Confidence handling other horses

Trewsers

Trewsers

Well-Known Member
Oct 13, 2004
56,666
18,046
113
54
On an island
I know mainly people post on here about confidence whilst riding (in this section so far I mean). But I have confidence issues handling other horses. Our Joe is large, bolshy and sometimes downright rude. :eek: OH is quite used to handling him and does not bother about anything he throws (literally) at him. I do. I am 5ft nothing (I know this shouldn't matter:eek:) but he is so big - well he seems it compared to Storm. I know you won't win a physical match either, if they pit their strength against you - even a tiny pony you will struggle. I need more confidence, cos I sense he picks up on me being a wuss.:eek: I have recently had to take on board his exercise program with regard to his damaged suspensory, so we are walking out in hand but he keeps napping. I do the porcupine on him to get him to walk back (only way to get his feet moving again) but I sense in time he's going to get sacked off with this and throw a wobbler:eek:
Sorry for the long post. Anybody else used to struggle with a horse that isn't theirs? and if so, how did you get around the problem?
Thanks:)
 
Just wanted to add; I need more confidence with him as I think I'm going to have to start ridden work as OH can't atm. I feel that if I can get to grips with him on the ground I'll have every chance at a success riding him. (I used to a few years ago, but I was a lot more confident in general back then).
 
Im sure it will come. Im 5'3 and Abby knows she can throw me round if she wants. I have been quite firm with her, especially when she was on 7 months full box rest :eek: But she still pushes it now. I think he needs putting in his place a bit. I don't mean beat him up, but just be firm and think im the boss! One of the stallions is like that, he is lovely but does get carried away so im quite firm from the start and he is generally very well behaved. Lucky you 2 horses to ride, i know its in unfortunately circumstances. What breed is he, size ect? I occasionally when lucky get to ride a 17.3 ID when he comes to the yard for his hols. Hes a handful to ride, he tries you to see what he can get away with and i love it :D I like a cheeky streak :rolleyes:
 
Joe is only 16.2 but he does look bigger for some reason!lol. Its weird as he can be absolutely fine for ages ie, not spinning or napping on the way to the field and then just out of the blue if he thinks he's been kept waiting he can be really silly, not long ago on the way to the field we were doing just fine but when we got to the gate he started dancing around and left a hoof print on the gatepost!!!!!!!!
 
He sounds fun ;) Abby is 16.2 but looks big. But im that used to her now don't see her as big. The other day someone visited and i said come and see my pony :eek: I always say my pony because she is my little baby pony :p Keep it up im sure you will get there :D
 
Oh yes, he's certainly fun!!! I trust him enough to let my Dad on him (he's 83!) but sometimes if OH wants him to work properly and he doesn't want to - well, you can imagine......he has a way of making his feelings known!!!! I don't think it helps that he's the leader in the field, he always has been, even when we were on a yard.
 
Trewsers I did not want to hijack your thread but I have lost all confidence in handling other horses after one incident last month.

I normal ride about 4 other horses on the yard for people as well as my boy and never had any problems at all leading them in and I always took the role of boss. However I was walking back one of the big lads that is always led in a chiffney I forgot to put it back on as I walking a different way. He reared on me and man is he big i was left looking at his belly. I let him go and ducked out the way he canter off up the path (our yard is enclosed and they can't get out). My OH and mate caught him i out the chiffney on but I froze with fear I cold not walk in at all.

Worse part I frozen leading another one back a week later. I have now stopped riding this horse unless OH is their to bring in, put out.

I am a little better now but only ride 2 others now as I can't take the risk of being scared to walk chanter in (he is a handful when he wants to be).

Not sure I will every get better after this. So if you find a magical answer please let me know I need it to.
 
You're right, handling horses competently is not about your size or strength, it's about confidence. A difficult horse can work out in two second flats whether the person handling them is confident or someone they can push around.

I have become so much more confident handling strange horses since I became a groom. When you work with horses you have to get used to handling anything in any situation, and they are not always horses with good manners :rolleyes: If you're the only one on the yard when the stallion has got loose and is trying to break into the mares' field, you can't just wait for help, you have to get in there and do it yourself.

I will not say I am confident with everything that ever gets thrown at me. However I have learned how to pretend to the horse that I am not bothered by his antics ;)
 
I find being really focused helps - like if I have to get feet picked up quickly I walk up and get it done - other days we arse about. So have a really determined focus, and not letting negative thoughts in - well not giving them time to creep up!

The other thing is use equipment you need to use - stick a bridle on and carry a schooling whip and wear your hat - you might feel silly/strange etc, but if you feel safer you'll be safer. I would also start small- backing up in stable, moving over and possibly look at some form of join up (sending him away until he wants to be friends) might be helpful - initially and then when he sulks about something, you say

"Hey, alright do it your way, but its more work"

Work him in the direction/speed he wants to go.

then break your behaviour to less confrontational to say "Hey mate, lets be friends, you wanna try this my way now?"

