Dogs 1 : Confidence 0

[Bowen4Horses]

in my attempt to build up my non existent confidence, i've decided to do something everyday with Raff. Yesterday i pulled his mane, and gave him a nice groom. Today i took him out for a brisk walk/trot in hand.

he was very fresh, snorting away, and trotting in slow motion at my walking speed... he looked beautiful

but he didn't at any point put a foot wrong. we went off road, we saw some whizzy cars, we went past very scary scarecrow in hi-viz that had half blown over in the wind, etc etc. all fine. he looked, and snorted, but didn't do anything else.

then, as we were coming round the bend to home (blind bend) our neighbour's 2 alsations started barking. this made him jump. then one of the jumped up at the fence as if it was going to come over... raff freaked, went up and back, skidded over, sat down, still freaking, his back legs ended up straight behind him horizontally... his front legs splayed outwards. belly touching the floor. he got up... and there was a patch of his fur left on the road

anyway... he's lost a chunk of fur from the top of his back leg (no wound though), and scraped his back hoof pretty badly. and i suspect he's probably pulled some muscles. have tucked him up in bed and will see how he is in the morning.

to say my already non existent confidence has taken a knock is an understatement... if i'd been on him, i'd have been pretty mashed up... my heart is still pounding... i can't imagine EVER hacking him out now. i seem to be making himmore and more nervous. he would NEVER have done that when i first got him. i'm just ruining him.

am going to try a kelly marks style confidence building lesson next week. if that doesn't work, i don't want to give up... but it is starting to look more and more likely...

sad times. going to eat some (lots of) carbs tonight to cheer myself up...

if anyone wants to come and ride my horse... please feel free... he's so lovely...

 

[skewby]

You are not ruining him! He was probably feeling a bit daft if he hadn't been out for a while. It's very unlucky he skidded. You poor thing.

It did all go fantastically well up until that point though...I do hope he's ok and not sore, and that you venture out again soon. xx

 

[mik]

I find my nag is far worse when I am on the ground, with all spooky monsters. He was probably excited as he hasn't been out for a bit. I have my spooky old hano shod with road nails on the back feet, so if he spooks he doesn't slip.
I hope he is ok poor think, sounds a nasty tumble.
Hugs and chocy.

 

[eahotson]

Just forget hacking for the time being. Find somewhere you feel safe to ride.How about taking him to your local riding school for a few lessons?Get someone else to hack him out.Once he has settled again go out with them on foot and see for yourself how good he can be.He is probably a bit fresh.It was a scary situation for him though.The Kelly Marks people should be good.

 

[Helanw]

My confidence is rubbish too so I know where you are coming from. You have too look at the positive things, you spent some time with him and that part was great. You took him out on the road ( pretty brave thing too do anyway in my eyes) and all that went well It was the dogs that frightened him nothing else! It is always so easy to focus on the bad bits. Keep on with the work on the ground then when you feel brave enough get on him for a walk around a school ( if you can) even if some one walks with you. 1) there is no rush
2) there is nothing wrong with taking baby steps.

 

[BigRed]

I am sorry to hear you had such a horrible experience and I really hope your horse is not injured after his fall on the road.

You are much braver than me. My horse is very well behaved and I have no confidence issues, but there is absolutely no way I would take her for a walk/trot in hand on the roads. A horse that is feeling fresh is a handful for anyone, let alone when you already have a confidence problem.

By all means handle your horse very day, but try to choose safe things, like doing in hand work in a school, and make it after he's been out in the field all day.

 

[Annagain]

Awww Clippy, have a hug.... and a kick up the bum.

99% of that experience was great, you had a lovely walk and and he behaved perfectly. Ok so you had a mishap when he took a tumble, but the spook was totally understandable under the circumstances most horses would have spooked as well. The worst reaction was to the fallling not the dogs and that was just a bit of a panic to get back up. It was just an accident, they happen and it doesn't sound like you did anything wrong to me. In fact you performed perfectly - stayed calm and helped him get up again and then you got him home safely - despite being a bit shaken up by it you still put him first and made sure he was home ok. That's something to be proud of in my book. If he's ok tomorrow just walk him past that house and then turn around to come home again straight away. He'll be a bit more ready for the dogs this time and won't spook i'm sure.

 

[caitlin95uk]

Awwww was all going sooo well. If you forget about it and think to yourself it wont happen again he will be more relaxed.. we also have 2 huge boxers that we have to pass when out on a hack, so my ponio cassey stops and ahs a paddy before she even sees the dogs, think about it in a good way... like he didnt bolt off and run away

 

[H's mum]

Oh no - just what you didn't need!

Right... you MUST give TFT a go now - you've got to erase the memories of that otherwise it'll just be more of a downward spiral!

Please do it - you'll be so much happier afterwards, I promise you!

Kate x

 

[somethingorother]

Aw no, what bad luck. That's all it was. He was so good for most of it, despite being fresh and that part was just bad luck that is unlikely to happen again. You're not spoiling him, he was just feeling a bit daft from the sounds of it and over reacted to a shock. The more you do the more confidence both of you will gain. And you will build a really good bond (not saying you haven't now) and a trust in each other too. I'm sure you'l love the kelly marks lesson and come out feeling like a new you

I would say i would rather mine be out to keep moving and stop them getting as stiff after something like that, unless he looked lame or anything. But he will be fine, and you will be fine.

God, Oscar falls over all the time- he's a numpty. He also tried to go into a stable whilst tied up and got propperly stuck side on in the doorway, which meant a massive panic. They all have misshaps! He's always fine after though, he forgets by the next day. And so will Raff. x

 

[Puppy]

[ QUOTE ]
I am sorry to hear you had such a horrible experience and I really hope your horse is not injured after his fall on the road.

You are much braver than me. My horse is very well behaved and I have no confidence issues, but there is absolutely no way I would take her for a walk/trot in hand on the roads. A horse that is feeling fresh is a handful for anyone, let alone when you already have a confidence problem.

By all means handle your horse very day, but try to choose safe things, like doing in hand work in a school, and make it after he's been out in the field all day.

[/ QUOTE ]

Ditto this!! Just think of my accident!!

You're far safer in the saddle IMO

 

[Bowen4Horses]

[ QUOTE ]
[ QUOTE ]
I am sorry to hear you had such a horrible experience and I really hope your horse is not injured after his fall on the road.

You are much braver than me. My horse is very well behaved and I have no confidence issues, but there is absolutely no way I would take her for a walk/trot in hand on the roads. A horse that is feeling fresh is a handful for anyone, let alone when you already have a confidence problem.

By all means handle your horse very day, but try to choose safe things, like doing in hand work in a school, and make it after he's been out in the field all day.

[/ QUOTE ]

Ditto this!! Just think of my accident!!

You're far safer in the saddle IMO

[/ QUOTE ]

really? i don't feel like this at all. whilst i'm not the most confident handler in the world, i am far more confident on the ground than in the saddle...

in the saddle i worry that the horse will bolt and i'll get my foot stuck in the stirrup and be dragged. or that they'll rear up and fall back onto me (this has happened to me).

i trust raff on the ground. for the whole 'walk' today despite being fresh, he didn't at any point pull on the lead rein, get pushy etc. i know that on the ground, a simple growl will put right any naughtiness.

i wish i felt safer on board.

and it's times like this i wish DunRoamin hadn't b*ggered off...

for all her issues... she worked on the yard raff lived on, and she knows him well. i need her to remind me he's a good 'un.

gahd, i feel like plop... but tomorrow is a new day. and i'm going to take him out past the dogs. and not give up...