Heather- bits and a backed off horse

[horselover]

I am sorry this is long, but I really need help!

To start with, I think that the bit that you refer to as a kimbelwick may be the bit we call a kimberwicke in the US, but I am not entirely sure. This is what it looks like: http://www.doversaddlery.com/results.asp . It's the third one over called a JOINTED UXETER KIMBERWICKE.

Here's my problem. Rascal, the horse I have been riding for my lessons for almost 2 years, has recently started to buck and drop his head after fences, and then started doing it on the flat. He was in a twisted snaffle, but after I had a horrible time with him at a show 2 weeks ago and got bucked off, we switched to this bit. I have much more control now, but this weekend, he has been very backed off and slow, which is very unusual for him.

We went to a show yesterday, and we had a number of problems. One was that he was very backed off, just like he had been Friday and Saturday. But when I switched back to the snaffle, thinking that maybe he didn't need so much of a bit, he started acting up and bucking again!

I really am at a loss. My instructor isn't of much help. She only says that she and Rascal have a "connection" and that's why he can't buck her off, although he has tried each time she rides him, just like he has been with everyone lately, including the stable's other trainer. Personally, I think one reason he can't buck her off is that I am under a 115 pounds, and she weighs in around at least 200 pounds, I would estimate.

Rascal and I have always worked well together- we learned to jump together, under my old instructor, who I desperately miss at times like these. Michelle- my new instructor- insists that there is no possibility that Rascal has a back problem; apparently she thinks she is a licensed vet as well as instructor- whatever. She thinks he is just fit and full of energy. But now he backs off with the new bit, and explodes if I try the old bit.

Is there a particular way I should be riding with the Kimberwicke bit? Michelle hasn't really said anything regarding that, so I don't know if I should be. Do you think that it is ok to use this bit with most horses in general? It isn't a harsh bit, is it? As I said, I am really at a loss b/c Michelle isn't of much help. I am starting to lose respect for her as a teacher- she started using draw reins :( a last week. Personally, I hate draw reins, and I know what you have said about them, not to mention the fact that I don't think the horse even needs them in the first place, even if you do agree with their use.

Thanks for any help!

[Edited by horselover on 21st May 2001 at 11:24 PM]

[Heather]

Oh Lord, poor old you, Horselover- this sounds like a nightmare scenario, which, with an unsypathetic, know it all for an instructor, it couldn't get much worse!

I think that you are all too right to suspect back problems- never ceases to amaze me that so often the pupil is more intelligent and perceptive than the teacher!

The bit should be fine, as long as you are not using it with too much pressure- which will cause him to drop behind the contact and back off. This could be the cause of him not going forward. Make sure that you are only using the bit to ask him to relax his lower jaw- squeeze your fingers on the reins- alternate hands works best, a couple of squeezes left then right, just merely tightening the fingers round the reins and then uncurling them, just enough to release any tension on the rein. When he lowers his head and relaxes his jaw, ask him to move off, making sure that as long as he stays relaxed in his jaw and soft in your hand that you keep the slack in the rein. If he tightens up and throws up his head ask him down again int he same way, ask, then give. In this way he learns to carry himself and not come against the hand. He should go forward from the leg when you ask him- if he doesn't make a noise with your whip against your boot to startle him a little into moving forwards- if he does praise him for having done so.

I am sure that if you rode him not in a lesson situation, that you would improve him, as long as he hasn't a back injury or similar. If he has, then sadly no amount of correct riding will sort it out, until he is seen by a back person.


Heather

[horselover]

Thank you so much for your reply, Heathre. My instructor never told me to do any of that, and it seems like it is very important.

Unfortunately, I will not be able to try out any of your suggestions, at least not on Rascal. The owners of the farm are not letting me jump him. We had problems at our Sunday show- truck hit a turkey on the way there, missed schooling time, and rushed me into the first class with only a 10- minute warm-up. I warne dmy trainer that it wasn't a good idea, but she said I would be fine. Well, Rascal refused a fence, and we barely made it around, and didn't even make it over one fence the second round- he refused, I fell off on my butt, and I was too frustrated to go anymore.

Rascal was completely put off by the fences, and I could tell he was scared and nervous- which didn't help me too much. Well, the owner was there and completely blames me for the poor preformance. Even though I have never been in a jumping show myself, and neither has Rascal. Also, the owners refuse to buy more jumps- we only have four. They are all white, and they look nothing like show jumps. I know from past experience that Rascal doesn't like jumping new things- I should know, I took him over every new jump he's ever seen. The arena at the show was much bigger than the one we are used to.

