Can a horse change your confidence - seems like a simple question....

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Parkranger

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but I don't think it has a simple answer!

Had Ty for a year and a half. In that time I haven't really been able to do what I want on him. He's a very technical ride (not my words) on the flat and the jumping is non existent. He's a great horse to hack out and I think thats where he's happiest. Learnt alot from Ty, how to deal with temper tantrums etc.

So new boy has joined us and I've developed a love for dressage....I've never felt so 'at one' with a horse on the flat - with a little bit of help from the ground I had him going really well and was very chuffed with myself! I can't wait to get in the school again.

I feel that my confidence has gone up but is that just because he's an easier horse? I've doubted my ability for the last year and had friends telling me off for putting myself down, but I'm now wondering if it's just that Ty and I never 'clicked' in a pressurised environment (ie schooling/jumping).

Bit of a ramble but be interested in views.
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Undoubtedly. Amy was a bugger over a fence - some days she would, others she flatly refused.

Thumper just loves to jump. And is the most wonderful confidence giver over a fence. If I'm honest - it's why I bought him.

But hold on - what have I missed????????

Ty - gone
New horse arrived?????
 
Towards the end of last year and the beginning of this year the tinyest (is that even a word?) x-pole would reduce me to tears and I stopped jumping altogether because I was terrified. I got Olympic in feb.....Now I jump affiliated 1.10's (albeit not very well but I'm out there doing it!).

So in answer to your question, yes
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Undoubtedly. Amy was a bugger over a fence - some days she would, others she flatly refused.

Thumper just loves to jump. And is the most wonderful confidence giver over a fence. If I'm honest - it's why I bought him.

But hold on - what have I missed????????

Ty - gone
New horse arrived?????

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Oh god, you haven't seen my posts ?
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No, Tyrone is still with me for now - can't find a decent loan home that doesn't want to compete at Grand Prix dressage level so for the moment I can easily afford the two.

A very nice HHOer put me in touch with a girl who wanted a loan home for her very smexy 16.3 Hannovarian boy - he's stunning! Will take some pics this arvo actually!
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yes, absolutely. if you ride a very good, honest horse, which tries hard for you and doesn't take advantage of every little tiny mistake you make, then you feel good, you accomplish a lot, you look good (hopefully!) and your confidence grows and grows.
i think this particularly applies to jumping, and can think of a couple of very very good household-name event riders who gave up the game after riding one or two too many rubbish horses, who kept putting in stops or giving them falls.
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Towards the end of last year and the beginning of this year the tinyest (is that even a word?) x-pole would reduce me to tears and I stopped jumping altogether because I was terrified. I got Olympic in feb.....Now I jump affiliated 1.10's (albeit not very well but I'm out there doing it!).

So in answer to your question, yes
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Horray! I'm all for pushing myself - hoping to affiliate next year and maybe even with dressage aswell (never thought I'd say that!)
 
Completely, when I got Bruce I has spent 2 years faffing and being scared, would not jump over 3". Someone even asked me if I really wanted a horse as I was so terrified!

I dont think he has changed my riding, more given me the confidence back. I had a lesson on friends schoolmaster and was jumping over 1.40's at the weekend....without a thought. So yes my confidence has improved and with that my riding.

I owe my horse everything.
 
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Completely, when I got Bruce I has spent 2 years faffing and being scared, would not jump over 3". Someone even asked me if I really wanted a horse as I was so terrified!

I dont think he has changed my riding, more given me the confidence back. I had a lesson on friends schoolmaster and was jumping over 1.40's at the weekend....without a thought. So yes my confidence has improved and with that my riding.

I owe my horse everything.

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That's so nice to hear! I jumped on a friends horse in the summer and was jumping 3ft within 20 minutes - it's funny how a good horse can push you isn't it? Are you competing the boy?
 
Defo....had an accident nearly 3 years ago and it's taken me all this time and about 4 horses to find one I really trust. Chap I have now is a godsend, never going to be at the Olympics and isn't the most stunning horse in the world, but I love him to bits, he looks after me even if I only get to ride him once in aa fortnight.

Although, he did get a bit excitable when I took him to a show - that put me back a bit - but have decided that I'm not competative enough and hacking/pleasure riding is for me!
 
Waiting on arrival of renewed BSJA cards and shiny new lorry so yes will be out every weekend. Been having lessons with Amy Watkins who is brilliant and also in love with him and keeps pressuring me not to event and to stick with SJ'ing...hmmm. We will see, but all is going well with him which is fantastic and he has never looked better!
 
That's good to hear - I've been having Laura Powell - she's amazing. Wanted someone who can work with me on all disciplines - does Amy just do jumping? Remember a few people would go from Woodruffe there.
 
Yes yes yes! My confidence was in shreds after my last horse kept dumping me. Georgie has done wonders for my confidence - trouble is I think I am now outgrowing him
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(Not literally he is 16.3hh!) but he doesnt really enjoy schooling and I really want to have a go at dressage - nothing spectacular - just some pre-novice stuff to start off with. It has been suggested that I sell him several times but I can't bear too - I love him to bits - plus he has a cataract and I dont want him to end up in the wrong hands. So I'm stuck between a rock and a hard place. Sell him and get something that I can do dressage on or keep him and let go of my dreams.
My OH has agreed to me buying one of my YO fillies - trouble is YO doesnt really want to sell her - but I'm working on him. However, I worry about the money side of things - we can afford too - but obviously other stuff would have to be sacrificed. O decisions decisions.
 
