Did I overreact or was I right?

[numptynovice]

Hello,
I've lurked for a while but haven't posted. As my user name suggests, I'm a complete novice, been having lessons at a riding schools for about 18 months. I'm interested to hear some other opinions on a riding lesson I had recently. I ended up stopping the lesson and getting off the horse as I wasn't comfortable that the horse was happy. He had flinched visibly when the girth was tightened and did another big flinch when I got on - I've never experienced a horse react like that when mounted. I'm not particularly heavy - just over 10 stone (following over indulgence on mince pies at Christmas!) but he is extremely fine. He immediately started walking once I was on before I had got my right foot in the stirrup and wouldn't halt when asked. I asked the instructor if she was OK and she said she wasn't very happy at the moment. Once we started the lesson, he was very reluctant to go forward and kept falling out of trot and when asked to move forward again started backing up. At this point I said I didn't want to continue the lesson as I didn't think he was right - it wasn't fair on him and I didn't want to have a silly accident because he was in pain.

I'd ridden him before - first time he was lovely and forward going and responsive, second time was on a hack and his behaviour was very strange and headstrong and I had lost a bit of confidence in him from that experience. I'm now wondering if I was just reacting to the nerves from the previous experience with him and overreacting or if I was right to stop the lesson.

Any opinions gratefully received!!

 

[LittleBlackMule]

You are obviously doing yourself a disservice with your username - not a numpty at all!

You did the right thing, the horse was obviously unhappy and possibly in pain.

 

[Polar Bear9]

You are obviously doing yourself a disservice with your username - not a numpty at all!

You did the right thing, the horse was obviously unhappy and possibly in pain.

Yep. I wouldn't have worried about the walked off when mounting but the rest would concern me, particularly as you've ridden the horse before and it was fine. You did the right thing

 

[Meowy Catkin]

IMO horse riding is dangerous and that it isn't wise to completely ignore those gut feelings. So I think that you were right to stop the lesson, there is always another day after all. It might be prudent to request that you don't ride that horse again, it could be that you aren't a good match for each other, but from what you say about your first lesson on him, something has changed for the worse with the horse. I hope that the RS check that he is OK before continuing to use him.

 

[MerrySherryRider]

Your description could be an indicator of pain but equally, could be due to other reasons. I think you were right to follow your instinct and question whether the horse was ok or not.
If the staff didn't leave you feeling confident that they were aware of a possible issue, or that they would investigate or could explain the reasons for the change in behaviour- I'd look for another RS where you are happy that the horses are well looked after.

 

[Midlifecrisis]

Faracat is right don't ignore your own gut feeling - am I right in recalling that BHS approved schools usually give an option to change mount if you are not comfortable with the one offered?

 

[misskk88]

You are obviously doing yourself a disservice with your username - not a numpty at all!

You did the right thing, the horse was obviously unhappy and possibly in pain.

Yup agreed. I think that you are very sensible, if even with what you consider limited understanding or knowledge, you felt something was not right and felt to act on it, for the sake of the horse. I know plenty of people (including professionals), who would ignore the horses language and just continue, or give it a smack to get on with it. To me understanding your horses signals and language will make you a far better horse person and rider in the future, so hold on to that intuition and gut feeling!

The fact the instructor claimed the horse hasn't been happy lately, makes me wonder why the hell it hasn't been checked over!

 

[numptynovice]

Thanks for the replies. I appreciate the opinion of experienced people as I have no horsey friends or family to check with. I'm not a particularly nervous rider normally but the combination of the flinching, not wanting to go forwards plus the instructor saying he wasn't very happy at the moment made me feel very uncomfortable riding him. Once he started backing up that was it, I just didn't want to continue! I have small kids and really don't need to be injured right now! But I was wondering if maybe I'd contributed to/created the situation as I didn't feel able to ride positively once I thought he was uncomfortable. The instructor gave me a stick but I didn't want to use it - partly due to it feeling wrong to use a stick on an animal that's unhappy and partly because I was worried if I pushed him on and there was something really bothering him and he ended up reacting more strongly and I hit the dust!

 

[Sukistokes2]

IMO you did totally the right thing. what you describe sounds like pain to me, pain in the horse or maybe from the saddle. If the horse was ok before and not this time then something is wrong and it is not worth having a poor lesson, for which you are paying, or even be risk being bucked off at this stage. you have shown a skill that some people with horses never learn, you have listened to your horse. without being patronizing its hard to say well done....but well done!

 

[Ladyinred]

I think you should be applauded for your sensitivity and your reaction in getting off the horse. You have the makings of a fine horse person!

Please let us know if the RS do anything and the outcome for the horse.. poor boy.

 

[numptynovice]

Yup agreed. I think that you are very sensible, if even with what you consider limited understanding or knowledge, you felt something was not right and felt to act on it, for the sake of the horse. I know plenty of people (including professionals), who would ignore the horses language and just continue, or give it a smack to get on with it. To me understanding your horses signals and language will make you a far better horse person and rider in the future, so hold on to that intuition and gut feeling!

The fact the instructor claimed the horse hasn't been happy lately, makes me wonder why the hell it hasn't been checked over!

