Cantering on the road

Cobland

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There is a boy who helps out at the yard im at, hes in his 20s and is a good rider. He helps me out and in return gets to ride some of my lot. Yesterday he said he would like to go a short hack so i offered him one of my horses who is brillant on the road.

He came back all smiles, said it was fantastic and would love to do it again. He then said that he enjoyed a good canter down the road, now i cracked up with this, asked if he did it on the verge, and he said no was on the road.

Gave off to him and wasnt very impressed, hubby thinks im over reacting. What would yous have done
 
Exactly the same as you! And most certainly wouldn't ever let him near any of my horses again either
 
gone bloomin mad!!! splints, falling on tarmac, concussive injuries to feet and legs etc

I would have lost the plot!!
 

Id of slapped him silly!!!!

He cant be that good a rider if he canters on the road.

In fact, I feel quite angry about this now! If some one did that with my horses, they wouldnt live to ride again thats for sure!!
mad.gif
 
I stood and shouted at him for ages, im still really really annoyed. Also heard he took out my pregnant mares yesterday to ride around the arena, no saddle but was really booting them.

YO was checking back on the CCTV and seen it, hubby had to stop me from decking him
 
Well, I have cantered my horse in the past on roads (my old hunter) when out hunting. I have sometimes found it less on the legs than a fast trot.

I would not want anyone taking my horse and doing that though, I made the decisisions about how I ride my horse out hunting, and you may find most horses out hunting will do canter work on roads...

M
 
If he didnt know it was wrong then I'd sit him down and run through why you'd rather he didnt and lay down a few other rules about riding your horses. I'm sure he wasnt deliberately trying to hurt.
 
This horse has never been cantered on the road before, hes never had a fast trot either. Hubby thinks im overprotective of the horses, but when that guy left i told him to walk only and he agreed, as he was heading out alone
 
Re the preg mares as well, I would not let him ride anything unless under my supervision (that is if i really wanted him to ride my horses) Personally I wouldn't let him near my horses again.
 
No one was at the yard when he took them out. The pregnant ones do get rode with no tack on at a walk and there is no booting. However after looking at the CCTV (had thought they were took out) he was riding them at mad gallops and kicking away at them.

Told YO that if i seen him near my horses again i would boot him lol.

He never apologised for any of it, when i told him if he injured any of my horses then i would be sending him a bill, he laughed and said he wouldnt pay a thing. Found out hes now looking for a horse!
 
I was starting to think that i was over reacting, my horses are my babies, im just thankful my baby came back ok. He will NOT be anywhere near my horses and YO said she is not putting him on any of hers.
 
I guess there are 2 things here;

1/He should not really be trotting or cantering on the roads (or doing faster work anywhere out hacking) WITHOUT ASKING YOU first. But next time someone rides a horse out for you (or even in the school) it would be good to chat to them about your expectations for the work the horse will be doing that session - So there are no misunderstandings

2/Is it good to canter a horse on concrete? Can't say I have the scientific facts but it is not something I have ever done with any horse I have ridden.
 
I would have murdered him!!! Definately not over reacting! especially as you had asked him to stay in walk only and he went and had a canter!

No way would he ever be riding my horse again! Stupid boy!
 
[ QUOTE ]
Lots of hunts canter down the road. I am not saying it is right, I am just making a point.

[/ QUOTE ]
And I do to - when hunting . I think it's more to do with the blase attitude, and lack of respect to be honest. And the intent.
 
maybe he should have been taught properly in the first place..he obviously didnt seem to think it wasnt the done thing...

sit him down and run through a few things with him.
there may be a few more things he's unsure of.
 
Probally his attitude about it is just as annoying!

However, I have met people before who have different ideas about horses. Cant justify his attitude about it and how he was from the sound of it but I have met people before who just kind of use horses like machines and cant understand any other way.

Like the above person said maybe he didnt know any differernt - Most of us probally keep horses the way we were initially taught and if its been implied to him that that is OK then he will keep on doing it.

If it was my horse... I wouldnt be pleased at all!
 
I would have lost the plot, what a damm cheek i would never let him near another of my horses if I was in your position, Stupid idiotic rude bad managed T**T, Impressed you didnt smack him one though...
You should respect other peoples horses I personally would never canter on the road but it is each to their own but you dont do that with other peoples in his 20 sounds like he need to mature
 
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