Have owned for 3 months - how much had you done at this stage?

[cider]

I have had Cossack for nearly 3 months now and was just wondering how far other people had got with their horses when they had owned them for this long.

Bearing in mind he is my first horse, I am quite nervous and couldn't do anything for 5 weeks because I was laid up with my back, I have hacked him out a couple of times with someone, had several lessons with him, pottered around in the school on him quite a lot on my own and moved livery yards. I catch him every day even if I am not riding to groom him or sometimes just to say hello for 5 minutes.

Thing is at times I still feel really nervous, especially when I know I am going to ride him. Today the weather is awful, really windy and I am meant to be having a lesson this afternoon and am dreading it. I guess I was just wondering how long it takes to get to know your new horse and feel comfortable with it.

[Clava]

Hacked out a few times and schooled in the field, that's all:)

I think it took at least 6 months for Belle to settle in and I felt like I was starting to treat her like a normal horse after 9 months.

[amandal]

I hadn't done much more than you. 1st month was spent hacking and having some lessons at my old yard. Then we moved and I hacked a lot and schooled a bit. My horse pulled some muscles in her back and had to have a few weeks off at the end of the 2nd month. Then we hacked some more.

There isn't a rush to have done anything by a certain time :D

The best way to avoid feeling nervous is not to think of what if /what might happen and just deal with what does happen. Also always just concentrate on what went well, remaining positive will stop your nerves getting the better of you.

[essexlady]

I was in a similar position to you, first horse, had a bad accident and was very nervous.

There is no rush to get anything done, its all down to what you want to do and be happy with.

Im the sort of person who wants to get on with things ( only to the level that I want to do). So I stocked up on Rescue Remedy and Pax.
Found a very nice,supportive group of friends from NR who pushed me along and now we are ticking along nicely, not without the odd hiccup here and there.

Up to 3 months I think I had hacked (walked/trot) and had weekly lessons.

By 6 months had cantered on a hack, done a sponsered ride,started jump lessons and competed in couple of dressage tests.

Im at 8 months now and am trying to conquer hacking out alone, but I do have a horse that doesnt want to hack out alone :rolleyes:

Other people would have done loads more by now, and some much less, but Im happy with what I have achieved and so should you :D

[chestnut mare]

Dont comapre yourself to what other people have done, with my first pony I look her to a local show the day after I brought her and went to pony club camp the following week!
But with my current girl, I took her on a few hacks and rode her at walk and trot in the school, horses for courses different things for different people!

[posie]

i don't think i'd even done as much as that!! she'd had 6 weeks off for remedial back work and i think i'd jsut begun to walk her out!

[Trewsers]

After about 3 months - I'd foolishly done a charity ride - which was to say the least "interesting"! But, it did me a lot of good, as prior to that, I wouldn't canter in the school! For some reason, it boosted my confidence and in no time at all I was hurtling around with impunity!! Things went really well early doors - but then we went through a patch of not seeming to progress. I guess its ups and downs all the way! We're right back to where we started schooling wise, but, I don't mind, we've had some fantastic little hacks together this summer.

[Trewsers]

Just wanted to add, the charity ride was down a busy 60mph road, complete with tractor leading the way, screaming kiddies, rattling buckets with money collections and 30 other horses.......hehehehehe, in front of me was a 4 year old, who'd just started her ridden life - so she wasn't impressed either, needless to say, when I got off Storm I had rather jelly legs........

[Harlequin32]

Well I have had major problems with mine but i probably had only ridden him a handful of times by 3 months (had no saddle and he had back problem) now 18 months down the line i am starting to feel like he's "mine" I think this is extreme and not helped by the fact he had to have 7/8 months off work and various other bits here and there but there is no hurry- dont push things the slower you go the better the bond will be xx

[Unicorn1980]

Hello,

you sound just like me, im a nevous worry about everything and anything new owner! Ive had my first horse Harley for just over 3 weeks and havent done much either. The first week there was no riding as had to get new tack fitted ect and a lot of excuses of why i couldnt ride :o Last two weeks, ive done some schooling and on Sunday we went for our first 'solo' hack together. Took the other half on foot and Harley was as good as gold even on busy roads and near the railway! So im feeling alot more confident and starting to realise Harley is a saint! So take it at your own pace, i am even if it the same as a snails :)

Sharon

[Raspberry]

With my first horse by 3mths I'd taught her that she actually needs to stand still when tied up and basic manners (she had some, but she'd been turned away for a bit and needed a bit of reminding) , we'd done a little bit of light hacking and schooling, oh and I attempted to jump a tiny log in a dressage saddle and went splat- lesson learnt :o She was only 3 when I got her so that was about the limit of what she could do anyway.

