Thank you everyone for an interesting thread and lots of good stuff here. I wouldnt have posted if it hadnt been for someone else on another thread fearing that not being able to stop a horse made her a rubbish rider.
Another reason some of us might not post questions these days is that by now we have a pretty good idea of what we are going to do and the factors involved. I did. But it is really interesting to see the diversity of replies and to be reminded it is a common problem.
If I can ride the spook like it never happened (spot the influence here), then Monty's reactions are hugely improved
Now that is interesting. I do alter my behaviour after a spook - well remembered, Montana. I will try that, if physically capable. The spook was the only warning I had.
Even if the poor thing doesn't get any turnout spring and hormones may be a factor. The problem you've got is that you only have a very limited infuence on this horse and are therefore limited to dealing with symptoms rather than causes.
It is a whole different world when you're trying to find solutions that work, for horses that aren't your own, and that you get to see only under someone else's authoritative eye, and that you get to ride, without having access to their whole training program.... and on rides where the horse already knows the route, and what's 'normal'.
Yes. It is not just that lots of clients ride one's favourite horse, but far worse for me is that one doesnt have the whole history of physical condition and behaviour. Different RIs have different views of her health problems which I can't go into here.
Also after one falls that one may hear of other clients being tossed off in canter. However, I dont intend to stop cantering her. This is my very favourite horse, we have a long relationship of hours together including carefree canter, and until that moment she had given me a fast and perfect pleasure ride.
I'm glad you weren't hurt, skib. Anytime someone our age comes off, it's always a fingers crossed and hoping situation.
I am totally unhurt. Probably because I came off from walk or virtually stationary. If I had let her run, and she had bucked about in canter, unlike the RIs and staff on this board, I would probably have lost a stirrup and fallen off at speed and been hurt. In these situations my capability as a rider has to be weighed against the options for riding. I "stopped" her going because my rule with this mare is that we only canter when I ask for it.
But if she makes a habit of getting me off, I'll assume there is a physical problem with her back and stop riding her till they sort it out. And ride on a wider variety of horses.
Just curious, you mentioned an "AI" -- did you mean "RI" or is that a different abbreviation that I'm not familiar with?
An AI is a British term meaning Assistant Instructor of the British Horse Society. It is the most junior level of qualified instructor but my impression is that few people actually take higher qualifications.
To become an AI you need to pass the first three BHS Stages (Riding and Stable Management), Riding and Road safety test, First Aid, Preliminary Teaching Test and then do a set number of hours teaching practice. (I hope this is right) I hack out with many young people still taking the qualifications, and I use the term AI to describe older more experienced teachers.
From then on we took small steps to resolve it, anything from holding back on hacks and walking further behind, then trotting, and then cantering.
Yes, this is one thing I am minded to do with her.
But yesterday she was so sluggish that I a problem making her keep up at all!
Nothing to add I'm afraid, as I don't have experience of that situation - but just glad that you're ok. Have you ridden since ? I hope it doesn't knock your confidence
No, Kate I am fine. It didnt shake my confidence because I was too busy ridng her home. The girl I was out with remarked on it, I mean that I didnt seem shaken. But that mare needed 100% of my attention all the way home and I completely forgot I had fallen off. Yesterday I was less inclined to ask a lot of her or of myself - but again that was my choice, not to invite a confrontation until I got over having fallen off. The RI wasnt feeling too good either and we went on an old lady ride in horrid muddy conditions.
Got advice on this board to use circling with a horse which was a bit keener to canter than I was. Someone at my yard then said that would just encourage a horse to spin and get out of control. What do people think about this?
I usually circle as part of the calming process. Like you I have been told off for doing this by a senior male instructor. His criticism seemed to be that a bent horse cant go fast. But as the horse comes out of the circle and straightens again, it is a sign for her to accelerate away.
My view is that he was confusing different ways in which circling is used by riders to solve problems and teach horses things.
One may lead a horse in a circle as additional "labour" if the horse will not perform a desired task like loading or standing at the mounting block.
Or one may walk a horse away in a circle to give it a break from a task, such as allowing it to turn away from a spooky object before asking it to take another look.
But the circling done with a fizzy horse is different. You do it in a situation when the horse HAS to move, and so one allows it to move, but the rider is directing the movement, that is, one doesnt ride just one circle, but one lets the horse move (in a circle) until its energy has dropped and it no longer needs to move - but stops.
Tried that thing of dropping the reins and so far a fairly good result - everyone seemed to relax
Michael Peace drops the reins to calm the horse. Good idea, but not an alternative to circling. One can circle on a loose rein.
Thank you again for all that wisdom and experience - one of the strong points of New Rider and apologies that my thanks for your input have been so long in coming.