He says no and choses his way then make him work his way and repeat until he wants to work your way.

Ive always used this on the ground with madam, but was enlightened that the same principle works ridden too :D:D
 
Hi Trewsers

I used to be like that with other horses so when it came to the winter months I started offering to help bring in the other horses so as to get some variety. I'm only 5'2 so this was quite daunting with anything over 15'2 but I managed fine. I did end up knee deep in mud and worried I'd lose my boots and it was fun trying to reach up with the headcollar sometimes but gave me lots of confidence.

Val K
 
Generally speaking, I'm more confident on the ground than aboard, but that's only because my issues are connected to a fear of falling. Nevertheless, I can see where you're coming from, and I have experienced moments of panic when I realise that a big strong horse is starting to play up.

I have only a couple of suggestions to add. One is voice - I find that talking to the horse helps with control, just as in lunging and driving. The other is that maybe it would help to ride Joe a bit more yourself ( I realise time is an issue). He might get to respect your authority more and carry that over to the in hand work.

Best of luck anyway.
 
OwnedbyChanter said:
Trewsers I did not want to hijack your thread but I have lost all confidence in handling other horses after one incident last month.

.
Click to expand...

Not hi-jacking at all! Glad you've told us about this, its made me think that other people worry / have experienced what I have with the confidence handling issue. I think no matter how many times people tell you they are upredictable when something like that happens it still shakes you. Well, it certainly would me! Joe can be fine for weeks on end, but he can really get one on him - as he did a while back leaving a hoof print at eye level on the gatepost:eek: If I'd been an inch closer and all that:(
 
Sparky Lily said:
The other is that maybe it would help to ride Joe a bit more yourself ( I realise time is an issue). He might get to respect your authority more and carry that over to the in hand work.

Best of luck anyway.
Click to expand...

Yes, I do think I ought to ride him more, but, its kind of a catch 22 atm, I don't feel safe / confident enough to get on board without OH being there to supervise - and I thought that if I handled him more on the ground then it would transcend into ridden work (if that makes sense). I guess I am going to have to get up that bit sooner in the mornings and try harder to fit in a bit more ridden work when OH is actually around.:)
 
joosie said:
I will not say I am confident with everything that ever gets thrown at me. However I have learned how to pretend to the horse that I am not bothered by his antics ;)
Click to expand...

Please enlighten me:D I guess you get lots of daily experience handling a variety - something I don't.:eek:
 
popularfurball said:
IThe other thing is use equipment you need to use - stick a bridle on and carry a schooling whip and wear your hat - you might feel silly/strange etc, but if you feel safer you'll be safer. I would also start small- backing up in stable, moving over and possibly look at some form of join up (sending him away until he wants to be friends) might be helpful - initially and then when he sulks about something, you say

D
Click to expand...

You're right - I absolutely have to feel safe. I like the idea of practising backing up in the stable, definitely going to try that.:)
 
Just wanted to add;I seem to have got worse since just handling our pair!!!! When I was on a livery yard years ago I didn't bother at all - I would gladly help bring in anything and turn out even YO's new yearlings.
 
Took me a while to get used to leading the incredible hulk of a horse which is my own. I was petrified, and ended up kitted out with hard hat, schooling whip, steel toe cap boots and him in a bridle anywhere outside the field. Then I went to the stallion show in Stirling and watched these young quiet blokes leading round huge clydesdale youngsters in nothing more than a rope halter and they just looked so calm amongst all this mayhem. It taught me to relax, my horse can dance around if he gets scared, as long as I'm at his shoulder I know he can't easily hurt me and my new found serenity helps stop him from getting all snorty anyway.
 
Last edited:
Flipo - I like the serenity part!!! That is what I need to get across with Joe, I need to give off calm vibes - I need to learn to act. In theory I sort of know what I ought to do, but when it comes to it, he throws one of his spinning or napping / mini rearing episodes into the equation and good sense goes out the window! I end up shouting at him (mainly because I am afraid) and generally panicking into rushing to where we are headed.
 
Ah see now I don't think I would be so serene with any rearing - thats way out of my comfort zone. I can handle the spinning, backing up, etc but rearing is something I've never had to deal with (Don't think my boy could get his front legs that far off the ground).
I was taught lead from the shoulder with his head sort of tilted towards me so that if he got a fright or started to dance it would be round infront of me pushing his bum out and away. The schooling whip is only used to wiggle behind me to walk him on if he hesitates and my voice isn't working, I also use the tip just to touch his nose back out of my space if he's veering infront of me. Took a while but I got there. Been leading in just a headcollar again - feel naked:eek:
 
newrider.com
Top Bottom
Back