Am i just rubbish or was she trying to tell me something?

[EquestrianFairy]

Ive had my new girlie for about two months now, in that time we've had to install some weight into her, sort out an abcess, re-shoe her and introduce her into her new surroundings.

Now she has a tendancy to be nappy and for some reason i wimp out and i get off and walk her to where i want her to be.

I dont trust her at all very much, even though shes done nothing to make me feel this way- i just seem to loose every ounce of confidence i have unless i have an instructor standing there.

Anyway, today she was nappy up to the school so i walked her up- got on and walked around, then no sooner did i ask for trot she spun and marched to the gate.
I continued to push on and she continued to spin so i kept making her walk past (walking was fine, but again no way was i getting more than a few strides of trot out of her)

I gave up after a 30 mins and ended on a good note of some good bending.

She had her jabs 2 days ago (never had them done so i started up them) Also, her new saddle is on order but shes had a full MOT around 4 weeks ago.

Was she just feeling funny or am i rubbish?

 

[westernriderH]

My horse always tries to walk to the gate - he's just so amazingly lazy that he wants to get out of the school and have his tea! She's probably just wanting to get out of doing work, well done for pushing her on

you're not rubbish!

 

[amzy]

That sounds just like me and my pony, especially in the school. I always look round to make sure no-one is watching my pathetic attempts to gain one circuit in trot without the napping, stopping, bucking, etc. I put it down to me being rubbish but who knows...

 

[Sprout]

I am glad its not just me - I hate this "getting to know them" bit, I wish I could fast forward to the part when you know them inside out, know which buttons to press, and when they dont try to test you all the time!

 

[EquestrianFairy]

[ QUOTE ]
I am glad its not just me - I hate this "getting to know them" bit, I wish I could fast forward to the part when you know them inside out, know which buttons to press, and when they dont try to test you all the time!

[/ QUOTE ]

God i know what you mean!

 

[Parkranger]

EF - don't worry, alot of us go through this but you HAVE to put your foot down now. My new boy is a bit of a spinner. It's never a rear/spin but he is nappy.

First thing is to get a fulmer on her - it will stop her having the ability to slide the bit through her mouth and go in the direction she chooses.

Secondly, and it is scarey first time, but you really need to boot her and let her know that she cannot go in the direction she wants.

If she was going to rear, after 2 months she would have done it by now, so get that out of your head (this was a major worry for me!)

It will be a week of battles but you will win hun x

 

[EquestrianFairy]

Shes in a full cheek snaffle... gahhhh!! Does that make me even more rubbish?!!

I feel like sh1t, i hate this 'new horse stuff' i find it regresses me back like 13 years!

 

[kazs]

not on your own im going through new horse too, had him nearly 3 weeks now, got him from riding school who i was riding, fealt really confident on him but now i have him home and new surroundings, i dont know him enough to know what hes gonna do or not do, need to be firm and show em whos boss, then the confidence will come followed by the trust, it takes time but you will get there. (why cant i isten to my own advice!)

 

[goeslikestink]

dont get off-- stop and count take a deep breath and carry on as forwards and focus every time you get off the horse wins

so knows your no.. so dont-- just stop have a recount take a deep breath and try again

 

[Spot_the_Risk]

My horse was/is always naughty in the school, even after 11 years together he can be a bit of a sod. I found it a lot easier if I lunged him first, he is never fit but always tries to canter and trot on the lunge, so after ten minutes he's a bit puffed. Whilst your girl is still standing still puffing, haul yourself on board, and immediately you've got the upper hand. Get her going again before she knows what's happening, letting a nappy horse stand still seems to give them thinking time! Don't worry that this is 'wimping out', the horse doesn't know any better!

 

[Box_Of_Frogs]

It's not that you're rubbish EF, it's just your new ned trying to make her own rules up! Not trying to teach you to suck eggs but my boy can do this in the school in a gentlemanly sort of way and I have always been taught to put my crop in my OUTSIDE hand w-a-y before the gate, ride firmly forwards and either BEFORE or AS you go past the gate, tip your crop forward and tap ned smartly on the shoulder to let her know you know damn well what she's gonna try and do. Do it in walk until you've got an obedient ned then up it into trot (ned will probably go back to her original napping again) until she knows you're onto her games, then same again for canter. You have to make YOUR level of response equal the level of HER bad manners. So my boy is (as I said) quite sort of gentlemanly about this - so all he needs in walk and trot is a couple of circuits with my crop in my outside hand just to remind him. He ups the ante in canter coz he knows I'm not as brave in that pace so he might need a smart tap on his shoulder for a few laps and he might need more reminders off and on! Don't ever stop her by the gate or do downward transitions there. On your hacks, if you're not feeling brave I would say by all means get off and lead your ned until you have both settled again. The important thing is you keep moving forward. I'd stick to teeny hacks to begin with and try to imagine your instructor is walking alongside you shouting SIT UP and PUT YOUR LEG ON and GIVE HER SMACK ON HER SHOULDER and all sorts of stuff like that. When I first got my new ned, I had my RI give me a couple of "lessons" out on a hack, her on one ned, me on mine. It can be a great way to build your confidence with a new ned. But don't mistrust your new girl too much - sounds like she's just seeing how little she can persuade you to make her do! xxx