Absolutely! I'd never have done half the stuff I do with J with my older horse! She was a bit of a b*gger, and whilst J can still be a little sod at times, I trust in his ability hugely. I'd never have cnsidered affiliating ever, and yet now I can't decide which discipline to try affiliated in first!!
Aazing what a horse you 'click' with can do for you!
 
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Yes yes yes! My confidence was in shreds after my last horse kept dumping me. Georgie has done wonders for my confidence - trouble is I think I am now outgrowing him
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(Not literally he is 16.3hh!) but he doesnt really enjoy schooling and I really want to have a go at dressage - nothing spectacular - just some pre-novice stuff to start off with. It has been suggested that I sell him several times but I can't bear too - I love him to bits - plus he has a cataract and I dont want him to end up in the wrong hands. So I'm stuck between a rock and a hard place. Sell him and get something that I can do dressage on or keep him and let go of my dreams.
My OH has agreed to me buying one of my YO fillies - trouble is YO doesnt really want to sell her - but I'm working on him. However, I worry about the money side of things - we can afford too - but obviously other stuff would have to be sacrificed. O decisions decisions.

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So odd - you sound like you're in exactly the same position I'm in! My boy is blind in one eye and is never going to be the horse I need. He's got a sharer riding him in the week and I can hack him out at weekends - working well at the moment!

How about getting a horse on loan - that's what I've done!
 
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That's good to hear - I've been having Laura Powell - she's amazing. Wanted someone who can work with me on all disciplines - does Amy just do jumping? Remember a few people would go from Woodruffe there.

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Nope she will teach on the flat, but I just have her for jumping and Lauren Khor for flatwork, who is equally brilliant (however keeps telling me not to jump and to stick with dressage.....1 2 3 BORING!!!!!)

Amy 'got' Bruce the second she sat on him, so trust her completely...even when she shoves the course up to 1.30 and tells me to get over it!

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Vicki.... liking dressage Well well well..... never thought I'd haer you say that my dear.... glad the new ponio os going well.... will def have to make a date one weekend so I can come meet him... and the lovely Ty of course!
 
that goes back to a post I did ages ago - can't say I'd ever trust a trainer who didn't get on board so see what was going on with the horse.

Sounds like it's all coming together - hopefully see you out!
 
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Vicki.... liking dressage Well well well..... never thought I'd haer you say that my dear.... glad the new ponio os going well.... will def have to make a date one weekend so I can come meet him... and the lovely Ty of course!

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I know - Lucy (who you met), my yardowner and my instructor all think it's hysterical that I'm riding a WB and loving dressage......never say never i guess!
 
Yes yes...I will be the one in the pink horsebox with the horse in a pink rug....with dodgy clip lines.

The pink thing just happened by the way, it was not intentional!
 
100%, Murphy is a gem to hack out alone - something which terrified me before. He jumps anything - I had never jumped before...
So in short - yes totally!
 
Oh yes, I think my change is different to most of yours. I started off with a laid back horse, easy Bertha, jumped the earth without any effort, and if you start with the perfect horse, the only way was down. I had a couple of project horses in between but my big step from Bertha was onto Oshk, my coloured. He is stupid. I had a perfect hunter and I went to one who never had four feet on the ground at the same time. I used to look at horses like that whilst on board my perfect horse and shudder, now I was on one, it was a different thing all together. I learned to boss, I learned to think outside the box, sometimes the ways that were frowned upon I called upon, I went out hunting in a standing martingale and I don't regret it. That horse brought me the confidence to ride anything, I have taken problem horses out hunting since and found them a doddle compared to mine, and in the process I have moulded out my own bold, brave and slightly crazy hunter in the form of Oshk. I learned to see strides, I learned that the only was I was going to clear fences was to get that rythem, and now? The world is my oyster. I have a horse that fights me into the jump, and I wouldn have it any other way.
 
yes definitely! I had always been very confident, ride anything and do anything with it, until I had a very unpredictable mare who would be quietly walking then just suddenly lose the plot and throw herself around until she got you off. Eventually lost all confidence and didn't get on a horse for nearly 3 years! Flash has given me so much confidence back, he can be a rather demanding ride and he's such a baby, and although I'm still incredibly critical of my riding and get nervous, I'm out there doing it and 18 months ago I never thought I'd be doing that!
 
Definately they can!

I had a bad experience and lost my confidence a while back. Riding trekking horses who i didn't know didn't help (and scared me to death - despite being plods)
Then I met Bobby and although he's a stubborn, cheeky boy I feel safe with him and trust him totally.
 
Yes a horse can make all the difference ...

And your doing amazingly with 'pollo - his schooling has been very neglected recently and he's not the easiest horse to ride on the flat - trust me when i say if its going that well already you are REALLY doing something right!
 
Er yup!!!

I've been trying to explain this to certain people (not you hun!) for a while now but perhaps not wording it correctly.......I hope you know what I mean.

Unfortunately the horse that I have the least confidence on is my own
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- I love him more than anything but we're not "right" for each other!!!

I'm glad you've found something you seem to get on with - and I'm equally as glad to hear you may be doing some dressage yay!! I will come along as crappy, chain smoking, grumpy, foul mouthed groom
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