Help. Advice

sunres

New Member
Dec 16, 2019
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Hi. I have never used a forum, but I’m pretty much fed up as of today. I am new to horses. I got my horse in December. Brought her home she adjusted well with my daughter’s horse. She’s 10. She was advertised as good family horse good with beginners. I rode her at the place I bought her from she turned well, was well mannered. We brought her home. When I tried to ride her she wouldn’t listen. She would run right over my cues. I brought a colleague out to take her for a ride. She said she’s dangerous don’t ride her she needs training. Well, then I was feeling like I spent way to much for an untrained horse. I’m not a quitter, so I decided to put her in training for a “tune up”. Long story, she was there for 2 months and they said she is bossy and stubborn but did well and she was not trained and is now what they call green broke. I have tried to ride her several times. She did fairly well in round pen letting me practice my turns. We decided to ride in our field. She took off on me and wouldn’t listen. Me as a beginner with 3 lessons under my belt don’t know what to do when they just start to bolt. I pulled on the reins and she started bucking. Got off walked her back and tried to get on her in round pen today, and she bolts immediately for the gate I pull on the reins to turn her in a circle and try to use my legs nothing helps! Any advice????
 
Has she been checked for pain, back, teeth etc?
She doesn’t like it when I touch her belly. It’s close to where her cinch meets her leg. I did feel the top of her withers where the saddle sits and pressed. She tipped her head and put her ears back. What if she does have tender spots? Any thoughts?
 
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I'd suggest getting a vet to check her over and also check her teeth while he's there, I assume you didn't have her vetted when you bought her? I'd also get the fit of her saddle checked by a proper saddle fitter.

If nothing shows, and bearing in mind you're very much a beginner yourself with only three lessons, then I'd say sell her with a completely honest advert. There's a time and place for working through problems and for someone else she may be fine, but these aren't things for a beginner to deal with. Have a lot more lessons before you look for another, and when you do take someone knowledgeable with you. I'm sorry not to be more encouraging, but your safety is more important than persevering.
 
I would be getting her checked by a vet. I would also have lessons at home with a knowledgeable instructor. Are you saying you sent her away and they did not train her or that they thought the horse had had no previous training. Just to clarify is the horse 10 or your daughter.
When you say practicing yours turns. Not quite sure what you mean by this. If the horse is green i wouldnt be putting turns on her. Shes maybe confused by what you are asking. I would take her right back to the beginning and just start with halt and walk.
If the horse has not been trained and youve only had her a few months, a couple of which she has not been with you anyway. Id say that just now the horse may still be unsettled and not really know where she belongs. So maybe doesnt have a trusting bond with you yet.
 
I'd suggest getting a vet to check her over and also check her teeth while he's there, I assume you didn't have her vetted when you bought her? I'd also get the fit of her saddle checked by a proper saddle fitter.

If nothing shows, and bearing in mind you're very much a beginner yourself with only three lessons, then I'd say sell her with a completely honest advert. There's a time and place for working through problems and for someone else she may be fine, but these aren't things for a beginner to deal with. Have a lot more lessons before you look for another, and when you do take someone knowledgeable with you. I'm sorry not to be more encouraging, but your safety is more important than persevering.
Thanks. I was thinking about selling her. I bought her so I could ride with my daughter. The places here for lessons are closed due to the virus. I’ll have her checked and I’ll ask the trainer if she had any issues with pain while she was there. I did have a tack evaluation of her with a trainer when I bought her she also checked her over too.
 
A check from a trainer isn't comparable to a vet check and a qualified saddle fitter, it's slightly better than nothing if you know very little yourself but realistically any trainer who knew much would be advising you to get professional checks. I would rather hope that if the trainer thought pain was a factor they would have immediately stopped and said you needed to get professionals in, but just because they didn't think there was pain doesn't mean there isn't. For me the huge difference in behaviour from when you tried her and how she is now suggests something is wrong, it sound more than an unsettled horse or even one who's got the upper hand.
 
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A check from a trainer isn't comparable to a vet check and a qualified saddle fitter, it's slightly better than nothing if you know very little yourself but realistically any trainer who knew much would be advising you to get professional checks. I would rather hope that if the trainer thought pain was a factor they would have immediately stopped and said you needed to get professionals in, but just because they didn't think there was pain doesn't mean there isn't. For me the huge difference in behaviour from when you tried her and how she is now suggests something is wrong, it sound more than an unsettled horse or even one who's got the upper hand.
Thank you. I switched up some tack today different saddle and cinch. Let the other horse out of the paddock did some ground work had her run a little and she did good. Maybe the other horse gets her all keyed up. I know there is some buddy sour going on.
 
I'm sorry, but I'm just going to come out and say it. It sounds very much like you have been mis-sold a horse that is totally inappropriate for your level. It definitely does seem that there is a pain issue somewhere, but she also sounds extremely green, and probably in need of a complete re-starting once pain and physical issues have been ruled out. As you have so little experience and are really just looking for a nice straightforward horse to ride out with your daughter, I would honestly advise selling her on with a very honest advert, and waiting til you find something more experienced that actually suits your needs.
 
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With only three lessons I wouldn't suggest buying anything else at the moment if you sell this one (which I think you should). If you want to go out with your daughter then walk or cycle, and once restrictions are lifted get some more lessons. If you don't I think you run the risk of the same thing happening again, no matter what a seller says no horse is really suitable for a complete beginner as it's only rider - you may or may not have been missold this horse but the fact is that when you tried her she, in your words, "turned well, was well mannered". Painkillers may have masked any physical problems that may have caused behaviour changes, likewise dope may have made her quieter, but the fact is she knew how to behave and did. I have a very sweet cob who can be ridden by a beginner and be a total poppet, BUT he wouldn't stay that way for long if only ridden by a beginner and once he got the upper hand I think he'd be a horror to sort out. But to give this mare a fair chance I would want to make sure there were no pain related issues before selling on.
 
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I'm sorry, but I'm just going to come out and say it. It sounds very much like you have been mis-sold a horse that is totally inappropriate for your level. It definitely does seem that there is a pain issue somewhere, but she also sounds extremely green, and probably in need of a complete re-starting once pain and physical issues have been ruled out. As you have so little experience and are really just looking for a nice straightforward horse to ride out with your daughter, I would honestly advise selling her on with a very honest advert, and waiting til you find something more experienced that actually suits your needs.
Thank you for the advice. The trainer I had her at said she’s real easygoing, can’t remember the exact words she used, but wasn’t trained. I had ridden her at the ranch I bought her from she was fine. Anyway, after the 2 months she said she’s now green broke and I need to keep working with her on her steering. I switched her tack yesterday and let the other horse out of the paddock and she did great, but there’s no way she will be able to go with us to our lake cabin so we can trail ride. She is a purebred with good genes and the ranch said they wanted first rights, so regretfully I am going to try to negotiate for a broke horse that I can ride and be understanding that I’m still learning. Hopefully soon the stay home order here will be lifted and then I can start lessons.
 
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