Advice! Would you sell him?

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ReefurG

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I fell off my horse a few months ago on the road when he spooked at seemingly nothing. Since then I have lost all trust in him and I'm terrified of hacking him out. The thing is he was spooky when I first got him but he grew out of it and I'm wondering if it is just a phase but I know my complete terror when I get on is making him worse. I don't want to give up on him but I don't know if I'll ever get over it. I know he is getting bored to tears of going in the school and he has now started to spook in there too. Do you think a change in diet would help?
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Advice please!
 
Yes a change it diet could help, perhaps he is getting to much energy overall? Only you know whether or not you should sell him. Perhaps if you rebuild your confidence in little stages, get on and ride round school in walk once you are comfortable doing that then try a bit of trot etc.
 
How much turn out does he get coz this could also effect him?? Maybe also get someone a bit more confident to hack him out for you a couple of times a week until you feel brave enough to try it yourself.
 
Yes, I do feel like I should give him more of a chance. At the moment he is only getting a scoop of Hi-Fi lite and his Cortaflex plus haylage and approx 3hrs turnout a day. Someone told me to try a feed balancer as they said he may be deficient in something but he is an absolute angel in the stable so I figure that if it was a deficiency he would be a loon all the time. I've resorted to riding him in a standing martingale to keep his head down so it's harder for him to spook. I feel like such a failure, I hunted him all last season, now I don't even dare hack out!
 
YO very picky about which horses can be turned out together/which fields can be used etc so turnout is quite limited. Ideally I would like him to live out but it's not really an option.
 
I know exactly how you feel, I had a really bad fall from my 4 year old about 2 years ago now and since then I was petrified of him and couldnt get on him, my trainer said to sell him and get some thing else, but I hadnt had him that long and wanted to give him a chance, two years on and Im still weary of him, but confidence is something that takes seconds to loose, but a very long time to get back. You said you want to give him a chance, so do that. I cant give much advise, eccept keep at it and youll get there. Like I said, two years on with my boy and Im so glad I didnt give up on him and sell him, that would have been a huge mistake.
Def try changing his feed though, I had Arch on Calm and Condition and it did the complete opposite to calm!!
Keep us posted with your progess wont you and good luck.
 
try and think back to when you hunted him and how you felt then - you knew you could trust him then (at least thats the impression I get) its just your confidence that has deserted you. I know exactly how that feels. Take things slowly and just see how things go - and don't be too hard on yourself. If he is the sort of horse that takes confidence from his rider (like mine does) you may benefit from some Rescue Remedy to take the edge of your nerves. Maybe some TFT - I know others on here have tried it and found it really helpful. I think the lady's name is Jo Cooper.
 
I'd swap to hay if you can - haylage has more protein and makes some horses fizzy

In your case I would also consider an australian stock saddle. You can only fall out of these if your horse rears up very high, if they just nap, spin, or buck you cannot physically fall off. If nothing else might be a huge confidence boost. Plus they are very comfy!
 
Thing is - if you arent confident riding him, he will know - and this is when he is going to spook. You need to ride him forwards and he will gain confidence from you.
Can you get someone to ride out with you and take the lead, to help you build some confidence on him and trust him again?
 
Is an Australian stock saddle similar to a western?

I tried riding out with a friend yesterday on a very sensible horse, she rode on the outside of me because I was afraid he would spin into the traffic. Everything was going ok until he spooked at a driveway of all things and when he realised he couldn't spin sideways he went up and backwards instead! At which point I completely freaked and god knows how I didn't get off! The weird thing is he is really good with traffic, he seems to spook for no apparent reason. My trainer has hacked him out a few times and he has also done it with her, this time it was at a purple flower in the bushes! She is very confident and really rides him forwards when he does it. He seems to ignore my legs sometimes, maybe spurs would help?
Is it acceptable to have a horse and never hack out?!!

Might have to look into TFT as well.
 
Hi ya,

I think if this was me i would have a good think as to whether i could get my confidence back on the horse. Remember riding is supposed to be a pleasure and if you are nervous of him then you won't enjoy it. It isn't a short process to get your confidence back as you have to rebuild trust.

Do you have lessons? This may help first in the school and later out hacking. My instructor gives me huge amounts of confidence.

Do you have field you could ride in? This may be a good step between the school and hacking? or a sensible hacking companion? Could someone else hack him for a while? Maybe while you ride another horse you trust?

Would it be possible to walk him out in hand, this way he won't get bored and you've got time to get your confidence back before riding out.

Do you ride in a body protector, i wore one when breaking my youngster and i felt more confident in it.

Don't feel guilty if you do decide to sell him, horses are expensive hobbies and they should be enjoyed.

xxx
 
I agree that you should enjoy your horse, they are too much hard work not to!

However the fact that you hunted him all last season and he is so good in the stable makes me think that you might be better to keep him and persevere.

