Any ideas?

[Pony_Puzz]

Bit of a background to get going...

My mare is a Welsh D x Standardbred mare, 14.3/15hh who's going 12 and is a bit quirky (bay in the sig). She's brilliant in busy environments as there is too much going on for her to focus on one thing and be really spooky (like she is at home). Last year (Oct) I bought my pony who is mostly safe and sane to gain some confidence and start going out places, jumping etc (the coloured). He's helped me loads and has allowed me to go out to college (admittedly he bucked me off twice) but it hasn't knocked me back too much. However yesterday I rode my mare and it just felt weird and scary. I felt totally insecure and in over my head on her height/width. She's only 2 inches or so bigger than my pony but a lot wider and has to have a very light contact. Afterwards I got on my pony and it seemed like I was a totally different rider.

Is it weird for me to feel like this? I just went to shambles!

Also would it maybe be a good idea to get a sharer/loaner off the yard? I don't really want to let her go anywhere as she has the best temperament ever, brilliant to do anything on the ground with and she trusts me from the ground. Honestly am fighting with myself over this one.

 

[MrsMozartletoe]

It sounds like you and the pony just click/suit each other . The mare and you, maybe not so much at the moment.

A sharer could be a good plan - that way you don't lose the contact completely, but in the meantime you can continue to build your confidence and skills on your pony . Win win me thinks

 

[VioletStripe]

What MrsM said, a sharer could be quite good! Plus, I know how you feel, when I swap off riding the 13.2hh pony which I sometimes ride to the 15.1hh horse that I otherwise ride, I feel really really weird and insecure. Don't worry! xx

 

[Pony_Puzz]

Its just finding someone willing to in this area. I don't even mind if they only come up at the weekend or something, would have to be someone who is confident, loves jumping (she's too quick for me) and doesn't mind working on her a bit as her canter is a bit funny (silly standardbred in her).

Is there anywhere specific to advertise?

 

[Pony_Puzz]

Its amazing what a bit of width and height do! Pony has a small neck, not a huge body and is generally on the lazier side of life (until we went to college) whereas she's forward with leg still needed, very light contact and can very easily try to evade the contact by going overbent. She also would happily take someone around 3 courses of a showjumping ring without tiring too much as we found out last year by putting her around a course of 11 or 12 jumps for her first ever course, she did it in about 50 seconds or something ridiculous!