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Post by kya on Mar 22, 2007 12:21:18 GMT 1
Please don’t be put off Confidence Gang, just a hitch..
What a frigging disaster. A year of riding Blue at all paces on my own (bar gallop) in woods, fields, roads. Faced traffic, weather, fears of young horse etc. Now this. Went for a joint hack with the intention of having a canter with a friend. We picked a long uphill track bordered by trees, checked the forestry guys were on tea-break etc. My friends on her TBX went first in trot rising to canter. Blue leapt after him and threw in four or five enormous bucks. Brakes non-existent. Horses head between legs with few leaps forward and galloping. I called out and Ali pulled up. Total f-g humiliation. Before anyone has a go- I let that horse have his head, I got up off his back, I was bloody breathing deeply and looking forward to the experience. It was downright dangerous.
Now- friend wants me to take him across a huge stubble field with her at the weekend and if necessary push him into gallop as he won’t be able to buck Blue was appalling on the way home and I led him back to the field with a bucket because he was yanking my arm with the rope. Kya the winner. Crushed.
Again Casper etc., don't fret. I cleary can't ride. Blubbering like a 40 year old baby.. over a horse. What a spoilt person.
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Post by Karon on Mar 22, 2007 12:26:33 GMT 1
Personally, I would say no to the stubble field - that could be way too dangerous to everyone. Ask if she'd mind going up the track again, and just stick to trot first. Once you've done that calmly and in control, try going ahead of your friend in canter. She'll have to hold her horse back a bit, possibly, but maybe Blue will be less inclined to be silly if he's in front? Explain to her that you just don't feel safe going out in the open to canter and will stick to places you feel happy at the moment. Have you got any steep hills you can canter up? I did this with Naz's first few canters (on her own) - by the time she was halfway up she was too done in to mess about! Don't worry, you sound as if you've done really well up to now so just see this as a temproary setback and another learning experience. I'd probably be exactly the same if it happened to me - one ride in company about 18 months ago Ash decided to canter sideways across a huge field instead of straight and I chickened out of cantering any more on that hack in case she did the same thing (which she tried to even when we were walking ).
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Post by Booze Fish on Mar 22, 2007 12:28:20 GMT 1
Oh bless you .... just when you think its going all to plan they chuck something else in the mix to mess it up. I havent experienced this before so not sure what advice I can give, only just keep your chin up and keep on fighting. Think friends suggestion is a bad idea .... You're not a bad rider, you've just had another set back. Keep ploughing on
Booze xXx
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Post by sara on Mar 22, 2007 12:31:42 GMT 1
I's deff second what Karon suggested, and try and steep hill and take him in front. Sounds like a scary day though
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Post by Louise C on Mar 22, 2007 12:40:45 GMT 1
Agree with Karon - he's clearly just not ready for this yet - but well done for staying on the bucks! You're clearly not a bad rider at all - just feel shaken at the moment - really not surprising at the moment.
I would also try going in front if your friend can hold her horse - shame you're not near me as Flynn goes anywhere - even though he prefers being in front.
I hate it when they buck - it's what Flynn does when he's worried about things - and he puts in real corkscrews - yuk. If he does do them it really sets me back so know where you're coming from.
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Post by finefilly on Mar 22, 2007 12:43:47 GMT 1
Oh kya, don't feel down. I've read your posts before and have nothing but admiration for your bravery and determination. I too have a horse that can buck like billy-o and run right through your hands. I didn't do what you did - after being bucked off AGAIN last autumn I said enough was enough with that horse. I still own him and he will stay with me for life but I'll never ride him again. It stopped being fun and I was scared of getting badly hurt. So you've got waaay more guts than me!
He just did what horses do and you can't blame him for that and you are certainly not a failure in any way.
I'm sure you won't be but don't be bullied into doing anything that you don't feel comfortable with. Personally I think your friends idea is madness (no offence) and is asking for trouble.
Karon's post is full of sensible advice - I agree that what she says is the way forward.
Chin up girlie - you're doing great x
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Post by Casper on Mar 22, 2007 12:44:43 GMT 1
You're a flipping great rider Kya, so don't doubt yourself hun. It was obviously just a little too exciting for Blue today. How about going out on a few more rides with this other horse first and do lots of trotting, you go in front, friend goes in front etc. And lots of transitions. And then after a few days try again. Could just have been a combination of excitement at racing along with a buddy, not having done that before etc.
