Dropped onto my head today...

[Megibo]

I brought my horse Nesta onto the yard, all was fine until she was tacked up and then she jumped a few times whilst I was putting on boots/picking out feet. She was a little silly but I thought 'meh, she usually is on the ground anyways.' Took her to the block, got on all was fine...suddenly the chunk of horse below me tenses and the head came right up-again not worried. Turned her right to take her down to the school and before I knew what was happening she had reared vertically in the air. Automatically tipped forward and grabbed the neck strap, instructor said if I hadn't she would have gone over backwards! She then plunged down and to the side so I was thrown out the side door onto mine head. I remember falling and then the next thing I remember is my instructors face is in mine and she is saying something and pulling me out the way. Turned out Nesta was broncing just inches away from me! Nesta was then caught and instructor got on her, she tried it on with her too but got a whacking and was worked right into the ground. Dripping with sweat she was but she totally deserved it. I wasn't allowed back on due to the head injury... Tomorrow Nesta is being lunged until she is on her knees, then I am getting on and riding her. Instructor was coming back out Friday anyway so she will get straight on her and see what happens. Fingers crossed it was a one off/combo of other factors, as she has been lovely and confidence-giving up until now.

Her saddle is new and fitted by a very good fitter so it isn't that, bridle is not pinching, bit is fine, physio said she has no pain anywhere and definitely not in her back! I also rode her yesterday and she was good as gold.

 

[TheShark]

Oh no. Poor you. Hope not too dizzy!

 

[Megibo]

Oh no. Poor you. Hope not too dizzy!

Luckily no! Thanks. Just figured out she had a genuine reason and had to let me know immediately that there was a problem!

 

[maxapple]

Luckily no! Thanks. Just figured out she had a genuine reason and had to let me know immediately that there was a problem!

In that case why was she ridden until she was dripping with sweat - and lunged until she is on her knees tomorrow?

Sounds scary for you but you should find out what caused this before you punish your poor horse as there might be something wrong with her.

 

[Slightlyconfused]

^^^^^^this^^^^^*

Are you sure her saddle is fine? You said she was abit firey before hand so she must have been up set about something.

 

[Rose Folly]

Agree with maxapple. I'd be looking into what caused it before punishing the horse. If behaviour is out of character there's usually a pretty good reason.

 

[TrasaM]

It disturbs me when the first conclusion most people seem to jump to is that they are just being bad. As previously said, why was she punished for trying to tell you something was not right? I've had this with a horse I share. He started bucking his owner off and everyone said " this is a bad horse and must be taught a lesson" turned out his saddle was hurting his back and he was reacting to pain.

 

[lhotse]

Great instructor........

 

[Milkmaid]

Poor mare :sad:
By working her ' into the ground' you are just confirming to her that she has every reason to nap. The correct way for your instructor to have delt with it would have been to ride mare to school, a couple of circuits of nice work on both reins, give her a pat & put her away.
Maybe time to look for a new instructor before things get beyond repair.
In my experience (lots) horses don't rear for no reason, in fact there is a reason for everything they do & it's up to us to figure it out & if possible make things o.k.

Hope you are o.k. You need to take it easy for a fair while after a head injury

 

[katia]

Hope you're heads feeling better!
Have to agree though, working her 'into the ground' or 'on her knees' will only re enforce what ever was upsetting her about being ridden??
Please don't be so quick to punish the mare for what is a seemingly one off and probably explainable silly moment.

 

[Littlelegs]

I'm with maxapple too. I'm not saying sometimes horses don't push the boundaries, but for a horse to change so much I would firstly think it had a problem, not to punish it. And if one was just pushing its luck, I would question myself as to why I hadn't picked up on it earlier, rather than waiting for such an extreme reaction.

 

[Patterdale]

Crikey

Your instructor sounds delightful, does she do home visits?

Sorry, but my jaw actually dropped when reading this. I'm no fluffy bunny hugger but by the sounds of it your mare was practically shouting at you 'somethings wrong!'

Get it sorted. 'Working her into the ground' will not solve anything.

Glad you're ok and all but if my horse was behaving like that before getting on I'd be checking her over completely.

It could be anything, even down to a thorn in her back under the saddle pricking her.

A horse tensing up getting tacked up and led to mounting block is a worried horse, and there's always a good reason.

 

[Tinypony]

I hope you you recover from your tumble.

As for the rest of your post, I'm horrified. A mare that is normally great, gives you some warning on the ground that things aren't the same. Your instructor watches you get on regardless with predictable results. The instructor then gets on and beats your horse up and works her into the ground - just because she is more able to stay on than you she gets away with it. Then, to top off this performance your instructor is going to punish your horse - who won't have a clue what is happening and why she's suddenly being treated like this - by working her into the ground again and then putting you on.

You have got to be kidding. For sure, if your horse is worked to her knees into a dripping heap she may well tolerate you then riding her. It's called "Flooding". Even if she isn't flooded, she'll be exhausted, and it sounds as if she'd be exhausted enough to over-ride any physical issues she might be trying to tell you about.

Honestly op - this is YOUR horse and presumably you love her. You wouldn't let anyone treat your dog or cat to a beating like that in front of you would you?

Bearing in mind that you say yourself that this horse has previously been brilliant and confidence giving, surely she has earned a little bit of leeway? She needs back, teeth and tack checked, possibly by someone different (particularly if the person who decided all was OK is your instructor).

 

[Boysy]

Sickens me reading that, and she calls herself an Instructor????

