Dilema on training !!

[Mavi]

I ride on my own as no one else around rides, and I have a horse training center just across the road, but they only take there young horses to train I hardly ever see them to go out of the arena or to trails, so I have to ride on my own or ask a favour to use the arena, I rather ride at home... Now the question, I had my mare training at the center and she is quite better now but they never took her out as I asked them as I want her only for trail riding, they said that she was fine on the roads (no way!!! and that the problem was that I was nervous), I had to take her home a she is still scared to go out far from the stables, I had a few horsey friends come over and rode her and found the same problem. They suggested to take her to another trainer that takes the horses on the roads, to the town on Fiestas etc.. Do you thnik that I should do that and that she will behave back at home when she goes on her own? (I will not be on good terms with my neibour trainer if I do that), Will a couple of months be enough? She is quite good otherwise.

Please advise.

Mavi

[Farm_Girl5]

How about walking her along the roads your going to ride along? That way she can get used to the area without you both being nervous... So when you DO ride her out she won't be worried about the surroundings but (Hopefully) fcused on you...

Kristy

[Sarah]

hello!

Would it be possible for you to ride out with your husband walking with you at your horse's head on the left hand side (so that he is in the road between your mare and the traffic). You could maybe put a lead rope on her bridle for him to hold incase there is trouble. If that works and your mare gets a bit clamer, then he could try walking further back, next to her shoulder, then next to you, then on the other side of the horse so that she gets used to the traffic. To persuade your husband to come out, you could get him to bring your dog along and pretend it is a dog walk and not a horse walk!

It might work if you send her away to be schooled at the other trainer, but this might mean that the local trainer may get cross and not let you use his arena. Also, unless she is dangerous, it is probably worth you trying to get her through her fears as you will be the one to ride her everyday - she will probably be fine for the trainer at a new place.

Good luck

[bren]

Yes Sarah thats what I was thinking! YOu can send her away for training but if she isnt trained with you on her back then I dont thnk it is going to work. Because it may be partly you...anticipating a problem, tensing up when a truck goes by, for instance..seems like you need to do what I have to do with Marty, log on some miles! I get tense when there is a truck coming and of course he feels it and reacts. The above ideas are real good ones, just keep exposing her to the roads till she gets used to them. Don't try to do too much, take it slow! Good luck! Brenda :)

[Mavi]

Thank you for your replies.

But she is not only worried to walk on the road because of trafic, she also worries if there is no trafik at all, not even a bicycle.. She just wants to head for home.

I shall try it with my husband next to me and see how it goes.

The ides with the other trainer is to take her there but of course I shall go to ride her as well as the trainer and go out with other horses to make her feel confortable far from the stables.

My friend has called me today and asked me to please not to take her out as he was worried that she might run away heading for home and I might not be able to stop her (as I am not a very experienced rider) and become very dangerous. She is calmer when I ride her than when other people ride her as she trusts me but still very nervous when I take her to unknown places.

[Sarah]

hello!

Ah, sorry, i thought that the problem was that she didn't like traffic. it now sounds like she is napping. Getting another trainer to ride her at another yard will probably not help you at all with this. Can any of your other horse friends come round to ride with you, even once a week?

You say that she is nervous in strange places, are you nervous at all there too? If so, she will be picking up on your uneasiness and will want to return to the security of home. It is very difficult to try to remain calm on a nervous horse though - you can try deep breathing and humming to help keep yourself calm.

If you do go out with your husband, make sure he has a lead rope, incase she decides to turn round and run for home. If she does decide to stop or turn around, it is VERY important that you make her walk on, even one step, before you ask her to stop or turn around. Otherwise she will learn that is she stops or turns around, she can get out of the work.

If you do a lot more work with her in the arena and get her responsive to your aids, it should help with the napping, but it is a hard thing to get your horse through, i know because my horse will nap if given half a chance.

Please rememeber not to do anything that could put yourself in danger

good luck

[michal]

I kept my horse in a paddock near a road for awhile. He was exposed to bicycles, UPS trucks flying by and various cars. It was amazing what a few months of this helped him. I took him out on the road for the first time after this and I got no spooking at any traffic. But the seasoned calm horse with us was our babysitter too. We walked. Do you have a tree farm nearby? With quieter roads near it? Try that with a buddy. Do you have a friend with a seasoned trail horse that is calm?
Also, I would lead my horse all over my property down the lane- in the woods, thru the creek. I got lots of exercise that way, but my horse loved it & the dog & the goat too. Now when I venture out of our paddock, he is much calmer.

