Do others ride your horse better than you ?

[debsflo]

Just musing as i know the pros on my yard ride my young mare way better than i do but equally am trying to be kind to myself as of course they will ,thats their job.
I have a super 5 yr old ,only backed less than a yr ago ,never set foot in a school before i got her in July and have been tootling about on hacks with a bit of light schooling and a few lessons at a very basic level.
The pro who is a fab quiet rider has schooled her a couple of times and she goes really nicely ,im the wrong side of 50 ,rusty with a dodgy back that im sorting, so will never be that person however hard i try.
On the whole im realistic and happy with our progress but how do you all feel when others ride your horse better.?

 

[milliepops]

Well, you've hit the nail on the head - it's their job to be better at it, otherwise they wouldn't be worth paying to ride her :wink3:

No one else rides my horses any more, but when I was first starting BD with Millie, I got a more experienced friend to ride her a bit from time to time as I couldn't afford proper lessons. It really helped me to see what she was able to do, and what we should be working on. So I found it very motivating.
Don't feel disheartened - it's your horse to enjoy and as long as she is treated well she won't be remotely bothered about whether you're a top rider or not. Try and take the positives from it

 

[Julia0803]

A friends young cousin rides our boy from time to time, in an attempt to help out my more novice son. I haven't ridden much at all for the past 15m due to pregnancy and new baby.

She does ride him better than i do... but she rides most of the horses on the yard better than their owners can... She is 12

It doesn't worry me. She has had a lot of lessons/coaching and works incredibly hard at her riding, usually riding several a day, even on school days. She deserves to be successful and good.

 

[Cortez]

So, are you saying that you don't like the fact that a professional rider is getting a better result than you are?

 

[ihatework]

I used to have someone school my horse for me once a week, and now I've moved areas am trying to find someone else too.
If I'm paying someone I expect the horse to go better for them than for me and I like seeing them go better. I also like feeling when I next get on I have a tuned up horse.

 

[Roasted Chestnuts]

Honestly couldn't tell you as nobody will ride him despite him being a bomb proof hack but forwards going

On a serious note, I would expect a pro to ride better than me. They are too after all, just as I expect to get beaten by pros at badminton, I am not that lebecel and now too old to attain it. Enjoy the games though which is the attitude you need to have when you are not a pro or aspiring to be, these people do it for a living and are very good at it either through practice or natural ability or both

Relax and enjoy the fruits of their labours

 

[ester]

Of course, and I love watching them ride him, get a tune out of him and them both enjoying it. Jumping is always particularly amusing because he will do it how he wants to regardless thanks .

 

[rara007]

Obviously not all riders 😂 And being so small they take some getting used to. I think it's good I've not screwed them up so much that a 'normal' rider can still find the buttons! Currently paying a girl to ride him who on the flat is about the same ability as me as she's reliable, local and more than competent to work something so green (broken in 6 months ago) and equally keep the older boys ticking. The younger one was beautifully produced by some better than me so for the next year we only need to stay the same level, just waiting for the muscles to catch up!

 

[ester]

Oh and Rara007 is one of them got his measure very quickly, it is almost like she 'gets' ponies

 

[Annagain]

My sharer for 2 years was a dressage rider and instructor from New Zealand (with a PhD) over here for a research contract. She missed horses so looked for a share and didn't care he was nowhere near what she would normally ride. Not only did she ride him much better than me, she taught me how to ride him and my share horse better. This didn't bother me in the slightest - I loved it and know I'm a much better rider for it.

 

[Sussexbythesea]

I expect a pro rider to do better than me that's why I'm paying them so that doesn't bother me except wishing I could ride better.

What is annoying is if a friend rides him and he's perfect like butter wouldn't melt even though he's got a naughty spooky streak! Having said that he span around with a friend fell over and then got up and ran off once.

 

[debsflo]

So, are you saying that you don't like the fact that a professional rider is getting a better result than you are?

No ,as my sensible head says of course they will do and both of us benefit ,its probably more a little frustration that even when young and fit that i still wasnt that good.

 

[rachk89]

Pros don't on my horse as he tries to throw them off for most of the ride. They sit well to it though. All he does is fight them the whole time so they never get to achieve very much. Not their fault though they ride way better than me still and would on him if he would allow it.

A teenager who helps me out with him sometimes does but I don't mind. I know in comparison fitness wise we are not on the same level currently. I need to get much fitter and more confident. If I do both I can ride him better or at least as good.

 

[skint1]

To be honest, most people ride my horse better than I do. Luckily he's a very good lad and puts up with my inadequate attempts but I do enjoy seeing him ridden by someone who really knows what they're doing. I need to get fitter, more confident, that I think woudl help to begin with

 

[oldie48]

I watched Milliepops ride my horse last week and he went so much better for her than for me. am I upset by this? No, she is a much betterrider than I'll ever be. it's really comforting to know that if I can "raise my game" I have a really lovely horse with a little bit of talent. I feel heartened, not disheartened!

Well, you've hit the nail on the head - it's their job to be better at it, otherwise they wouldn't be worth paying to ride her :wink3:

No one else rides my horses any more, but when I was first starting BD with Millie, I got a more experienced friend to ride her a bit from time to time as I couldn't afford proper lessons. It really helped me to see what she was able to do, and what we should be working on. So I found it very motivating.
Don't feel disheartened - it's your horse to enjoy and as long as she is treated well she won't be remotely bothered about whether you're a top rider or not. Try and take the positives from it

 

[Sukistokes2]

I love watching pros ride my horses. The lady who rode my pony also competed him a couple of times , that was fab, being the proud owner. Every now and again my instructor rides Kevin. It gives me time to evaluate from the ground. It was a laugh on Sunday, as my instructor actually squeaked when he bounded into trot, it's got so much better, it was a surprise for her the power of it. She was also able to work out my inability to keep my shoulder in the right place wasn't 100% my fault , the saddle is tight again and he is throwing me off balance on that rein. So it's also helpful and instructive and one of the reasons I have chosen this instructor.

