C
CER1389
Guest
Hi.
A school friend of mine decided to take up horse riding about 4months back. She'd heard me go on and on about all my horse riding and got jealous as its something shes wanted to try. With my help I booked her in for a lesson and she loved it. Shes continued for half an hour each week for about 4 months without a problem. She picked up rising trot and was just learning to canter.
She had her first fall last week, lost balance picking up canter, exited by the side door, cut her hand on the fence and managed to get a black eye (sort of punched herself as she fell) nothing too serious, but scary all the same. Her parents took her to A&E to make sure her wrist wasn't broken, which I think scared her more tbh.
She now seems nervous getting back on board, shes going to have to wait a while until her cuts heal and the swelling goes down, which will make it worse. Her parents have never wanted her to horse ride anyway, and whilst my friend isn't riding they continue to talk about how dangerous horses are (even though they have no horsey experience) which is making my friend more nervous.
The other issue is my friend is quite tall and well built, so is always riding 16hh+ which cannot help.
I'm contemplating putting her on the icelandics I'm schooling, just sticking her in the lunge arena on the lunge, and giving her a bit of a lesson so she can find her own balance. I'm hoping by riding something smaller she may feel more confident. But I'm concerned because although the icelandics do lunge and school, they are not brilliant and I don't know how they would cope with a beginner; also if she feels comfortable on something small it may make her want to stick to riding small which just isn't an option as all she can ride at the riding stables is larger. As well as this, the icelandics are not mine so I'm not sure if the yard owner would allow me a friend up, after all I'm there to work.
Any ideas on how to encourage her back to the riding stables, get her confidence in trot and canter, AND to stop her parents scaring her hell out of her?!?
I know horse riding is dangerous (I'm pretty well known up at A&E after 7years of horse riding!) But i know my friend loves it, however anything I say to her she dismisses with a 'How would you know?' [ahem, one broken arm, a ripped gum, dislocated things and god only knows what else!].
Sorry this is long, but any ideas would be HUGELY appreicated
A school friend of mine decided to take up horse riding about 4months back. She'd heard me go on and on about all my horse riding and got jealous as its something shes wanted to try. With my help I booked her in for a lesson and she loved it. Shes continued for half an hour each week for about 4 months without a problem. She picked up rising trot and was just learning to canter.
She had her first fall last week, lost balance picking up canter, exited by the side door, cut her hand on the fence and managed to get a black eye (sort of punched herself as she fell) nothing too serious, but scary all the same. Her parents took her to A&E to make sure her wrist wasn't broken, which I think scared her more tbh.
She now seems nervous getting back on board, shes going to have to wait a while until her cuts heal and the swelling goes down, which will make it worse. Her parents have never wanted her to horse ride anyway, and whilst my friend isn't riding they continue to talk about how dangerous horses are (even though they have no horsey experience) which is making my friend more nervous.
The other issue is my friend is quite tall and well built, so is always riding 16hh+ which cannot help.
I'm contemplating putting her on the icelandics I'm schooling, just sticking her in the lunge arena on the lunge, and giving her a bit of a lesson so she can find her own balance. I'm hoping by riding something smaller she may feel more confident. But I'm concerned because although the icelandics do lunge and school, they are not brilliant and I don't know how they would cope with a beginner; also if she feels comfortable on something small it may make her want to stick to riding small which just isn't an option as all she can ride at the riding stables is larger. As well as this, the icelandics are not mine so I'm not sure if the yard owner would allow me a friend up, after all I'm there to work.
Any ideas on how to encourage her back to the riding stables, get her confidence in trot and canter, AND to stop her parents scaring her hell out of her?!?
I know horse riding is dangerous (I'm pretty well known up at A&E after 7years of horse riding!) But i know my friend loves it, however anything I say to her she dismisses with a 'How would you know?' [ahem, one broken arm, a ripped gum, dislocated things and god only knows what else!].
Sorry this is long, but any ideas would be HUGELY appreicated