stay really relaxed. Show her a stretch of grass and she is a bit 'woohoo' - then ten minutes later she is tired!

Really don't want to loose confidence on her, but she has a bit more energy at the moment and is a rodeo pony on the lunge.

This is the pony that I rode on the buckle a month ago - amazing what weaning a foal can do!

[Mossy]

All that energy the foal was taking is now under you!! Seriously how are you feeding her. If foal is weaned I would think you can revert to feeding for work done. If she is too bouncy and holds her weight how about cutting out hard feed, and using forage and supplements for vits and mins? Good luck

[sj2007]

Get a neckstrap to hold on to, they are fantastic, i always ride with one. :)

[cathUK]

Thanks.

Hard food has ben reduced to chaff with added vits and mins plus a bit of hay at night.

Might try the neck strap though, although I tend to need both hands to stop her getting her head down.

[Belle1]

I think it is the time of year for high jinks - mine is feeling a bit on the fresh side :D

I find a neck strap a bit too low down particularly on a small pony when the last thing you want to do is end up tipping forwards. I prefer either a breast plate or a flash strap fastened to the front D's of the saddle. I think considering Lucy's size you may have trouble finding a breast plate to fit so I would opt for the flash strap.

[Mehitabel]

it's part of the joy of tiny ponies! they can just whip out from under you and there you are in midair looking foolish.

you need a supple lower back, so your hips can go with then and your uppoer body follow withoiut getting whiplash - that and practice!

[Gov]

Yep, monkey grip (so either a flash strap or you can get a proper monkey grip from a saddlery) attached to the two d's. Besides, you can use that to block her putting her head down to buck anyway. As Mehitabel says - soft back, and hips and for lack of more elegant words "a sack of potatoes that sticks".

:)

Don't get tense! I know that is very easy for me to say from here, but try to relax.

[MrDCBags]

Roundings can also be useful grips on the saddle as well as flash straps!

[cathUK]

I'll try the flash strap.

Having a bit of a confidence low atm, not helped by exhaustion and IBS flareup.

I know it's stupid and she is isn't going to do anything, but yesterday I rode her in the field and when she tried it on I ended up getting off and letting someone else ride (with no problem at all of course).

She's not even bad - I'm just such a wimp at times. So when she gets a bit nappy and feels like she is going to do something, I assume the worst.

Anyway - it's a new day and all, so.....

On Monday I am going to ride her all on my own in the school and we are going to do two laps in trot on each rein. I'm going to take some Bach Flower rescue remedy and smile and enjoy it!!

Repeat ten times .... riding is fun, riding is fun

[MrDCBags]

Cathuk have a look here

http://www.positivelyriding.com/home.html

Take an affirmation and make it your own!!

[cathUK]

Thanks for that.

This is the one I would aim for -

I am happy.

Thinking about riding my horse makes me happy.

I am happy all the time when I'm with my horse.

My horse is happy with me.

I think all the time might be a bit optimistic. But happy to take the rough with the smooth sounds good.

Also I must stop worrying about if the horse likes me and is enjoying herself!

[Vicki&Milo]

Sadly, my llittle monster does spin and buck and I'll admit I do feel vulnerable, but I have got used ot it. You just learn to automatically sit deep, and make sure you keep your stirrups long enough to counter balance you.

Its about trust too. I know he'll buck when he's excited, and I know at times we loose our brakes, but we have a mutual respect that he will come back to me, and I had to remind myself today to give him a little to have something to take back again because if you EVER brace against a pony, you've had it- (and usually head first because theres no time to get your legs under you)

[cathUK]

Well I did it!

I rode on my own in the school. I was positive and she went really well (despite neighing for her foal every two minutes)!

We did two whole laps of trot on each rein, then lots of small amounts of trot in different places to practise transitions, then some bending work in walk then ...

I was brave enough to let her do a few laps in walk on a loose rein (doesn't sound like much, but it was to me).

Thanks for all the advise.

I've probably put her owner off letting me loan her (she didn't bring in the contract today because she thought I would have changed my mind), but I reckon I am getting back on track.

Phew .. and relax!!

[Vicki&Milo]

Well done you, the path to ponidom is ahead

[notpoodle]

:D sounds familiar! the spinning motion in particular! there you are, plodding down this narrow path, minding your own business ... next thing you know, you're heading the wrong way, and you're heading the wrong way FAST :p

i try to ignore the lack of neck in front of me and aim to sit uhm deeply with a long leg instead. but if yours is really zippy (she sounds it! must be a welsh pony!), a neckstrap would be a good idea!

Julia
x

[Vicki&Milo]

Have been thinking about this, and I'm not critising anyone else, because soemthings work for one person and not another, but you might find a neck strap worse on a pony whos neck is miles down there because you start tipping to grab it.

Probably worth a try though, or one of those saddle strap things might be a better bet

[cathUK]

Now I'm feeling more confident I can see that she isn't bad at all. She has only bucked once and although she can nap and try it on a bit, it is no more than any young fresh pony would.

I'm so stuuupid. Basically an old riding instructur who I had a bit of a disagreement with, told the friend of Lucys owner that I was a bad rider. And yes, this seems strange to me. At the age of 30 (me and her!) this was not what I was expecting from a professional.

Now I know I'm not amazing, but I'm not terrible (I've been riding since I was a child) and I'm always willing to learn. I think it is something to do with the fact that she thinks I should be riding a 15 hand beastie to be any good ...

Anyway, the upshot is that when Lucy gets a tiny bit tense, I hear this voice going 'bad rider, bad rider' in my head.

Once I can exorcise that demon, then I'll be fine.

The good news - she is mine on full loan as of this thursday!!!!

Just been and bought her some treats and a molasses lick thingy. I can't wait. It means I will do the whole owners thing - feed twice a day, poo pick, groom, ride etc etc

And the best thing - I am doing extra poo picking in the week for the other owners horse, so she is going to do weekends for me (my OH complains if I am not around at the weekend).

[cathUK]

Just to add - I don't think a neckstrap would work, as it would tip me forward, because she has a tiny neck.

Notpoodles idea of sitting deeply with a long leg seems to be a good idea.

[fishiz3434]

monkey strap!! saved me on many occations