As others have said the stubble field thing IMHO is so not a good idea. Don't get browbeaten into agreeing to it hun, do what you are comfortable with.
I am sure that with some more work in the company of this other horse things will be fine. We're all here rooting for you both xx
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Post by kya on Mar 22, 2007 12:46:09 GMT 1
Thanks everyone. Good cry over. I had to make a serious effort to be appreciative to Blue on return home- feel so let down. I know that's crazy, but I sort of put myself in his care this morning. Trusted him to get me past this wall of fear. Er- hello Kya- he's five!! Louise- I did allow myself that- sat the bucks without problem and did pull up. Just feeling low. There are people on the DG with much bigger problems this week. Sorry.
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boz
Olympic Poster
www.ballhillfarm.co.uk
Posts: 976
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Post by boz on Mar 22, 2007 12:48:31 GMT 1
Ok, so you did it and you are still alive to tell the tale so brilliant and well done, praise the small wins - they will build up to a big one. You just need to rethink what happened and set yourself up to succeed.......... Firstly you need to be in front to dictate the pace. your friend myst stay behind until you tell her and she must control her horse. Don't sit up off his back, sit deep hold the trot together, when you have the trot together simply apply the aids for canter and continue to sit deep, then hold the canter do not rise from your seat as yopu are using that to maintain speed and hold him together, only when you have that under control can you ask to accelerate, do not rise out of your seat. o not give him his head as that says yeeeeeeha. go forward in a steady canter for a hundred yards, then pat up and back to trot, maintain trot and then again up to canter. once you are fully in control your friend can come up alongside and you can trot and canter togather, but you must dictate the pace. use your voice to calm, but not a continuous steam of whittering, just CALM QUIET good lad etc. Each time you try this do it in a different place - do not let him dictate when and where you canter. If and when you are ready to do a standing canter - same thing applies but find an uphill gradient for the entire canter- the steeper the better, very difficult to buck going uphill and you can push him on safe in the knowledge he will tire before the hill ends. Please don't go in the stubble field until you are ready. You need to be in control of the speed - not him
Good luck - it will come soon and you will wonder what all the fuss was about
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Post by smudge on Mar 22, 2007 12:49:11 GMT 1
kya - i completely agree with karon. fine a steep hill, let him go first. can he be quite dominant with other horses?
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chloe
Grand Prix Poster
Kai's Mum
Posts: 2,609
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Post by chloe on Mar 22, 2007 12:50:56 GMT 1
Any chance you can swap horses with someone who's ned is rock solid, ride out together and have a canter - you can up your confidence by riding a horse whose behaviour is pretty guaranteed and the other rider can deal with Blue and push him on through it?
This is what I plan on doing with Dolly should her nonsense in the canter transition continue once she's out of season.
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Post by Louise C on Mar 22, 2007 12:55:54 GMT 1
One things for sure - Flynn would never have been that trustworthy as a 5 year old so with time and maturity you will have a different horse.
Also - your friend cannot control her horse - that is no way to have a good foundation - she needs to train him not to do the things he does. That is one of the reasons Flynn is such a pleasure to ride - I've put in the training, or he would probably be like your friends horse.
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Post by Karon on Mar 22, 2007 12:58:45 GMT 1
Oh yes, well done for staying on the bucks! I'd rather Ash went sideways than tried to buck, myself You'll get there, as long as you take it at a pace you're both happy with and don't allow anyone to push you past that until you feel ready.
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Post by sunnylynn11 on Mar 22, 2007 13:10:04 GMT 1
Zico got a bit like that before christmas, I thought that perhaps a really good gallop would get it out of his system, it didnt!, in fact it just made him worse (I didnt take him for a good gallop, my sharer did!), I then put him on steady up calming suppliment & made him hack out just at walk and trot for a while, till we gradually built up to having little canters here and there. Perhaps some horses are better after a good gallop, but like I say, it didnt work for Zico, I would stick to what others have said and dont go to stubble fields. Good luck hun x
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Post by kya on Mar 22, 2007 13:14:05 GMT 1
Thanks. Karon and Boz and all contributors, I think that's given me heart. We were going uphill by the way, nicely uphill, that's why the bucking, plunging routine (I called out 'we have a rodeo back here!!!') was such a shock. I thought I was taking pressure off his quarters so that he could balance himself and tried to leave his head alone- chilling when you're a ninny-hammer like me. I will try to instigate the ride you describe Boz.
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