numptynovice
Well-Known Member
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!!
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!!