Beausowner
1st May 2005, 10:06 PM
I posted before because I was going to get my horse starting to hack - he's 9 this month and I've had him nearly a year. However, everything was put back because the YO (who has nothing to do with the yard, lives a bit further down) has started doing lot of work to some houses at side of yard behind the school and uses the yard to drive his JCB, dumper trucks and anything else necessary through the yard to get to the work (and is using the land alongside the school as a dumping ground), and my horse has gone bananas again, spooking etc, as there are also bangs and I've seen them drive the JCB through the horses field (while they are in there) a couple of times. (I was in the school yesterday and he whizzed out of the work site onto the yard in a quad bike!). Fortunately horse in good settled mood yesterday - if it was today I would be lying in the sand! (sorry had to have a moan). Anyhow, we led him out a few days ago just down the lane - someone else led as my shoulder is still suffering from a few months ago when he spooked, whilst I led her horse behind. He jumped at everything but was ok. Next day I rode him to gate and first time ever instead of panicking he wanted to go through! My instructor wants to take him out without me with another girl on her horse, but I think he would be better if she rode (much better rider than me) whilst I led on foot for the first few times to give him confidence and then she can ride him out with the other horse. (Did this once in last yard and he was fine - he concentrated on me instead of things to spook at). I want to get this right as I think if he's pushed too fast he'll go backwards and it will take a long time to get him relaxed again, if ever. He's still not a confident horse. I know that she will also whip him when he spooks so this worries me a bit if he goes out without me to start with. Can anyone give me pointers on how to go about all this, please?