argggg

LuanneCat

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Longish conflict of opinions with instructor, doh lol. Sorry pointless post, just venting, no replies expected.

Basically as part of my livery, which is a great deal, I have to name five other club members that can ride my mare in lessons. Thing is no one seems to have cracked her and I'm worried about her training.

Basically she has a reputation for being speedy and scary (she isn't in the slightest, 6yo sister can ride her fine, it's just a reputation inexplicably gained *confused face*) because of this at the slightest thing people pull
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. Clever mare uses this, leans totally on the hand and tanks and generally is a lazy moo as the rider ends up carrying her.

She is lazy and clever and I think this is the third evasion in her book
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LoL.

I found a long time ago that if I knot my rains and warm up at all paces without even holding them she lifts and balances herself. She then accepts a light contact and come into a proper outline with none of the trouble.

Actually friends 11yo daughter (who is western trained, hmm maybe that's it lol) has no problems, neither does my mum.

Instructor will not listen and just keeps telling people MORE rein MORE leg!! grrrr it is NOT possible to lift her off the forehand like that, erm or is it? Well it doesn't work with her and rider is exhausted and mare is laughing barely warmed up.

Am I stoooopid, mental and just a rubbish rider?

I was told by a top dressage rider that I had a lesson with that you had to think of it like the bit being in a creme pie. If you pull to hard, SPLAT in the face! LoL now am giggling again
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Was considering a Waterford, would like to see the cowbags lost little face as she went to lean on the bit and found it wasn't there. But then again I don't and even a 6yo doesn't have problems, but maybe it will be better for mare think to get one anyway?
 
Personally I wouldn't have anyone riding my horse - especially if she was not a straightforward type.
 
I really wish I had another option believe me
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. I have limited it to riders who have gained their stage 6 exam and above so should be very good but erm well. I do consider her straightforward, and I'm first to admit I'm not a great rider by any stretch of the imagination. But she is lazy if allowed when schooling.
 
Really wouldn't want to leave the riding club. Have just had a discussion with mum and sis and agreed it's more a case of several peoples incorrect rein handling causing bad habits. Am going to switch my list around and remove said people. Those two will not be impressed being replaced by an 11yo but I couldn't care less, it's best for my Horse, plus we're good friends anyway, they'll just take the mick, as it the style lol
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Some people, instructors included don't get they way some horses respond to leg/rein aids, and horses are very different in the way they react; ie when schooling our 12.3h NF Turbo, you have to have a fairly loose contact with the inside rein and use the outside one for controling the speed. using your body, bottom mostly and turning from the waist to control the direction. He schools beautifully like this. Ex instructor insisted I hold the reins so short, he just used to throw his head around.
On the other hand my 15.1h tb x likes you to have a contact with his mouth , its like a safety net thing!
Can you get a different instructor ?
 
Erm I'm confused here.(not hard to do some days
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)

If you are paying for livery why do other people have to ride your horse? Or is the livery at a riding school and you have to let others ride her and you get a reduced cost for your livery?
 
Thanks
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and so true.

Just to clarify, Instructor is a fabulous guy and a great friend, he would never let my girl suffer in the slightest.

Am going to muster the courage and ask the big man himself JC for a few lessons. He owns the place and has been breeding for over 50 years too. Although he's retired (at I think 74yo) am sure if he decides I'm worthy
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he might make an appearance. He bred my mare and knows her inside out. What that guy doesn't know isn't worth knowing. He is still often around and seems willing to help but people are slightly scared of him, bless.
 
Only let people with a good independent seat ride your horse. All horses will react in some way to bad riding. The reaction can range from being numb/switching off to becoming a ride of terror. Isn't yours a good girl for choosing a painless way of telling people that, in her opinion, they are cr*p and can't ride properly.
 
[ QUOTE ]
Erm I'm confused here.(not hard to do some days
tongue.gif
)

If you are paying for livery why do other people have to ride your horse? Or is the livery at a riding school and you have to let others ride her and you get a reduced cost for your livery?

[/ QUOTE ]

No it's not you. I am just confusing in the written form sometimes lol. It's a riding club/school/equestrian centre. Basically I get full livery with everything included and great facilities and hacking for either equivalent of just under £10 a week if I list people who can ride her in a lesson on Sat and Wed or £30 if I don't. Am going to change the list so only people that get on with her can ride her and it's the perfect deal
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.
 
[ QUOTE ]
Only let people with a good independent seat ride your horse. All horses will react in some way to bad riding. The reaction can range from being numb/switching off to becoming a ride of terror. Isn't yours a good girl for choosing a painless way of telling people that, in her opinion, they are cr*p and can't ride properly.

[/ QUOTE ]

Thank you, a pretty accurate assessment. Oh she told me she wasn't compatible with my friend in Wednesdays lesson. Am just really grateful to have such a lovely little mare and to have been able to read her. I can now change riders before something happened to my beloved horse or friend.
 
I had a similar problem a few years ago. My now aged mare could not bare contact, She would go at a flat out gallop with you. She responded to your seat and body movements perfect. So much you only had to think half halt and she would stop dead.
She was not ridden in lessons by others but when we had fun shows we had to swap horses. Most people totally refused to get on her as they said she was a lunatic
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Those that wished to i gave them a sort of lesson first. Once they knew how to ride her they found her easy.
Could you instruct the people how to ride yours?
 
Personally, I'd stump up the extra money so nobody else needed to ride.
 
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