Following on from Safecobs..

Trewsers

Trewsers

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Oct 13, 2004
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Lots was mentioned on the Safecob thread but a couple of things stuck out and one of them was (this might be me reading it wrong) when a horse does LOTS of work it makes it more rideable / better behaved - how many of you have found this to be true? For the nervous or unsure anongst us then do you think it might not just be a case of getting more practice in ourselves and because we ride more it seems like the horse is going better?
 
I think it depends on the horse Thu trews. Malaika was much better in regular work,6-7 days a week and was hardly spooky or sharp when ridden like this. She was however completely different if not exercised regular. I think with her it Was a mixture of physical and mental stimulation that settled her thoughts,not been run into the ground ,she was never that. Mystique my old appy was cheeky but you could get on her after weeks and she was no different than she was when in full work.
 
So I guess it really does just depend on the individual horse? Storm is much better to hack if you do it regularly, ie, every day. She's okay to school after time off.
Joe was just the same really worked or unworked. But then I never knew with him if it was just the fact we didn't hack out for very long periods.
 
Womble seems to be better in work in regards to spookyness. However he is now fit, so where we could happily pop a little course before now we seem to be getting carted off with and having more arguments. He seems to think he knows best ;) schooling wise I cant deny he is better. We can canter now. Circles too.
 
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I definitely feel that the more you ride, the less spooky the horse is, mainly because you've established that relationship as their leader and you're confirming it with every ride. Horses like having a leader.
 
Ziggy is definitely better the more often he is ridden. He is rarely a nutter but he is less spooky and more obedient when he's in regular work.
 
I think it depends on the horse too, although I do think you have a point about it being partly down to the rider having more experience as well. And Squidsin has a good point - it is a two way street I suppose.

We're lucky that our two horses aren't really any different whether or not they're in regular exercise but I have known one who was a nutter if he wasn't worked hard every day, in fact he got sent away to a training/competition yard where he was hunted all winter and is now jumping. I don't think a horse like that would ever be a pleasure to ride, he'll always be one you have to keep on top of and keep occupied.
 
Mine are happy to be left and ride the same after a long break. But, they live out in a large field! Appley is pretty bmbproof, but has her 'moments'. She goes well for me but with a novice (eg. the OH) she'll stop, turn into the middle etc. I can easily see her turn from a 'safe solo hacker getting ok dressage scores who will pop little jumps' into 'spooky, jump-refusing pony with the handbrake on' in the wrong hands!
 
I would say it depends on the horse to, and I do think age applies to possibly ( well in my experience) all 3 of my older horses were the type you could drag out the field after a month, tack up, and ride away with no issues at all. My 2 youngsters I had, particularly the TB X he seemed to thrive on regular handling and using his head, either that or he had a short term memory loss ! I would say with the 2 youngsters consistency worked for them.
 
I have always been able to chuck jess out for a month and climb back on without fear of her flailing herself around or being spooky, but she used to be very keen and be difficult to stop. Since doing loads of miles for the big ride, she seems super good, in that after 2 weeks off she wasn't keen or pully, she just went out like she didn't know if it was a 1 mile or 30 mile day, M's TB who is just 7 was just the same, lots of miles seems to have taught them to pace themselves and reserve their energy for more important things than spooking or pulling.
Bo was the opposite, more work meant super fit and launching off all 4's was a perfectly suitable use of that energy! :rolleyes:
 
Another vote for it depending on the horse, Puz and Inca have always been better behaved when in regular work. With Puz it's a discipline thing, if she's been left to her own devices for a while, it takes a bit of practice to convince her that she has to do as she's asked. With Inca it's more of a mental and physical stimulation thing, she's always a much nicer pony when she's being kept occupied, if she's bored she tends to create her own entertainment.....usually at my expense! hehe!
 
I think it depends on the horse. In my experience, horses who are maybe a little nervy or highly strung, thrive on work and mine is much better being ridden more often. I think in his case he has excess energy a lot of the time and I can clock him looking for things to spook at

My friends cob was actually much fizzier when being ridden often and being fit. If she was ridden intermitently, she was ploddy and very hard work.
 
From experiences with horses we take on for the RS I would say that consistant work rather than quantity of work is the key. Because we never alter our expectations of manners etc and they get the same schooling as well as a variety of work and riders/handlers they all tend to settle down to being polite. I suspect the same happens in a dealers yard. If we seriously trained our competition horses daily they would blow their brains, we prefer a training session followed by plenty of time to think about it or a play time!
 
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It depends on the horse, mine is the same whatever, but I know of some who need regular work.

It depends on what you class as work, mine is only in lightwork doing what we do six days a week, we only hack about 15 miles-lightwork. work to me is four hours per day competions/hunting/riding school/endurance etc
 
For mine what I used to class as work was an hour lesson three times a week, schooling daily for an hour plus a twenty minute hack - and no day off. Realise this is only really lightwork - she doesn't do anywhere near as much now, you could say madam is semi retired!
 
I ride my horses for an hour a day and generally he doesn't get a day off. We do abit of everything but he is only still in light work. He never gets a feed and only needs grass and a small bit of hay to keep him going.

I have seen many people struggle with horses who are not ridden everyday, especially those who have come from a riding school or dealers yard. I hate to see horses who are not ridden all week suddenly asked to do an all day hack or several rounds of jumping.
 
I would agree that consistent handling is important ie boundaries and manners on the ground.

Equally the routine of taking them away from field mates regularly, even if just to come out of the field for a feed and groom. Some horses I see get very over dependent on their field mates otherwise and then it is distressing for them to suddenly be separated and asked to go out for a ride on their own.

However Arns can and indeed has been not ridden sometimes for months on end at times due to either my or his ill health and I can get back on and will find he is exactly the same Arns.
 
Again another for depends on the horse.

I do think that when a horse comes from a dealer when they arrive they are worked quite hard (or daily) this means when people go see them they are generally calm and well behavioured when ridden and on the ground they problem then states when they get the pony home and he is 'left to settle' for a week or so before they jump on and the horse explodes or the horse has gone from daily exercise to couple of times a week.

Personnely I do not let my horses settle and have ridden both the next day I have done this with all my horses and not had any issues at all.

Chanter is as spooky today as the day I got him whether ridden everyday or god for bid longer (then I say a pray before I get on) in the school or out hacking. He has never changed.

You also get the fitter they are the sharper they can be. Ginger is not spooky as such but he is sharp and the move we are doing the quicker off the leg the faster the reaction the sharper he is getting it can be an amazing feeling when things are going right but pant wetting when not
 
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