ADVICE NEEDED !!

[novicerider101xx]

Hiya,
So I've recently started to ride again, rode a bit when i was younger but nothing serious, I have been going for regular lessons once a week for the past year now. Confident in walk, trot, canter. I have been thrown of and had injuries a few times now and just wondering what to do now. Completely understand that being thrown off is part of horse riding but it seems that its only me who gets bucked off, horse spooks etc. The ponies that I ride are the same ones they put a 4/5 year old beginner on. Not sure if its just that I have bad luck or that the ponies are used to just walking around with a toddler on the back so when I ask them to do more tricky stuff they go a bit crazy LOL.

Any advice for next steps because I want to continue riding just being constantly thrown of isnt much fun either??? Do i continue at my regular place, move riding schools, get my own horse??? Im a bit stuck on what to do. Thanks xx

 

[kc921]

I would not recommend getting your own horse. It sounds like you have alot to work on and owning a horse isn't just about riding, it's about the care for the animal as well.

I would ask your instructor where you are going wrong and let them advise you from there.

To me if you are constantly being thrown off it sounds like there is an issue with your seat and balance.

If your instructor won't provide you with advice then move riding schools.

 

[mini_b]

Welcome to the forum!

Constantly getting chucked off a pony suitable for novices would suggest to me that you aren’t ready to take on a horse or share of your own yet.
You need to invest in some more lessons on a more forgiving horse to work on (quite rightly mentioned above) your seat and balance.

This is something you need to discuss with your instructor as you are paying them for an education.
Ask for a more suitable beginner pony or look at moving somewhere that can provide this.

Good luck!

 

[novicerider101xx]

I would not recommend getting your own horse. It sounds like you have alot to work on and owning a horse isn't just about riding, it's about the care for the animal as well.

I would ask your instructor where you are going wrong and let them advise you from there.

To me if you are constantly being thrown off it sounds like there is an issue with your seat and balance.

If your instructor won't provide you with advice then move riding schools.

hey!
i get were you are coming from with the balance and seat position but my instructor is saying it is fine and we have done a lot of work on it as well. when the horse bucks and spooks whilst in canter im not really sure how im meant to stay on- i try but if it wants me of it will get me of?. Thanks a lot tho.

 

[kc921]

hey!
i get were you are coming from with the balance and seat position but my instructor is saying it is fine and we have done a lot of work on it as well. when the horse bucks and spooks whilst in canter im not really sure how im meant to stay on- i try but if it wants me of it will get me of?. Thanks a lot tho.

My horse is very sharp when he spooks, I have learnt to go with his spooks rather than against them.
Try sitting deeper in your saddle and not to be tense.
Also if you are nervous on this horse you may grip with your knees, without realising, this can also cause you to become unbalanced and unseated.

I would say what was said above ask your instructor for a more beginner horse, if they can't or won't, I would move riding school as you may progress more elsewhere ?

 

[mini_b]

hey!
i get were you are coming from with the balance and seat position but my instructor is saying it is fine and we have done a lot of work on it as well. when the horse bucks and spooks whilst in canter im not really sure how im meant to stay on- i try but if it wants me of it will get me of?. Thanks a lot tho.

More experienced riders wouldn’t come off with a spook or a buck in canter. Perhaps this pony isn’t right for you at this stage of your learning, or your instructor is not being entirely forthcoming about your partnership with this pony.

A good instructor will build your confidence and not put you in a position where you are coming off at every opportunity.

You said “if the pony wants you off, it will get you off” - this is not really fair on you who is paying for lessons as it’s not suited for its job.

 

[SibeliusMB]

hey!
i get were you are coming from with the balance and seat position but my instructor is saying it is fine and we have done a lot of work on it as well. when the horse bucks and spooks whilst in canter im not really sure how im meant to stay on- i try but if it wants me of it will get me of?. Thanks a lot tho.

Good afternoon OP,
This response reads like you're not interested in receiving actual advice. With your riding level and current problems you've described, I don't think anyone here will recommend you get your own horse yet. You are likely going to receive a lot of suggestions to ask for a more suitable school horse or pony to ride, or change schools.

Based on the input you've received from your current instructor despite the fact you continue to struggle, I would lean toward changing schools. At least book a lesson with a reputable school and see what that new instructor has to say. Compare notes and make your decision then.

And yes, riders with proper foundation can sit most bucks/spooks even in canter.

 

[Leandy]

hey!
i get were you are coming from with the balance and seat position but my instructor is saying it is fine and we have done a lot of work on it as well. when the horse bucks and spooks whilst in canter im not really sure how im meant to stay on- i try but if it wants me of it will get me of?. Thanks a lot tho.

I do dislike it when people refer to being "thrown off". Whilst it does happen, horses rarely intend to get a rider off. More often the rider falls off because the horse does something they did not expect it to do and are caught off balance. That is not the horse's fault. What is happening here can be broken down into three parts I think. (A) A good rider knows how the horse is likely to react in different circumstances and so is not taken by surprise so easily. (B) a good rider anticipates and rides the horse so as to avoid the situation almost before it happens or if it does happen eg a crafty buck, responds instinctively to keep the horse's head up and to either pull it up or to kick it on out of it, whichever is most appropriate at the time - ie he is not just a passenger (C) a good rider has a much "stickier" seat than a novice rider, this is about learning to read the horse's reactions in advance and also about being physically secure in the saddle which is not just about position but also about sufficient muscle tone and balance and about being quick to respond subconsciously to retain balance etc. So I think in summary you just need to work to gain all these things, which means riding as much as you can and as many different horses as you can. Work on becoming an effective rider who rides and influences the horse positively. If you are regularly being taken advantage of by horses or are falling off at other unexpected events, you are not riding the horse, you are just a passenger to be tossed around like trying to stand up on a train when it is rattling around. You need to develop a more effective partnership with the horses you are riding. Your instructor should be able to help with all this and if they don't then you should find a better one who can help you be effective.

