Am I just being ridiculously (stupidly) naive?

C

Cedars

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Hi guys,

Ok so here's the thing, we have a mare who's just had surgery for kissing spines, only two weeks on so getting a bit ahead of myself here!!

Basically, she's a tbx, 15.2, and we bought her for my OH to do a bit of dressage on and for his mum and I to have as a happy hack. Long story short, his mum is never going to get back on her (as she reared up and over, landing on her...!), and my OH has a broken shoulder and I'm not sure he's going to be able to ride her for a long, long time.

I've been riding since I was 9, but only properly progressed in the last 2 or 3 years. Can jump confidently to about 2ft5, pretty confident with my schooling. I really want to be able to work with Dotty, bring her back into work, school her etc, but am I just being stupidly naive? Does she need more than I can give? I know I'm a good rider, but I'm no Mary King!

Just feeling a bit down on myself, wondering whether I'm overhorsed and whether I'll be really unfair on Dotty.

Thoughts? Toffe-apple mini crossiants for anyone who got this far.

Hannah x
 
Tasteofchaos - I do have a riding instructor I'd have lessons with, I already do just not on Dotty. Just not sure I ride well enough! Might ruin her.

xxxxx
 
With a good trainer (one who gets on well with both you and the horse) there is no reason why you shouldn't be able to do this by yourself. (Unless things get more difficult in which case you will need to reevaluate (not sure how many 'e's to put in that!)...)

What you might want to consider (after all the non-ridden building up and bonding work you'll probably have/want to do) is asking your RI to get on first.

Your horse probably reared over backwards becasue she was panicing and in pain. The operation will probably have fixed the pain but horses do remember things so you'll have to go gently with her building up her confidence to fix the panicing.

I ride a horse who had reared over backwards just being tacked up he was that scared (he wasn't in a great state when his present owner got him and who knows what had happened before...). A calm, confident RI got his owner on board. He has never, ever reared with me on top and has built my confidence no end. So, there is certianly hope for you :-)
 
She's one of mybest friends, not sure she'd tell me the truth! =[ Long story short but I cant have a lesson with any other instructor at the yard. Hoping maybe it'll become obvious?!
 
Tickles, thanks so much for that. C would ride her first, without any problems, its just that at some point I'll have to get on!!! Think lots of rescue remedy will help!

Spending loads of time with her, touching her back and tummy and teaching her it doesnt hurt, so hopefully with loads of work putting saddle on and off etc etc will help too.

If someone else gets on first and she doesnt rear up I'll be much more confident - but what if she does?

LmuirEDT - i didnt feel overhorsed to hack out on her before, btu I did in the school, she was quite a handful and i only ever hacked her out (she used to rear on the way into the school, tank off etc)

xxxxx
 
I see. I think u should go for it. I find if I push myself just a little bit more each day, without realising it u can come on loads. U'll have good and bad days (without the kissing spines issue). My horse has been going lovely and so relaxed lately but Monday I didn't even get out of trot cos I thought I would end up in orbit!
 
It sounds to me as though her previous behaviour was related to the KS. You will need to take things very slowly as part of her rehab anyway, so I would think that you will build your confidence as you rebuild hers. I am sure that having a trusted RI on the ground ( and maybe to get on first) will be a big help.
 
Thanks guys, feeling a bit better than none of you think I've being completely ridiculous!

Stood outside her box today watching her munch her hay, she's so blooming beautiful, i love her. Just hope we can do whats right xxxxx
 
I certainly don't think you are being ridiculous, but may I be a bit more cautious than other posters so far?

If I understand correctly the mare had fairly difficult problems (rearing and running off), probably due to the KS and is now (I assume) on box rest after the op? I think there are two potential sources of difficulty:

- hopefully the op will have sorted out the pain from the KS, but the memory of the pain may well still be there, so it is likely she may still try to rear and run off. If this has become a learned behaviour it may take a while (months) to get her out of the habit.

- if she is coming back to work from box rest she will be uncommonly lively and likely to play up because of this.

Would you be happy riding a horse that is likely to be a handful, rear up and try to run off? Only you can answer this question, but personally I would send her to a professional to assess and re-school and then consider my options.

Good luck whatever you decide to do!
smile.gif
 
Booboos - please be more cautious, dont even mind if people are rude so long as tehy're truthful!

You're right, she is on box rest after her op for at least another 4 weeks, and then she has 6 weeks lunging (starting at 5mins a day up to 30mins a day) so although when we get back on her after that she wont have been ridden, she will have been worked quite a bit. So I'm hoping she wont be lively?!?! Do you think she'll be lively just being ridden again, even if shes been lunged?

We cant afford to have her professionally reschooled =[ but do have all the time in the world to give to her. I think maybe the best plan is to get my instructor to ride her for the first two times, I have a habit of panicking so if she ran off I might make it worse!

xxxxx
 
Ít really depends on the horse. I suppose I am more cautious as I had to do 5 months complete box rest and then another 4 months box rest and gradual exercise and the horse went totally loopy. In retrospect I wish I had sent him away.

Of course if that is not an option that is perfectly understandable as the rehab yards are quite expensive.

Again it depends on the horse, but my chap was not back to normal until he was able to be turned out again. However, things you can do which can help include giving her ACP to calm her down or using a horse walker (some horses are calmer on the walker than on the lunge). Getting your friend to sit on her for the first couple of weeks until you can see how she is responding is also a really good idea.

I don't think you should worry about making things worse!!! She will be perfectly fine with you riding her. The only worry is whether she might give you a fright, but again only you can decide whether you feel safe enough to ride her.
 
Did your lad calm down once he'd been turned out for a while? We could always turn her away for a week or two before bringing her back into ridden work.

Definitely will be trying calmers!!!!!

Can I ask how much it cost to send yours away?

xxxxx
 
He was MUCH better even when he was initially turned out in a really small paddock and back to normal when he could go out in the big field and run around like a maniac with the other horses!!! He did have to put up with 9 months of box rest though which was very tough.

If the vet thinks its OK for her to go out, I would definately chuck her out for a couple of weeks before doing anything with her (be a bit careful the first time she goes out after box rest, she may go loopy, but ACP can really help - your vet should be able to advise).

I never sent T away, I did him all myself (and it was a nightmare!). I have been lucky enough not to have anything else that needed prolonger box rest since (if they need a week or two I will still turn them out but in a small pen). I am not sure about prices but I imagine rehab yards may be something between 120 to 190 a week, so quite expenssive!
 
9 MONTHS?!?!? Good god woman you must have been pulling your hair out?!?!? I've had enough already and I've only done 2 weeks!!!!

Definitely going to get hold of some ACP from the vet before we turn her out, last time she was in for a week she went absolutely loopy, galloping and bucking and flybucking and bouncing, it was pretty mad (although beautiful, she moves incredibly, well, moved =[ ) so we'll need something to stop that!

Think we'll turn her out for 2/3weeks - she can be turned out in a small paddock in 6 weeks, then after that turned out properly, before we start riding her again. Good plan batman!

xxxx
 
It was really tough! Unfortunately the poor horsey had one of the worst cases of bilateral stifle OCD the vet had seen and there was no other option. Even worse the problem recurred 18 months after the op so it was all, in a sense, in vain, but what can you do? There was no way of knowing this at the beginning and it was his best chance.

Anyway, it was years ago!!! Sounds like you have a good plan for your girl, I am sure she will be a star! Good luck!
 
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