tonks
Novice Poster
Posts: 49
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Post by tonks on Dec 27, 2006 20:08:38 GMT 1
Was interested in your views if i have done the right thing today or what you would have done in the same situation. I've been hacking out my eight year old that is fine going out alone. I was walking along one of our bridle paths when two horseriders wanted to overtake and asked if it was ok to canter. i knew this may have caused a problem as my mare can be excitable. Feeling mean if i said no i said it would be fine but as they cantered off my mare wanted to join them. After realising that holding her back would cause more problems (rearing and plunging and possibley hitting the deck) i allowed her to canter after them. At the end of the lane we went our seperate ways with no problems. was i right to let her follow? the other worry is now that i've allowed her to do this have i made a simular situation worse.
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Post by mellymoo on Dec 27, 2006 20:52:51 GMT 1
Tough one. If you allowed her to do it though, it's not all ehr decision so might be OK? Sorry can't really offer advice.
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Post by fin on Dec 28, 2006 1:12:46 GMT 1
I think....that next time saying no might be a good idea! ;D
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kofihorse
Grand Prix Poster
Oh,such a perfect day, I'm glad I spent it with you
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Post by kofihorse on Dec 28, 2006 8:33:03 GMT 1
One mistake isn't the end of the world! I know it's difficult to make decisions on the spur of the moment but perhaps think ahead for a similar situation. Either you will have to say "no" to other riders (they will understand, maybe not be happy but tough) or perhaps turn your horse and walk forward back the way you've just come until others are completely out of sight ahead. Or get off and hold your mare if she's good on the ground and then remount once others have gone. Personally, I don't think the method matters as long as she gets the message she can't take off after other horses and you are kept safe!
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Post by rhillahorse on Dec 28, 2006 8:55:17 GMT 1
Echo the advice about turning and walking back the way you've come. Me and my mum had to do this when we were overtaken and our horses kept trying to shoot after the other horse. They soon settled down.
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anon
Grand Prix Poster
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Post by anon on Dec 28, 2006 9:11:45 GMT 1
If you decided to go with the others - then the horse hasnt" got away" with anything.
Maybe next time you might decide to turn and walk the other way before they start cantering?
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Post by bhpride on Dec 28, 2006 10:59:45 GMT 1
I think that was the worst thing you could of done, if you're in the same situation again she'll be worse. She plunges and rears already if hold back, I wonder why?
Practising overtaking in walk/trot with another horse, building up the distance/speed gradully would be a good move to improve her behaviour and make her more sensible, although may take time as it's best to start this from the word go ie. with a horse that's just been started/hacked out .
My experience is with starting young/green horses rather than older horses but I'm sure it would be a case of time and common sense IF you wanted to stop this behaviour.
Turning the horse away, saying "no" to riders is avoiding the problem - and it is a problem, potentially a dangerous one. If the lunging and rearing is already to dangerous to risk I'd suggest re-schooling both in the school AND on hacks as mentioned above with another horse.
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Post by bhpride on Dec 28, 2006 11:03:20 GMT 1
If you decided to go with the others - then the horse hasnt" got away" with anything. She's got away with getting excitable - wanting to go with them and behaving (potentially) dangerously - rewarded with what she wanted - a canter..so I'm guessing, next time she will be worse because she got her way this time. |
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anon
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Post by anon on Dec 28, 2006 11:33:56 GMT 1
The worst thing to have done would have been to try to hold her back - get her tense and frustrated - and fall off injuring yourself!
Anything is better than that - but setting yourself up for success next time is a good way to proceed
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Post by bhpride on Dec 28, 2006 12:19:37 GMT 1
The worst thing to have done would have been to try to hold her back - get her tense and frustrated - and fall off injuring yourself! I suppose, but I'm just trying point out that letting her go when she wants (maybe even by previous owners) is most probably one of the reasons things have got so bad and escalated to rearing and plunging. Lets say op hadn't of fallen off and she didn't get to canter/catch up - not only this time but EVERY time this situation arose - she'd soon learn that it's not acceptable although I stress she's obviuously not being naughty. It's learned behaviour in a way. I think it can be worked on and improved but once again, it would take time and patience |
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tonks
Novice Poster
Posts: 49
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Post by tonks on Dec 28, 2006 14:44:28 GMT 1
Thank you for all your excellent comments. I will certainly use the advice you guys have given, its just knowing what to do for the best at the time. I was worried afterwards thinking that was the worst thing i could have done and reading your comments i know now that it was. Think the herd instinct kicked in when they cantered off and left her. Still, survived and will know what to do next time :0) Thanks x x
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flossie
Grand Prix Poster
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Post by flossie on Dec 29, 2006 13:11:31 GMT 1
Gus has done this, if me and my sister go on hacks with people and everyone has a trot, my sister pony can get giddy, so I stay behind with her but the horses don't like it so we turn them away the other way round till the others are out of sight.
Then they are fine, if they are not then as soon as we get home we make them school. This has happened once where we had to school.
Horses are horses and do play up now and again but Sam and Gus are good horses and know not to mess about and this method so far has worked.
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Azrael
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Post by Azrael on Dec 31, 2006 15:46:14 GMT 1
I'd ask if they minded waiting while I trotted out of the way first. If already in the situation of horse wanting to canter after others with no hope of sensible outcome then I'd ask for canter so it was at least my idea. With fatty I'd distract her with shoulder in etc and not let her go as have had far too many problems with her peeing off after other horses in the past to ever let her get away with it again and it is possible to persuade her to not do it now but once she does go the brakes really fail.
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Post by rosiesfriend on Jan 2, 2007 10:44:31 GMT 1
May pay also to work on your brakes... eg lots of transitions etc. and not say "yes" to such requests untill you know that you have the situation under control...
At least you know what is coming now and can anticipate it!!
How about when you are riding out with others, going to the end of where they are cantering to... and letting them catch up with you? That way you take yourself out of the situation, whilst allowing others to have a hoon.
And then sometimes if you wanted to canter... maybe you initiate it, and the others follow...
In combo with the practicing waiting while others move away in a safe environment as already suggested.
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Post by marianne on Jan 2, 2007 11:38:28 GMT 1
I have an unstoppable mare in these situations :-( so always have to make sure she's at the back of any group we're riding out with if there's a danger we'll be overtaken by other riders. NOT a pleasant feeling ...
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