Brave Pants Advice Required

[CanteringCarrot]

Physical stuff aside, it is crucial to be confident when starting or riding a just backed young horse. A lot is new to them and they can rely on the rider for confidence and reassurance. You're the leader of this herd of 2, so you've got to be there. If not, they know. They feel it. Some will take charge, some will panic, or be very nervous.

I might be inclined to turn him away for a while, maybe even a year or so, and bring him slowly back into it with the right trainer. No rush with these big athletic ones. In the meantime, I'd be riding a schoolmaster type to get my confidence back up and to school myself.

You can also do groundwork stuff with him. May give you both confidence and something to do. You can take lessons this way too.

 

[Casey76]

I think he’s had an awful lot thrown at him in the last 6 months - gelding, away from home, being backed, having a wobble in the round pen, and having the fright of his rider becoming unbalanced and falling. It’s probably overloaded his baby brain.

he is huge for a 3/just-3 yo and that is a huge amount of body to try and balance with a rider on, so he might have given himself a scare and possibly hurt himself when you tried riding him in the round pen.

I would be tempted to give him quite some time off to allow him to mature a bit more and restart him in a year or so.

of course, you can also sell and restart with a fresh clean sheet where you don’t have this worrying away in your head.

‘’I had something similar happen with my newly backed horse - he got spooked by an idiot in a car when I was having my first off-lunge trot in the arena, and I ended up with a concussion and a mullered hip. I persevered with him, but I never recovered my confidence with him, even though I know it wasn’t malicious in any way. I loved the absolute bones of him, but no matter what I did, I always had a little niggle in the back of my head that I wasn’t “safe” even if he was being as good as gold.

 

[tristar]

he was asked the impossible to trot under saddle in a circle in a small area, was he lunged first? and where

if he was mine i would get out there in the morning and lunge him gently in a big square and circle for a few minutes each way, with the saddle not done up over tight, then groom then take him out for a walk down the lane for say 30 minutes, off his bridle, using the voice to halt, walk on and a little trot, make it making a friend time together, then i would long rein him somewhere safe, just casually, but well, with lots of praise, i would do that every day for 5 days, then next week play at little cross poles, two to start, show him a new way but dont ride him, after week lean over his back and do the patting thing, then get someone confident to just sit on him, i would not attempt to ride him for a least 6 weeks, and review the attitude then

the emphasis being that this is a relationship, in which he can trust, you need to show him the way by putting his needs first then when he understands he will have confidence

the poor soul needs to know he is not alone and learn that not everyone is going to challenge him until he says, ``cant ``

only a fool asks a horse that size to trot in pen, and there is a word for the one who asks him to go in a circle in a small space with a rider onboard.

 

[Roxylola]

I agree that the horse would benefit (immensely) from being turned away. However, I also agree with the point of view that he's probably not right for the OP and that they shouldn't persist with keeping him.
In an ideal world I'd turn away for 12 months, bring back in for ground work and restarting with a view to sending him away to be started and sold.

 

[maya2008]

I wonder if your sweet immature horse went away to be backed and was swept along by the timetable, without being able to have the time to generate the muscle needed for the job. The confident pro said, ‘do this, in this way’ so he did it, but is a little sore as a consequence of just being so big and gangly and having to suddenly hold himself differently, carry weight etc.

I have had horses backed and ridden away in a week, and ones that took months - the end result was the same for both ends of that. Both are now looking after novices - kind and happy souls who love to care for their rider and have fun together. Neither was ready for anyone with any nerves until 6yo or thereabouts, one is now a first ridden at 15 and the other looks after my novice husband at 6yo. Neither was ready to go on the bit comfortably before 4yo and both spent their early education hacking out - as have all my others. Time to develop balance, strength, confidence.

I also agree that horses often bronc when they lose their footing as youngsters, or when anything surprises them really. There’s bucking into canter also and some rear. Young horses are unpredictable, challenging and often not fun. I have seen otherwise capable riders, who have good seats and have competed successfully for years, really struggle with a young horse. It is a different set of skills. I can produce a well mannered, sensible all-rounder from unhandled youngster but have never got past Elementary dressage for example.

