Can someone please tell me whether i'm being a wimp!

[Blaise]

The story- got thrown off a friends horse i was riding about 7 weeks ago, twice in the space of 10 minutes. Horse is a rising 5 yr old colured cob, backed last year. A novice lady brought him about 6 months ago to learn on, she can't ride him often enough due to work & her RI thought it would be a good idea to get someone else to ride a few times per week- that's where i come in. Watched a few lessons & he looked laid back enough, RI said he needed lunging before riding though and was a bit 'humpy' if he'd not been rode for a while but wouldn't actually buck or do anything silly.

Rode him for about 2 weeks & was golden, hacked out, did a few jumps & was lovely. Couldn't ride for about 6 days the one week so he was just left in the field (lives out) Next time i rode him all seemed ok, lunged 1st in tack & no problems. As soon as i got on and asked him to walk on he shot forwards, straight into canter and bucked all the way down the school until i came off. My friend caught him and checked him over & all was fine. I'd changed him bit so wondered if he didnt like the new one so changed it back. My thinking was i have to get back on to see A) if it's the bit B) If he was just fresh & leting off steam or if he'd do it again. Got back on, friend insisted on leading and walked about half way round the school before he took off again, pulled friend over and bucked all the way round the school. managed to stay on much longer as i was kind of ready for him but he stopped dead, reared then bucked again which threw me off balance & i flew off (again!) Needless to say i didnt get back on again.

Told owner & her RI what had happened in case she tried to ride him on her own & it happened again (as i said, owner very novice & nervous. bucking horses would have put her off for good) I suggested maybe getting back looked at & maybe saddle as horse had changed shape since it was fitted a few months ago. I told her i didn't want to ride him anymore until we had a reason for his behaviour as i've got my own youngster to bring on & can't afford to be off injured. She understood and horse stayed in field for next few weeks. Her RI got on him a few weeks after & he was good. Had another 2 weeks off and owners daughter tried to get on but he took off again. Thankfully she hadn't actually mounted so didn't really fall off as such, but shook his owner up a bit.

Now i'm not the world's most confident rider but i'm not scared of falling off or anything and am more than capable of sitting a buck or 2 but i feel like such a wimp for not getting back on this horse again. I keep telling myself it's because i don't know the reasons behind this sudden change in behaviour but i'm not sure if it is now. He hasn't had anything checked since so i'm definitley not getting back on until i know everything is ok physically but to be honest, i don't know if i'd get back on him even if i did. He was golden before & did XC and SJ last winter with old owner so i know he can do it. Am i just being soft & need a kick up the backside or can i justify not wanting to ride him anymore (even just a little bit?)

 

[blueneonrainbow]

You're not a wimp. You have your own horse to think about and the one that threw you isn't your problem to sort out. Her instructor can help her resolve the issues and I certainly wouldn't think about getting back on that horse until it's been checked over as it sounds out of character from what you've said about him so there must be a reason for his behaviour... But it's not your problem to find out what it is and not up to you to endanger yourself trying to ride him.

 

[Firewell]

Tbh I wouldn't ride him! Chances are he is uncomfortable somewhere and he's catching himself and causing pain.
Even if saddle and back check came back OK I wouldn't ride him as it's not my horse and I wouldn't want to be injured for the sake of riding someone elses horse, different if it's your own. I dont like riding anything that means to get me off! I have a sometimes sharp young TB but he's never done anything to make me fall off and would never react that extremely unless something was seriously wrong.
I don't blame you, don't feel like your a wimp. Why would you want to potentially hurt yourself!

 

[LaurenM]

No, you're being sensible. You have nothing to gain from riding this horse but have a lot to lose if you fall off again.

 

[Maisy]

Absolutely not a wimp.....it's one thing addressing issues with your own horse....quite another doing it for someone else.....it's called self preservation.....