Thanks, I appreciate your comments! And thanks to everyone else, I cross posted with quite a few posts. Yes, I will try to trust my instincts more, they're usually proven right.... there seem to a few issues with the RS which I don't want to go into on a public forum but I am looking around at other options now. I really wanted to get confirmation from some experienced people that the horse's reactions were off to help me make my decisions about how to proceed. It's so expensive having lessons and I really don't want to waste time and money at the wrong place.

 

[Sukistokes2]

Thanks, I appreciate your comments! And thanks to everyone else, I cross posted with quite a few posts. Yes, I will try to trust my instincts more, they're usually proven right.... there seem to a few issues with the RS which I don't want to go into on a public forum but I am looking around at other options now. I really wanted to get confirmation from some experienced people that the horse's reactions were off to help me make my decisions about how to proceed. It's so expensive having lessons and I really don't want to waste time and money at the wrong place.

you are so right.....I was totally gobsmacked at how much a lesson is from a semi decent school. In fact I started a thread on it!! The one I was looking at was £67 an hour, for a private lesson. I currently pay £30, plus £5 or £10 for the school, when using my own horse. That is from a fully qualified and experienced instructor .............. although I did hear her telling my little horse where she lived so he could runaway an live with her....

Anyway you are paying a lot of money and you need to be happy with the service and the horses you are being provided with.

 

[Fransurrey]

If this is a BHS registered establishment, I would report your concerns to them. It does sound like his discomfort is being ignored and that this is an ongoing issue.

 

[turkana]

You may be a novice but clearly you are no numpty!
Good call

 

[numptynoelle]

OMG, you have superb choice in user name! It was mine, when I started on here (I don't want it back, don't worry!) then I changed it to numptynoelle one Christmas a few years ago (more like part ofmy real name) and never changed it back! Must make sure I'm not stuck with Lump'o'coal this year!

Use your numpty tag wisely my friend, it comes with great responsibility *nods sagely* :biggrin3: :biggrin3:

 

[Equi]

You completely did the right thing. No point getting scared and not going back to riding!

 

[numptynovice]

OMG, you have superb choice in user name! It was mine, when I started on here (I don't want it back, don't worry!) then I changed it to numptynoelle one Christmas a few years ago (more like part ofmy real name) and never changed it back! Must make sure I'm not stuck with Lump'o'coal this year!

Use your numpty tag wisely my friend, it comes with great responsibility *nods sagely* :biggrin3: :biggrin3:

Ha ha ha I must admit I was surprised that the username was free! I'm sure you're not a numpty novice now anyway ;-)

 

[numptynovice]

If this is a BHS registered establishment, I would report your concerns to them. It does sound like his discomfort is being ignored and that this is an ongoing issue.

Thanks, they are. I hadn't thought of that. I really did feel bad for the poor horse, I was thinking that at least he'd got out of my lesson and could get a bit of a break from whatever was bothering him!

 

[My Muppet]

So glad you called an end to the lesson, can't begin to imagine the number of people that would have pushed him on. I can only echo the sentiments of the other posts on here, novice yes, (we all were at some stage) numpty most certainly not. Enjoy your riding!

 

[numptynovice]

So glad you called an end to the lesson, can't begin to imagine the number of people that would have pushed him on. I can only echo the sentiments of the other posts on here, novice yes, (we all were at some stage) numpty most certainly not. Enjoy your riding!

Thanks and thanks to everyone who has commented. I have a trial lesson at another place that has been highly recommended so will let you know how that goes. It seems so hard to find somewhere good to learn to ride!

 

[numptynoelle]

Good luck mini-me, let us know how it goes :biggrin3:

 

[Mumbles]

It will be a very fortunate horse that is to become owned by you at some point in the future. Find another riding school and trust your instincts 100 per cent. If only more experienced riders and owners were as perceptive as you appear to be at such an early start in your foray into the world of horse riding.

 

[brucethegypsycob]

You did the right thing. Non doubt about that. If the instructor knew there was a bit of an issue with said horse prior to your lesson starting then I would also be looking for a new riding school because IMHO I would question their care of their horses.

 

[numptynovice]

It will be a very fortunate horse that is to become owned by you at some point in the future. Find another riding school and trust your instincts 100 per cent. If only more experienced riders and owners were as perceptive as you appear to be at such an early start in your foray into the world of horse riding.

Thanks, I'm touched by all your kind comments I have done a lot of lurking on these forums to get my horsey fix as I get to spend much less time with horses in real life than I would like due to time/money. It has opened my eyes a lot to the issues that horses can experience. I'm definitely far more aware than I would have been if I didn't lurk here! In reality I have very little experience of horses and am a bit nervous of them on the ground unless I know them quite well so I am never sure of myself. I know when something doesn't feel right but I'm often not sure what it is that's wrong or how best to react to it.

 

[Notimetoride]

You are obviously doing yourself a disservice with your username - not a numpty at all!

You did the right thing, the horse was obviously unhappy and possibly in pain.

What a star ! you did brilliant. Once youve mastered riding, you'll be a fabulous, caring rider, putting your horse first and listening to them. There are some riders who can jump 4ft and may appear skilled, however they have no thought whatsoever for the horse. I might be looking at changing riding school if the instructor couldnt see there was a problem.