Christined
New User
Hello, I am new to the forum and I am a relatively new rider. I’ve been riding for 4 years and have owned my own horse for 2.
When I first got my horse we started doing lots of hacking, pleasure rides, endurance, she was good as gold and never put a foot wrong.
But last year she sustained a severe tendon injury which put her out of work for nearly a year. As I was planning my wedding, I wasn’t too worried about the time as I had something else to focus on.
In January this year I started bringing her back into work, being a novice I had never done this before, so naively thought I could take her where I used to just in walk and all would be well.
Of course it wasn’t, she was shying a lot more then she ever had before and actually ran away with me a couple of times.
So I took things right back to baby steps, doing very short hacking routes with someone on the ground with me, longer routes with someone on a bike and building up from there until I was confident enough to go out on my own.
We are now trotting were ever I want, at whatever speed I want, but my next hurdle is canter. This to be honest makes me very nervous. I have asked a couple of times in recent days, but I tense up and don’t give her the reins enough to go so we just get a fast, I don’t know what you want trot. Completely my fault.
Today when I came back and relayed this to my mother in law, she kindly said to me ‘well you should be catering by now’. So now I feel like a total failure!
So I am looking for some tips and advice please...
I should add that due to my horses injury we can not work in a school, she hates it anyway. Also, the saddle I currently using is a demo whilst mine is being made, so it fits her but not me at all. My knees are well over the front of the saddle, I don’t feel secure in it at all. I am a 6ft lady with extremely long legs on a show saddle, I’m sure you get the picture.
Thank you in advance for your advice.
Christine
When I first got my horse we started doing lots of hacking, pleasure rides, endurance, she was good as gold and never put a foot wrong.
But last year she sustained a severe tendon injury which put her out of work for nearly a year. As I was planning my wedding, I wasn’t too worried about the time as I had something else to focus on.
In January this year I started bringing her back into work, being a novice I had never done this before, so naively thought I could take her where I used to just in walk and all would be well.
Of course it wasn’t, she was shying a lot more then she ever had before and actually ran away with me a couple of times.
So I took things right back to baby steps, doing very short hacking routes with someone on the ground with me, longer routes with someone on a bike and building up from there until I was confident enough to go out on my own.
We are now trotting were ever I want, at whatever speed I want, but my next hurdle is canter. This to be honest makes me very nervous. I have asked a couple of times in recent days, but I tense up and don’t give her the reins enough to go so we just get a fast, I don’t know what you want trot. Completely my fault.
Today when I came back and relayed this to my mother in law, she kindly said to me ‘well you should be catering by now’. So now I feel like a total failure!
So I am looking for some tips and advice please...
I should add that due to my horses injury we can not work in a school, she hates it anyway. Also, the saddle I currently using is a demo whilst mine is being made, so it fits her but not me at all. My knees are well over the front of the saddle, I don’t feel secure in it at all. I am a 6ft lady with extremely long legs on a show saddle, I’m sure you get the picture.
Thank you in advance for your advice.
Christine