If you get something else the problem could always transfer on, once you have lost your confidence a change of horse doesnt always solve the problem.

Can you get someone to regularly walk or cycle out with you so that you have someone on hand to encourage you both and without the added problem of another horse.

My instructor cycled out with a friend of mine for ages before she found her confidence with her horse, which had been a total bag.

Dont push yourself too much just aim for small steps. The shortest hacks possible until you feel good, or riding around an empty paddock and dont venture further until you are happy.

Alternatively TFT or lessons on a schoolmaster might help you get your confidence back.
Good luck I hope it all works out for you.
 
I was in a similar situation really - I totally lost my confidence and trust on my previous horse, and in the end couldn't get 100 metres up the road without bursting into tears, and getting off, shaking. This was even with a friend driving alongside in her car, on a quiet sunday morning. The horse hadn't done anything major to warrant it, he was just on his toes a little because I was terrified and this was transferring to him, and because I didn't ride him enough so he had too much energy (he was 21!!!).

In the end I felt I couldn't get beyond that point (of total terror) on that horse, because I'd lost all my trust and couldn't actually get back out hacking because I was too scared, so couldn't build that trust and confidence back up. So, I sold him because the situation was doing neither of us any good.

What I'm saying is, if you feel you CAN get past this with your horse, you will. If you don't feel you can then don't be too hard on yourself and don't feel guilty if you feel you need to sell him.

If you decide to keep him, can someone else hack him out for you for now, just to get him out and about, while you work on building your confidence in the school?

Good luck with whatever you decide, and things will get better. After selling my previous horse I bought my ponio, and 5 months later my confidence is almost completely restored.
 
This is what I would do...

1. Find a yard where you can turn him out either all day, all night or 24/7 if you want to.
2. Find someone to hack out with so that you have company all the time. Chances are he won't spook if he's in company.
3. If you can't face hacking him out yet, find someone else who can do it for you so you can see that he will behave.
4. I can really recommend TFT to try and sort out your fears. It really helped me with jumping nerves. Google Jo Cooper and TFT. Jo is really lovely and I'm sure she'd be able to help.
5. Give him a chance.
 
Thanks so much for the advice everyone, think I am going to persevere with him. I will try get his turnout time increased if I can and I'm going to take it one step at a time with him, think I have been putting too much pressure on us both! Feeling much more optimistic!
 
If he has changed personality-wise it might be worth just getting his back/teeth etc checked out if you haven't already, just to make sure he isn't in any discomfort. It's possible you are mistaking a pain reaction for spooking, and if he was good before it's weird for him to just change overnight.

I've just seen your other reply that it seems to be for no apparent reason - I would def get back/teeth/tack checked out. If this is not normal behaviour for him and he has had no change in routine, diet etc, it's pretty likely to be a pain response to something. Good luck!
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That is a very good point, I hadn't thought that it could be pain of some sort. It is very strange how he does it for no particular reason and I havn't changed his routine at all (except he was obviously getting worked harder when we were hunting).
 
In fact, thinking about it he bit me really hard the other day when I was brushing him which is totally out of character, he has never ever even threatened to bite before.
 
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In fact, thinking about it he bit me really hard the other day when I was brushing him which is totally out of character, he has never ever even threatened to bite before.

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My horse started getting a bit nippy when being brushed and handled and generally looking a bit more miserable than normal. He was also being naughty when ridden. People told me he was being naughty and give him a smack, but when I had his back checked his pelvis was tilted - he is back to normal again now, as good as gold
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Yep if he's never been agressive before then def stop riding and get full checks, it could become dangerous if he's trying to tell you he's in pain (seen an unfortunate example of this recently). Where were you brushing him ie what part of the body?
 
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Is an Australian stock saddle similar to a western?

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Nope - they have poley knee rolls that hold you in place - plus you get them without horns (horned versions tend to be cheaper half way houses)

Gives you the confidence to sit there and boot them on, which solves the napping problem completely. I use them when breaking youngsters, or for old / nervous riders. Very useful bit of kit.
 
I was brushing him inside the top of his leg where his elbow is when he bit me.

About these stock saddles, does anyone know where I can buy one (for less than £500 if poss), also, how does the sizing work? My horse is a 15.1hh TB and I am 5ft 4 (dress size 12).
 
Firstly 3 hours turnout per day for a highly strung horse is just not enough unless they are being well and truly worked. If you want to keep the horse, you really do need to be somewhere where he can be turned out as much as possible - I think you would find a drastic change in his behaviour. Switch to high fibre haylage or hay. If you are feeding rye grass haylage, this is giving him lots of energy. Also try a calmer.
 
Hi,sorry to hear you are having problems. I can only second the good advice you have been given (look at feed, turnout and eliminate pain as a possible cause). Once these have been done, I think it is worth at least trying to overcome your fear before you decide its not the horse for you. Make a plan, get some help and support, and be pleased with small steps.It can take a lomg time to get your confidence back.
Good luck
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