The only other horse I've bought is my youngster (at 16mths) and obviously most of the work with him has been manners, getting him used to rugging, hosepipes etc etc.

There are no hard or fast rules as to what you should and shouldn't have done with your horse by the time you've owned it for 3mths, particularly as in your case you couldn't ride for nearly half that time anyway and changed yards. Take things at your own pace and it'll come. I am lucky that I now feel 100% confident on my horse (have owned her now for nearly 7yrs) but there as been many ups and downs along the way :)

[Howengold]

I can't rmember that far back with four of my ponies but I know we had taken Sovereign to her first show but that was only because we were going with our others. I had hacked out and taken her to accompany my girls on the local cross country course (she doesn't jump but we follow them).

[lobeliaoverhill]

I've had my lad 4 months now! For the first month that I had him I started off just walking and trotting, then started cantering, introduced circling, and if I was feeling brave a figure 8 (only in trot!!) and tried a few lateral moves, with very limited success! I taught him to rein back by pushing him back in the stable, and saying "back", then tried saying "back" with the appropriate aids from halt when ridden and he did it :)

He used to mess about at the door of the arena - there was no reason for this, I bought him from the YO and he's been ridden in that arena all his [ridden] life! So I sorted that out straight away ...

After the honeymoon period was over he started trying things on - but I ignored him and rode him through anything he tried - if he wouldn't go forward I'd turn him around and make him go the other way! He got narky about giving a contact, and his transitions got bad, but I've worked away at it without making a fuss and he's getting better.

I've changed his bit and he's starting to go a bit better giving me a contact and using the corners of the arena properly, as well as circling without "arguing" about it.

I'm expecting it to take at least 6 months for us to really form a partnership. Took at least that long with my first pony!

[Sunshine-x]

I rode black pony twice before I took her hunting!! Think I must ahve been feeling brave!!
Grey pony did a lot more schooling and hacking ebfore we went SJ comps.

[Shansberry]

I bought a young green horse, that hadnt been riden in almost a year scince training (as my first horse, mayby not so good, but RI trained him, and thought I could handle it). I spent the first few months retraining him, and getting lessons

for the first month I could only ride bareback because I was having a hard time finding a sadle.
month 2 was spent retraining (no cantering done)
month 3 brought to instructors barn to get better lessons, and so she could help me with training prblems. No cantering till end of month

[*GroovyGallop*]

I guess I was just wondering how long it takes to get to know your new horse and feel comfortable with it.


I have owned my pony for just under a year, and i still don't believe i 'know' him yet and he doesn't hesitate to make me aware of this either.

I mean, sure.. i know him to an extent and i know his personality, but that doesn't mean next time i get on him he wouldnt rear up, tank off and have me off.

I had a lesson this afternoon like you , he spooked at something, ran and did 2 or 3 bucks/bronc types in a row, he's never bucked after being spooked before and usually just turns his bum out or jumps. He also kept popping them in before i asked for canter, which is something i've worked really hard to try and get him out of when i first had him.

A couple of months a go, he reared in hand with a friend. Something i didn't even think he would considering doing, he caught her on the chin with his front foot. He hasn't done it since, but still goes to show

This is my first proper horse, and sometimes i wonder to myself if i will ever 'know' him, because he is an animal, capable of anything and even if i'd owned him for 3 years, he could still do anything he wanted.

Take your time with your horse and don't worry if your going a little slower in comparison to others. Some people can buy their first horse jump,hack,school,lunge and do an XC course in the first WEEK. I didn't jump my pony till about 8 months after owning him and didn't hack out for about 2 months, just took it steady. :)

[Georgie.I]

Iv had my boy about 3 months now, gosh its gone fast. Didnt do much first two weeks as i was nervous but then we suddenly clicked and started to do loads! Hes really fit now, hes done 3 shows and has already got me about 8 rosettes! Loads of hacking, schooling and a few lessons. Hes amazingg!!!! So glad i got him :)

[BecknSkye]

When I'd had Skye three months, we'd had a trailering disaster and a shoeing disaster and I was convinced I'd bought a mental kicker. I didn't really know him at all, this improved when I went to horsemanship clinics, after I got my cast off my arm:rolleyes:, with another horse(since he still wasn't trailering at that point), and learned to decisive and a million times more active with my horses than I'd ever been before! I had to be direct, affirmative, have good timing and feel and always ready to back myself up, and it changed everything:D