Lottie_Equestrian
Member
Hiya! I am 16 and I own a 14.3 13 year old dappled Connemara named Fern! I have had Fern for 2 years now and I have come to the end of ideas. Since I got her she has been a nightmare out hacking! Sometimes she's okay and sometimes she's psycho. I mainly have this problem hacking out alone. For the first year I had her it took her a while to settle in, around 7 months. During this time her hacking was okay as we only walked and did bits of trotting. at around 8 months after having her and hacking her on the same hack in company and a few times alone I thought I'd canter her up a long field we called 'the meadow'. I was in company this time. She was okay and was a bit miffed as to what was going on but non the less she cantered quite happily all the same. A month later I tried to canter her alone, at the same place. She was great and I could easily canter her up and down with her just being a little bit strong but not doing anything stupid. All of a sudden our hacks (there were three different routes all of which fern had accustomed too) changed. The bridlepaths we had always used had a road built through them which was devastating. The land owner gave up a small arable flinty field with a grassy track around it as a hack for our stables. I took Fern around it in walk with and without company a few times before our 'accident'. She had been very stressed and anxious and strong too. I kept calm talking to her etc. Finally she began to calm down after being round it a few more times over the weeks and I decided, since I had trust in her after 10 months of being together, we were ready to canter. So we began a brisk canter up the straight part of the hill. She was feeling great and I was happy all of a sudden at the top she reared up abruptly then bucked a few times, I came off and blacked out. According to my mother who was witnessing it from the bottom of the hill, Fern went absolutely psycho bucking and rearing then bolted down the hill almost running my mother over and galloped down the concrete track to my yard, according to people at the yard she galloped into the yard and started rearing. I woke up in hospital with a fractured arm. After I recovered I got back on her, my mother had been riding her in the school whilst I had been healing aswell as my riding school teacher. I got back onto her and began riding. A month later I hacked her again, in company, up a different track. It was a woodland path that was very pretty and level. We did very well those few months and were able to trot the whole thing within 10 minutes and she would behave impeccably just spooking a little at random things. A few weeks ago I got on her as I usually do and did the same hack. We just walked as I find its good to vary what gait you do and when you do it so they don't expect anything. It was a normal day, a bit overcast but not windy. We just walked because she was very tense and anxious and whinnying very loudly every few minutes. She began to get very strong. About half way I decided we should turn around as I didn't think it would end to well. I found that she would not stop. All of a sudden she reared up and I fell off. I decided enough was enough and it would be safer for me to lead her home and to calm her down. She kept rearing every two minutes and I was getting quite scared she would land on me. Then she broke free galloping once again back home. I called ahead saying they should be expecting a galloping grey Connemara and to say that I was okay and walking back. I am at my wits end with this horse, she repeated the same stunt just the other day. I am getting even more scared of hacking her and I worry I have completely shattered my confidence, I am so attached to this horse and really do not want to sell her. The back specialist has come and given her the all clear and the saddler has said the saddle fits perfectly. She has so many problems that I fear I may not be able to fix. If I sold her I also fear I wouldn't have enough money to buy another horse and I don't think its fair on my mother either. She has great pure bred bloodlines but I don't want someone to buy her and use her as a brood mare. Help!