Yes horses sometimes try it on but bejesus your mare had to scream at you to try to get you to listen and you didn't, well done, you've re-enforced her belief that she has to scream louder next time to get you to listen...................

 

[Tinypony]

Just to say, I'm sure a lot of us have put too much faith in instructors and others in a position of authority in the past. Op, I'm just hoping that the posts here will make you think twice before letting your "instructor" near your horse ever again. Honestly, if she/he follows their planned course of action they could make things so much worse for you and your horse. I've been on yards where your instructor would never be allowed back for doing something like this. I know I would never stand by and watch it happen.

 

[Ibblebibble]

Luckily no! Thanks. Just figured out she had a genuine reason and had to let me know immediately that there was a problem!

what was the problem?

 

[noobs31]

Glad you changed your mind OP, you say it was completely out of character for your mare so most likely she was telling you something as you say!

I lost faith in your instructor when you said she said you'd have "gone over backwards". Untrue, ever seen how the SRS sit when they do a levade?? I'd look for a new one she doesn't sound too knowledgeable on the whole. Hope you're ok today xx

 

[Tinypony]

Glad you changed your mind OP, you say it was completely out of character for your mare so most likely she was telling you something as you say!

I lost faith in your instructor when you said she said you'd have "gone over backwards". Untrue, ever seen how the SRS sit when they do a levade?? I'd look for a new one she doesn't sound too knowledgeable on the whole. Hope you're ok today xx

Changed her mind about what? Instructor coming back on Friday. Horse to be lunged until "on her knees" today.

 

[annaellie]

I agree with tiny pony about putting your faith in an instructor. I don't know how much experance the op has but if it's not much maybe she doesn't really know much better and as taken the instructors word as gospel.
Op I would take others advice and find a new instructor. I would also be inclined to think that if this is out of character for the horse then it isn't behaviour and she is trying to tell you something is wrong.

 

[Megibo]

My instructor is very good and works with mental racehorses in newmarket regularly. The 'whacking' is an exaggeration and she had my horse going beautifully. Everything in my post was prior to me figuring out WHY she did it-at the time we could not work it out and the fact she stopped trying to rear and behaved perfectly and moved like a dream made me think she was OK. I am lunging her gently today, and will then lean over her back to assess her reaction. I have already phoned the back lady and arranged for her to come back out just to check and make double sure her back is sound as she declared it.

It's either the new training aid which encourages her to use herself properly (EquiAmi) or it was a combination of the new clip, wind, being a little excited anyways and things flapping about due to the wind and she just has an extreme spook/reaction.

 

[Tinypony]

I know that coming from a cowboy-nh'y sort of perspective I can be a bit out of tune sometimes. But - why do people get on horses that aren't standing still and ready to be mounted? It's been drummed into me that I never get on a horse that isn't standing still and paying attention to me, and if the horse won't stand still once I'm up there, I have to get off and sort that problem before doing anything else. Consequently, every horse I've ever had will stand nicely to be mounted (from either side) and will stand nicely for me to get my act together before moving off. This paid dividends when I was desperate to ride after a knee op.
For me the alarm bells rang when Op said that her horse is usually silly on the ground anyway. Why is is to common to be prepared to spend so much time on tweaking ridden work, but not on dealing with the basics?
(Rant over).

 

[Tinypony]

My instructor is very good and works with mental racehorses in newmarket regularly. The 'whacking' is an exaggeration and she had my horse going beautifully. Everything in my post was prior to me figuring out WHY she did it-at the time we could not work it out and the fact she stopped trying to rear and behaved perfectly and moved like a dream made me think she was OK. I am lunging her gently today, and will then lean over her back to assess her reaction. I have already phoned the back lady and arranged for her to come back out just to check and make double sure her back is sound as she declared it.

Really? Drastic change of wording isn't it?
Are you riding in an Equi-Ami?
(Mental racehorses are "mental" for a reason).

 

[Megibo]

Really? Drastic change of wording isn't it?
Are you riding in an Equi-Ami?
(Mental racehorses are "mental" for a reason).

Yes. Really. I was still shocked about it yesterday!
And no she has been lunged in it twice. But it could have made her back a little sore as she is not used to using those muscles properly, hence back lady coming to check. In response to your other post..she was stood very still and good at the mounting block whilst I got on.

 

[Wagtail]

*shakes head and leaves thread*

 

[Megibo]

For me the alarm bells rang when Op said that her horse is usually silly on the ground anyway. Why is is to common to be prepared to spend so much time on tweaking ridden work, but not on dealing with the basics?
(Rant over).

'Silly' as in she a little spooky and can be a bit jumpy at things that flap at her. Otherwise she is fine and generally really good to do.

 

[Tinypony]

"she tried it on with her too but got a whacking and was worked right into the ground. Dripping with sweat she was but she totally deserved it."

She didn't deserve it did she?

I'm also leaving the thread.

 

[Hunter93]

Hope horse turns out to be ok.

 

[Milkmaid]

You can't help some people sadly. :backs out of thread:

 

[Tinsel Town]

"she tried it on with her too but got a whacking and was worked right into the ground. Dripping with sweat she was but she totally deserved it."

She didn't deserve it did she?

I'm also leaving the thread.

^^ ditto

 

[Megibo]

Hope horse turns out to be ok.

Thankyou.

I feel bad about what happened now I have a good idea of why she did it. As I said earlier she was good as gold to ride the day before. Will see what the physio says when she comes back out and will also see how she is today

Those who are leaving please shut the door on the way out.