 

[blodwyn1]

Everybody rides my mare better than me! However she doesnt behave better for them and throws more challenges their way!!

 

[Nasicus]

Pretty much everyone who rides my mare rides her better than me! But I don't mind, I'm 23 with a borked back so I do sometimes struggle, so it's nice to see what my mare is capable of in the right hands, and gives me something to work towards.

 

[stencilface]

Some people do yes, although now is be much more discerning about 'better' and how they achieved it. I won't have anyone who kicks and saws on him. That said I've realised I'm a bit precious these days (always have been probably) as I've literally spent years and thousands, as well as endkess hours of rehab getting him to the point he is now (ie sound and in work!).

So yes, I'm particular and if they don't ride better than me then I wouldn't ask them to ride. I will get my instructor to ride tomorrow as I've decided I'm too heavily in foal to continue

 

[Milkmaid]

I have a dressage rider school my HW cob and yes!
She gets a much better tune out of him him which is why I've 'employed' her. I love watching her ride him and it inspires me to learn to ride him better and it helps him as he's green in his schooling, so I'm more than happy!

 

[tallyho!]

Well, not in my experience so far with new mare (note MARE!)... but my old gelding, yes and wow! I've seen some pretty good tunes out of him with my old trainer... lovely to watch and I never felt at all disadvantaged, I felt privileged to have such a talented chap - it spurred me on to improve. What that chap taught me has been invaluable with he mare but goodness me she is a tricky beast.

 

[catkin]

Only my trainer rides my ponies apart from me. Yes they do ride them better, yes they do get a good tune out of them - and that's what I pay them for, that and their ability to improve my riding.

The other factor is that although they love my ponies they can be more emotionally detached than I can ever be with my own.

 

[Peter7917]

Of corse!!

I pay someone to ride mine twice a week. It's good for him. My rider is a good influence on him. If I rode him better then she wouldn't be riding him!

 

[Pinkvboots]

a few people can ride my new horse better than me and I am getting one of them to show him for me this year I love watching him go well for someone, my other horse who I have owned for 11 years is a different story I seem to be the only one he goes really well for, one of the girls who helps me ride them schools my new horse and she does a great job better than me, but she can't ride one side of the other one and she admits it.

 

[Shadowdancing]

Yes. I bought my mare for dressage and somewhere along the line found she loves to jump instead. I found her a rider and they are doing amazing together. I love to watch them and she is a better ride for me because of the extra work.

 

[Micropony]

I had a pro ride my youngster regularly when he was 3 and 4. Of course he looked better under a pro, that's exactly what I was paying for! Have only had the same pro, who is also my trainer, ride him once in the last year or so. Of course he rode him better, and I would love to be able to get on and have him go like that for me all the time. Of course it spurs me on to work harder on improving, I know I will never ride as well as someone who grew up in the saddle and rides multiple different horses each day, but I can be better than I am now and so can most of us! But the thing for me about a pro riding my horse is what they say when they get off, if he's given them a nice ride and a good feeling that's a compliment to what I am doing with him day in day out. Well that's how I choose to look at it anyway! Okay, I am not able to bring him on as quickly as they would, but as long as I haven't *******ed him up and we're improving somewhat then the horse certainly doesn't care that he's not competing at a higher level!

 

[debsflo]

Yes I have been pleased to see how capable she is and proud mum when I was told what a lovely trainable horse I had as she was over from Ireland and green as grass so I do feel I spotted a good horse. I will turn it into a positive and am always aiming to improve myself to enjoy her ability.

 

[Enfys]

I am somewhat relieved that mine is basically the same whoever rides her (well, the ones who know what to expect from a gaity horse) she still looks like a rocket fuelled sewing machine but that's what she was trained to do.

People (particularly those who have never sat on a gaited horse) who have a 'FGS let me get on her and get her going properly' attitude and clamp their legs on and take up a contact usually come back in to view about 20 minutes later, or spend 10 minutes trying to slow down the wall of death circuits of the ring enough to get off usually hand her back and declare her totally nuts .


I am the only person who can get her to walk though Something that I had to get filmed to prove

 

[Boulty]

I think 90% of people would fall into that category, yes. I am constantly thwarted by random body parts doing their own weird things that I swear I didn't give them permission to, which does start to get on the pony's nerves a bit! He is capable of a lot more than I ask of him both from a flatwork and jumping POV, I'm sure and someone who is a quieter and more effective rider than me could easily take him there. Whether they'd wish to sit to his various "OMG that log/dog/bag/person/leaf tried to kill me!" spooks whose origin varies every day and cater to his many oddities (keeping him sound, happy and of a decent weight is a constant balancing act and teeny little things being wrong make rather large differences) is another matter...

 

[Lintel]

Yes. I think 99% of people can ride.. well school - my boy better than I can as we are very polar opposites in the school and I cannot be bothered with his laziness.
But I'm happy with that- as I can hack him down dual carriageway on a buckle end, because that's our thing.


It infuriates me and makes me proud when I watch others ride him.. I love to see what he can do*with persistence!*... but equally I think what a blooming failure I am as I don't have the motivation to ride him through the laziness, when I know fine well he's lovely to ride after we get over the half hour of "No mum, I can't be bothered... I WILL GO ABOUT WITH MY HEAD LIKE A GIRAFFE!"