[Mavi]

Sarah,

I think that you are right and she is napping, When I took her out when she was training I was not nervous at all as I did not expect her to become nervous, she was worked at the arena for about half an hour before we went and left with another horse and the trainer, she was nervous. Last sunday my friends rode her (3 of them) and they are not nervous at all as they have been riding all their life and she was nervous and tried to head for home, she was even doing the side pass without been asked and ingoring aids. That is why my friens are worried of me taking her out as they could just manage to keep her in place. she is a real love and very well behaved at home that even children can ride her now as if you do not ask her for work she is very happy to just walk along and even the farrier tried to spook her (he used to know her and she was easily spooked) to no avail as she is so well behaved now.

I know that I have to work with her ( she is only seven / eight) and I want to go the best way as she is the kind of horse that is well worth it as she fun to ride, learns very fast, well tempered, beautifull Andalusian X and Strawberry Roan, a strange colour for a Spaniard..

[Sarah]

hello again!

I really feel for you Mavi, good luck with your horse, she really does sound beautiful, do you have any photos of her on a website that we can see?

bye!

[Heather]

Oh dear Mavi,

I do wish you lived in the UK! then I could send my friend Micheal Peace over to help you! He would teach you how to focus her attention and gain her respect and trust, without resorting to any sort of violence. He worked with a very difficult Alter Real mare which a friend of mine rescued and hd rehabilitated with great care and patience. The mare was fine at home, but just like yours, was a nightmare on the roads, mostly by herself, but even in company was not great. My friend is very experienced and the mare was most definitely not 'taking the mickey'. She was genuinely afraid, and is now greatly improving in her confidence. I will send your post to Mike, and see if he can come up with any suggestions that you may be able to cope with as a less experienced rider.

All the best,


Heather

[Lex]

SORRY TO HAVE TO SAY THIS BUT IT SOUNDS LIKE YOUR HORSE IS TAKING THE MICKEY OUT OF YOU! You need to reestablish who is boss otherwise you are fighting a loosing cause as half a ton of horse is always going to be stronger than you!!!

[Mavi]

Thank you for your replies.

Lex: she is not taking the mickey out of me. I had very experience riders to try her and she has the same problem.

Heather: As you can see I am still having problems with my mare, although she has cime a long way and I need to get through them with her, I shall wait for mike to give me any advice on how to help her with this do you think other trainers help will be worth it? as I am thinking seriously to take her there and of course go and supervise her training everyday (you can choose the time of her training with this other trainer and check the progress and the methods used) and also I can go and ride there with other riders and even have lessons. But Will she be OK when back at home?

By the way Heather, I am sorry for not been able to go to your seminar... I can only get holidays in August and I cannot choose the dates, but I am waiting for your video with great enthusiasm. I have to translate it to my friends....

Sorry! I do not have a web site or pictures on the net. I am not very good with computers, but if there is an easy way, let me know and I shall mail a picture of her.


Mavi

[Heather]

Have you seen that I am doing another week the first week in August? It may be too early in August for you, but if all goes well this year, I will be running another couple of courses next year.

I will try to contact Mike later today and let you know what he says.


Heather

[Mavi]

Heather,

Have you been able to talk to Mike? I am very interested to know what he can suggest.

Don't you think that taking her to the other trainer will be OK? I really want my mare to be fine, she seams scared of everything new. Last night I wanted to take her out of her stall at night (she is normally in by dark) in order to clean her stall without her inside as usual and she looked out and Oh my god! It was dark. I could not get her out. She was so scared. And I know that before she has been on a field without care or Stall day and night rain or sunshine. Maybe she is very happy now and do not want any changes as she was ill treated before (she was a bag of bones when I bought her and could not carry her own wait) when I first got her, I took her out with other horses for walks and she was fine away from the stables. It is only now that she is healthy that do not want to go far I think that It might be fear to take her away from the security of the well looked after place.

With regards to your seminar, The fist week of August is too early, but if you are running more seminars next year I shall go (need time to save). I have been to devon and riding on the downs a few years ago and I loved it.

I look forward to receiving your reply.

Mavi

[Tammy]

Mavi,

Is there any way you can keep her next to the road, portable corral or something?? Also, take her out on the lead rope and walk along roads, be sure to choose roads with plenty of space alongside in case she acts up a little. I did this with my mare, who was 6 and never been out anywhere, and after many long walks she does well. Of course, talk to her in a soothing tone while the big bad cars are rushing by....I've found that most drivers are ignorant and won't slow or yield. Also, put yourself between the road and your horse, that way if she spooks a little she most likely will swing her hindquarters into the "safe" area and face her head at the road.

Good luck, lots of time and love will help you and your mare.

[Heather]

HI Mavi,

Sorry, haven't heard from mike yet, but as his answerphone is also on al of the time, guess he is in Scandinavia doing yet another clinic there!

Will let you know as soon as I hear anything-
Heather