confidence with 'strange' horses

[notpoodle]

since weve moved yards, i seem to handle a lot more of other people's horses (i turn yours out, you bring mine in etc.). whilst i am confident with my own pony and trust her 100% (even when she's being a poo), i find i get somewhat nervous/uneasy when handling horses i dont know all that well, especially big horses with a totally different mindset from my pony. im getting better at it .... but its a nuisance i cr***p myself when leafing big horses that get a tad excited :rolleyes: (makes me feel very stupid btw)

what can i do? just practice loads? befriend more other horses somehow (friend has sort of offered me to rider her nieces little pony some time, so that should help!)

am i the only one with this problem??

julia
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(sometimes i worry that something happens to angel because im convinced i would never find a pony like her ever again ...)

[shandy84]

Nope you're not the only way i'm just the same :)

[notpoodle]

glad im not the only one! its weird though ... when angel spooks (well she doesnt do big spooks anyway) at something i get almost annoyed (because 9 times out of 10 she is tacking the mick on such occasions), when another horse just looks at somethig funny im all 'calm down, its okay, please dont jump# *whimper* ....

julia

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[shandy84]

Yep me too, Bramble can rear, thunder around bolt, etc and I just tell her off and am not shaken by it, anyone elses horse and I'm not sure how to handle it and so my confidence goes out of the window, doesn't help my own pony ran through me really hurting me once so it's made me wary of horses I don't know to a certain extent.

[notpoodle]

thank god angel really isnt the thunder and bolt type, but at least with her i sort of know what to do (this pony has taught me a lot about standing up for myself, hehe) with her - and i dont with other horses. and im petrified someone elses horse gets hurt when i bring it in from the field or turn it out :rolleyes:

julia
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[shoniedaspony]

all i could suggest is just practising leading other horses, especially the bigger ones. I much prefer leading the ickler ponies in, but if i have to go for a big'un, im not so bothered since i shared a 16.2.
(but when i have to stand on tiptoes to put the headcollar on, the horse is too big and i get a bit nervous!!!)

obviously thought, with a horse you know better, it is easier to anticipate any potential problems, but all id suggest is be aware, but try to stay relaxed, to keep them relaxed. Have a nice old chat to them, but dont be afraid to be firm if they do anything silly!

[hApPiNeSs]

yep, practise makes perfect (well,almost!)

im scared of the biggys too - they just have to look at me funny :p

[notpoodle]

its weird because i used to ride biggies all the time (even had one on loan at some point!), didnt worry me. i just got so used to my little pony and find it bizarre to have to lead a horse with your arm UP and having to reach UP to put the headcollar on :rolleyes:

julia
x

ps: will practice and i think im getting a bit better every day :)

[Miriam]

I used to be like that but found the more I go to know the various quirks of the horses I was bringing in the better I got at it.

For a few years on my yard I spent time either putting out horses or pulling them in for various people who came to our yard. That too has helped in my confidence with strange horses. Now I can handle strange horses and even ride strange horses :D

[Rarah]

I get scared too when faced with any horse or pony except my own.

When I have to handle a horse that I'm unsure of I never look it in the face, I just kind of "look through it" and pretend it's not really there. :D

[chewitmonster]

I'm kinda the opposite at the moment!! My boy is 16.2/3 and I've been asked if I could exercise a little pony (she's not even that little but she seems it so Silver!!) as her owner is going through some tough times. When I brought her in on Sunday I felt really wierd being at the same level as her head and not having to reach really high to put a bridle etc on!! I found it really wierd...almost unnatural!! Definately has quicker reaction times than my boy though - you really have to have your wits about you...and not stop to let someone catch up on a hack!!! :rolleyes: Now THAT was an experience!!! I feel ten times more confident handling my huge boy, but then you're always more confident handling your own aren't ya?...once you've got to know them at least!! xxxx

[NoviceNic]

After being torn to pieces by my first horse I have had serious confidence issues. Especially with handling them from the ground. Anyway I have moved up to my friends yard and have dealt with all sizes ranging from 15 3hh to 8hh. As I have regularly lead them out to the field and in at night I have not got any more of those " What If " thoughts. Even my confidence has boosted in riding. I swore blind 2 weeks ago I didn't want to ride anything other than Captain, but the other day I was a Guinea Pig for my friend who was looking for a new horse for her Daughter. Her daughter was away so I had to be crash test dummy. We went to see a 4 yr old called "Spirit" :eek: and a confidence giving black mare called "Noggin". The black mare was so good with me I rode her out on the roads on my own. I trotted off up the rode with a big :D . I think the owner thought I was going to steal her. :p

I am sure your confidence will grow once you handle the biggies again. Look at how much your confidence has grown with your riding. :)

[Bacharel]

I used to be that way a couple of years ago when handling strange horses, but now Im perfectly fine handling event he biggest of horses at my barn. I would suggest just keep doing it and when they act up correct them how you would your own. There used to be this pony at my old barn who had dragged about EVERYONE in the barn down the hill to field, even the trainer( and I mean making your shoes leave skid marks ;) . Then one day the trainer's neice came down to the barn took him out and he just put his head down and walked like a dog beside her. Funny how horses can sense when to behave themselves :rolleyes:

[notpoodle]

have been turning out a biggie all week this week (they bring angel in for me in return which is nice cos then i dont have to trek to the yard twice per day!) and i think im getting better at it :) she is now standing patiently where she should be when i take the headcollar off (as opposed to trying to leg it with me still attached) :)

julia
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