My instructor came over and told me last night that they were not going to let me jump him anymore b/c they didn't want Rascal ruined- he's just 6. Well, I was the one who brought Rascal where he is now- he could only jump small crossrails when we started learning together. he used to refuse everything and it took alot of work to get him over. But we did it, and my old instructor basically let me do it all and he hardly ever jumped him. Now, all of a sudden, they think I am going to ruin the very horse I have brought along!!!

My instructor wants to put me back on the lunge line over jumps, and she says maybe in a while, we can go back to crossrails on Rascal. I don't want to point fingers, but I think she is the problem. She tries to make me ride the way she does, and I am just not comfortable with it. It's not my style. And last summer, Rascal and I were regularly jumping 3'6" to 3"9, jumped 4' once, doing jumper turns and oxers and bounces and complicated jumps. I fell off twice, but I have fallen off practically constantly for the past 2 months- since my new instructor has been teaching me.

She says that she needs to ride Rascal and work on him for a while, but I don't think she's that great of a rider. And there aren't any other jumpers at the stable. They are going to let me start teaching Lucky how to jump- they said I can't do anything to ruin him. Gee, thanks. There are no other decent horse besides Rascal at this stable. Do you think I should start looking for a new stable? I have been at this one for almost 2 years, but this is ridiculous.

Sorry this is long- i just have been fuming ove rhtis issue since last night and can't think of anything else. And I don't know what to do.

[Dizzy]

Horselover/Heather, I hope you both don't mind me joining in the conversation.

Horselover you have had a rough couple of months with Rascal under your new instructor. I think that an instructor should be measured on the riding skills of her pupils and the responses of the horses under her management.

Riders should not be ever recovering from thier bruises, and horses bits and tack should certainly not be being increased by thier severity.

By the sound of your instructor, you and the horses under her tuition/management will only sadly either have to adopt her bad techniques and the horses be forced into adopting her aids.

You say Rascal is not up sale, so your descision is difficult. I don't know what I would chose to to do. When the horse isn't yours, you have little say so on what is happens to him. But I do think I would be tempted to get in touch with the owner and explain what has happened since your instructor has changed, how his behaviour, attitude, bit and now resorting to draw reins to get him to conform has come about. I know if it was my horse I would certainly be very concerned. I think in the situation your in you've got nothing to lose, and maybe everything to gain. It is a risk though,if you want to stay put and the owners agree with the present handling of Rascal.

Take care

Lesley

[horselover]

Thank you once again for your kind and thoughtful replies, Lesley. You seem to respond to me the most about my troubles with Rascal, and I really appreciate that. Just to clarify one thing- the trainer wasn't using draw reins on Rascal, she was using them on another horse- one who I have also rode, and she doesn't need them(even if I did agree with their use, which I don't).

I think I will be changing stables the more I think about it. My trainer has talked to me twice today, and she keeps trying to convince me that this isn't a big deal, and that i will improve greatly by not jumping Rascal. She doesn't seem to understand that I am hurt because I have taken Rascal to where he is now, and he wouldn't be as good as he is without me, and the owners don't even acknowledge this.

I am going to talk with them about this all and tell them how I feel. If this changes their attitude, i would stay. but I have waited my whole life to jump horses, and I refuse to be held back like this.

By the way, my instructor tried insisting that I come to my lesson tonight- i cancelled it this afternoon for obvious reasons. Told her I just didn't feel like riding and really didn't want to be at the stable today. She said "Oh, so does this mean you are quitting riding?" !!!!!! I was like, "Yeah right! I will NEVER quit riding- especially not b/c of something like this!" Then she asked if I was still coming Saturday b/c she has a girl coming for her first lesson, and she wants to use Rascal, so she needs me to ride Rascal and calm him down for her. GGGGGRRRRRRR!!!!!! What is wrong with this picture?? They will let complete beginners ride Rascal, but not me- I might ruin him! And the nerve of asking me to come and pay for a lesson so that the horse is calm for the next lesson.

Talk about the icing on the cake- I responded to an ad in the local paper about experienced horse camp help. Didn't give the name of the farm- only a fax number. Guess what stable it is? Yeah, the one where I ride. Sigh. Didn't I feel like an absolute idiot. They had asked me to help, but I had decided after this that I wouldn't.

What a week...

[Heather]

I can assure you hHorselover, that it is not you that is the absolute idiot, but those who are running your stables. They know nothing about dealing with people, by the sound of it, never mind the poor horses. They want to use you when it is convenient for them, and then demoralise you whe it also suits them. This situation will do nothing for your confidence or progress. If Rascal is for sale and you can buy him, then that is the only option, either that or change barns is the only other.


Heather

[Dizzy]

You're right not to let them use you, good luck and keep in touch.

Lesley