I hope your finger heals soon. Take some time and think - you could turn away, or sell on, or get some in-person help to assess the situation and help you as you move forwards. Be aware that not all good riders or instructors are experienced with young horses though, and choose wisely. There is no shame in getting some help (or in deciding this is not for you!).

 

[Ample Prosecco]

Totally agree with maya2008. Young horses are hugely rewarding but they are not easy. My friend backed one last year which went fine. But she has another this year and it was going very pear shaped with the horse just losing the plot and going into crisis 'ditch the rider' mode whenever she got scared. Which was often! After coming off twice they accepted she was not for them to back so she went off to a fab trainer. Not all horses are hard work but some can be and I don't think it really reflects how they turn out in the end. As long as the backing is done well in the first place and they are helped to feel confident about ridden work horses who were challenging initially can become lovely and reliable.

 

[Whoopit]

The horse isn’t for sale but thanks to people who’s knee-jerk advice reaction is to sell it.

I don’t ride in a round pen - I have a 20x40 indoor and a 40x60 outdoor. The pen was at the breakers.

I’m going back to lunging and hopping on and off and hopefully once he’s a mentally maturing phase, we’ll be up and running. Thank you to people have given the words of encouragement I was asking for ?

 

[Parrotperson]

Whoopit that's a harsh reaction to people who have given you their honest advice (which you asked for). Nit everyone is going to agree with you on a forum.

Let's hope you're right and they are wrong. I wish you luck but you need to learn to listen imho. And get a good instructor. you're going to need one.

 

[cauda equina]

I hope things settle down and you begin to enjoy him again

 

[littleshetland]

That is a little harsh Whoopit. You asked for opinions, and you got them. I don't think it's relevant if you have a round pen or not...the fact is you rode your unbalanced baby round in one, which I think everyone universally agreed, it was not a great idea. I'm not sure from your post wether you intend to turn the horse away again for some months....I personally hope you do, and I think others here agree with me. Big horses tend to be quite weak as baby's and the best thing you can offer him is time to grow mentally and physically. However, wishing you good luck with him.

 

[maya2008]

It’s a forum. People will give you their honest opinion. Hope all goes well and you are happily posting about your success in months to come.

 

[Quigleyandme]

I’m 63 tomorrow and my two impulse purchase RID youngsters are going away for backing whilst I attend my son’s wedding in the UK. I am more worried about this than I was when I left my then 11 year old son at boarding school to be honest. I‘m not going to do any ridden work with them until next summer when I will get a pro to restart them but only do as much as the horses appear capable of and comfortable doing before I take over to bring them on slowly with pro help. I will continue their education on the ground in the meantime. One of mine is 17hh and looks more immature than my 16hh which looks like a horse already.

 

[paddy555]

The horse isn’t for sale but thanks to people who’s knee-jerk advice reaction is to sell it.

I don’t ride in a round pen - I have a 20x40 indoor and a 40x60 outdoor. The pen was at the breakers.

I’m going back to lunging and hopping on and off and hopefully once he’s a mentally maturing phase, we’ll be up and running. Thank you to people have given the words of encouragement I was asking for ?

I was one who suggested you sell because you asked for advice

some of that was based on your comment that you were "feared of getting on the bliddy thing" You got off shaking life a leaf.

That does not bode well for successful breaking of a 17hh 3yo IMHO. Young horse/nervous rider.

some was based on the fact that with a young daughter I didn't want you to get seriously hurt after the horse had already thrown you once. It doesn't matter where the round pen was, I was just amazed someone would do that with a very large very young horse and expect everything to be OK a

Lunging is fine and so is hopping on and off but at some stage you have to ride the horse and deal with his standard young ridden horse problems.

I wish you luck but I just wish that if people ask for advice on here they would say in their OP that they don't want anything negative, they just want people to say everything will be fine when it screams out it won't

I hope your horse works out for you.