Bringing Loopy Horsey Back into Work....

[Carys1989]

Im currently bringing my horse back into work after having 2yrs off due to injury...she has been sound for some time now but I havent been able to do any work with her because I have been at uni.
Ive got on her 5 times since being home, have fallen off 3 times..and struggled to stay on 2 due to her bucking and bronking fits...soo have been told to lunge her till she calms down.
I have had her back, saddle and teeth checked and shes all fine, but my instructor thinks that shes just over excited about working again..
What do you think about lunging her? Ive heard from some people not to because she lacks muscle tone so is unfair on her, but then others say to lunge her as at the mo its the safest thing to do with her!!
I cant hack her out either..my yard has no safe hacking and frankly itll be too darn dangerous with her...so just using the 2 acre field we have and the menage...
Any tips and tricks for me?
Thanks

 

[Vixxy]

When dealing with a bit of a loonybin like my grey I ALWAYS loose school first to get energy and excess stupidness out, lots of bucking and stuff I dont try to achieve anything with him at all (he gets very crazy) I merely try to run the excess energy out of him.

He goes sometime between rides sometimes due to my illness and when he has had a little time off I loose school him until he is tired (with saddle on but no stirrups and no reins on bridle) then I pop stirrups on and reins take him to the block, mount and just calmly walk him around for just a short while and then jump off and give lots of praise for any calmness shown. Over time and him becoming calmer I loose school for less time and ride more for each time as his mind becomes easier to deal with.

In my experience lunging a hothead can be a challenge alone and if the horse is out of shape the strain put on by prancing and fooling around in canter on a circle could be purely frustrating for you and painful for horse, you could excuse the pun literally be going around in circles at 100 miles an hour.

I am in no way a confident rider and sometime he frightens the hell out of me but usually this method works for us. In the winter he is an angel but summer time hmm look out he is a stark raving nutter!

I have actually made the painful decision to sell him as the life I can now give him isnt the most active one and we get into a vicious circle due to lack of work, bad but I always ride my girl Anna who is more laid back (apart from in season moments). He is a superstar it is my mismanagement making him a nutter and I will find him the perfect home with an ablebodied rider to keep him worked and sane through the summer months.

Good luck!

 

[zeuscleoharmony]

Hi ya, you don't say how old your girley is (unless I compltely missed it). How was she before her injury? Was she a hot head then? Just an off-chance, if she is fairly young, could she have regressed? Go on, you're going to tell me she is getting on, aren't you which will blow my theory completely out of the water, but perhaps she needs a bit of re-backing.
Probably way off but just a thought. I hope you get sorted soon. xxx

 

[Cyberchick]

What are you asking her to do at the moment? ie - is she being silly when you get on or just walking in the field or are you asking her to trot and then she explodes etc?

My grey below can be a little 'kerchow' and I have recently had to bring him back into work so wondering if it is the same sort of circumstances.

 

[Carys1989]

KM - Im sorry to hear youve had the same ordeal too! About loose schooling her, i have access to a 20x40 arena with about 3ft fences around...would it be safe to let my 16.1h TBx belt around in there? I dunno, where do you loose school yours? I suppose shell just belt around as she does when i ride her or lunge her...but it does sound like a good idea...less painful for me!! The amount of rope burns I have from holding onto her on the lunge!!

AM - We bought her from a man who bought her at 4yrs and learnt to ride on her..shes a 16.1 ISH and he was 60 learning to ride...yes a disaster waiting to happen i thought but they got on great...I bought her when she was 9yr and she was very green as all shed done really is hacking..She was 10 when she had her ligament injury and so now is 12yrs...
I did think of sending her to be schooled again as she might have regressed..i suppose she only had 1yr of proper schooling with me..she could be classed as a "youngster" in some ways.
Before her injury she was an absolute doll, i had never fallen off her...and my sis only did because shes not used to a mares "i have to be asked, not told" attitude! So her being a hot head now is abit of a change!
Shes brill in hand...my 70yr old neighbour and her 12yrold neice bring her in and feeds her if im not around and she never puts a foot wrong! No one believes me that shes such a nutter when you ride her!!!

Cyberchick - Well since last october ish shes been walked in hand..and then ridden for about an hour a day and she was absoultly fine..its now im asking her to trot she goes manic...
I do think its her getting over excited because she used to love schooling (strange horse i know!!) and now shes better she just wants to get on with it.

Thanks to everyone for their help

im going to grab my dad when hes finished work, drag him up to the horses and make him stand in her "spooky" corner...in other words where she finds an excuse to race off and see if that helps...she loves my dad and always behaves if hes around so hopefully *fingers crossed*