 

[Kaylum]

What I would do is find a mechanical horse. They are fab for all levels and you can concentrate on your position without losing control, to build confidence and balance.

 

[mini_b]

What I would do is find a mechanical horse. They are fab for all levels and you can concentrate on your position without losing control, to build confidence and balance.

They are brilliant! I second this!

 

[Charley657]

If your instructor is saying its not your seat or you as a rider but the horses are spooking and bucking then I would consider moving to a different riding school that has horses and ponies that are suitable for your level of experience. Falling off does happen to everyone but you should be able to learn on ponies who are well behaved enough to not buck you off. I wouldn't recommend getting your own right now, the market is crazy and if you give yourself another couple of years you will be in a better position (no pun intended) then.

 

[LegOn]

Just to ask - do you mean ponies in the 'fun term for all horses' or actually 14.2 and under animals? I will say I've seen many a VERY experienced rider not be able to sit to a pony buck because they are too tall for the pony and the rider/horse combo isnt right, by VERY experienced I mean a 4 star eventer trying to school their kids pony - not a heavy rider but just tall!!!

It could be that the horse/rider combo just isnt the right balance? Could you ask for a slightly larger like 15.3h horse that is for a beginner and see how you feel? I think you could always try a different riding school to see how you get on!

Not gonna lie aswell when I was learning to ride in a riding school, sometimes the saddles were just all wrong for me & really put me forward & found myself hanging around the neck a few times at some messing that really I knew I could sit otherwise!

 

[novicerider101xx]

Just to ask - do you mean ponies in the 'fun term for all horses' or actually 14.2 and under animals? I will say I've seen many a VERY experienced rider not be able to sit to a pony buck because they are too tall for the pony and the rider/horse combo isnt right, by VERY experienced I mean a 4 star eventer trying to school their kids pony - not a heavy rider but just tall!!!

It could be that the horse/rider combo just isnt the right balance? Could you ask for a slightly larger like 15.3h horse that is for a beginner and see how you feel? I think you could always try a different riding school to see how you get on!

Not gonna lie aswell when I was learning to ride in a riding school, sometimes the saddles were just all wrong for me & really put me forward & found myself hanging around the neck a few times at some messing that really I knew I could sit otherwise!

Yes under 14.2- for reference Im about 5’5 /5’6 and weigh about 50kg.

 

[mini_b]

Yes under 14.2- for reference Im about 5’5 /5’6 and weigh about 50kg.

How do you feel about the pony you are riding is suited to you?
Do you fall off the same one every time or do you ride a few different ones with the same outcome?

 

[novicerider101xx]

How do you feel about the pony you are riding is suited to you?
Do you fall off the same one every time or do you ride a few different ones with the same outcome?

The first one was rather over weight but a few months later she is seriously ill and cant be ridden anymore. She was a good horse to ride and suited me very well. The second horse was okay to ride. I have ridden other horses that as a horse and rider get on really well and haven’t had an issue with. Just because its a riding school you tend to get put on the same one each time.

 

[mini_b]

The first one was rather over weight but a few months later she is seriously ill and cant be ridden anymore. She was a good horse to ride and suited me very well. The second horse was okay to ride. I have ridden other horses that as a horse and rider get on really well and haven’t had an issue with. Just because its a riding school you tend to get put on the same one each time.

Ok that didn’t answer my question really so can’t help much further on the matter!
Sounds like you need an honest and open chat with your instructor.

 

[PeterNatt]

The horses you are being given to ride are clearly totally unsuitable for someone to learn to ride on, which i would suggest is a reflection of the riding establishment you are at. I would strongly recommend that you find another establishment to ride at which provides safe horses for you to ride on. Horses in a riding school should not buck, rear or spook.

 

[ownedbyaconnie]

Ponies are master of the sudden shoulder drop and bugger off in the opposite direction move. This used to get me off all the time because I gripped with my knees and was often too far forward. Lots of lessons later and my seat is 100x better and I also know the warning signs that my pony is about to get cheeky so I can stop it before it happens.

Being able to sit a buck is really quite a fundamental skill you need under your belt. My pony is an angel but take her out for a gallop with her pony pals on a big flat open field and I expect to sit an excited buck or two.

So I’d say with all due respect your seat isn’t as good as you think and lots of lessons on the lunge so you can concentrate on your seat without worrying about the horse would do you wonders.

 

[ester]

The aim is very much not to fall off with a spook or a buck, that comes with improved skill/seat/core strength and just general experience.
It also sounds to me like you maybe aren't having as effective an influence that you could be having on your mounts to prevent that behaviour in the first place. Of course it still happens sometimes, but prevention even better.

 

[1523679]

I’m surprised that your riding school is using the same pony for a 4 year old child and a 5ft6, 50kg rider, as you’ve said is the case.

It sounds like the school lacks a suitable range of ponies. Your feet must be dragging on the ground - or those 4 year olds’ feet don’t even reach the bottom of the flaps.

Even the most sainted lead-rein school ponies have their limits. IME, when this type of pony wants shot of its rider, it’s because said rider’s balance is so all over the place that it’s hurting the animal.

If your riding school has allowed this to continue to the extent that you’ve ended up on the ground on multiple occasions, it’s probably time to seek instruction elsewhere.

Now would NOT be the best time to buy your own horse. Persist with lessons, but probably at a different school.