Feel a bit fed up, should I lower my expectations?

Nickles1973

Nickles1973

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I have had my lovely boy for a year today! Tbh I never expected to have such a nice horse and I have often thought that he deserves a better rider/owner than he's got in me! We've come a long way in this year, he's an ex-racer and has a complex almost split personality and can be a bit of a handfull for others but he and I have really bonded. The trouble is he's so sensitive and accident prone I'm not making any progress with schooling and my hopes of doing any dressage tests with him are always being put back. Even today when riding in the school after 20 mins of warming up, doing a little walk and trot I started to do a bit of canter around the school when he stumbled. After that he seemed a bit off and was nodding a little so I got off and got my YO to watch as I trotted him up. She couldn't see any problem and there was no heat and swelling, but I felt deflated again and just turned him out. He loves to hack and I seem to be doing more of that than anything lately. I try to have a lesson every 2 weeks. (Lost shoes and random off days allowing) but I don't feel that I'm making any headway. He's resistant and almost impossible to bend. He's always almost on the bit but never quite there. I have had his teeth, back and saddle checked recently and all are fine. I suppose what I'm asking is should I just carry on as I am and give up on any ideas of competing for this year. Sorry this has been a bit long and pointless but I just needed say how I feel outloud. I feel better already lol!
 
if you work together better when hacking out, why don't you do some schooling while you are hacking? My girl hates the school so we school on a hack, or if we need to get some more schooling done then we warm up with a short hack, then head into the school.
 
I would go and do some walk and trot tests. These tests are meant for exactly the stage where you are at now! You are not supposed to be on the bit, supple and ready for any fancy moves. They are literally the basics. Can you change the rein (exactly at the given markers?) can you do a simple (though not so simple) 20m circle?? If so, (which I of course suspect you can) go and have a go.

Whilst doing that, which will get him out and about and you all excited (lol) I would possibly invest in some more lessons. Maybe even put a plan together. Do some lunging/long lining work and work on his suppleness and maybe add in some stretches everyday.

Research all this on the net and get some books, so you can work on getting him more uptogether. Do some schooling on the hacks, possible school on your way out and plod home type of thing. Add in pole work to your lessons to sparken them up.

Get someone to film you and do some basic dressage tests online (www.dressageanywhere.com) and (www.interdressage.co.uk) get feedback from these to and this will give you more to work on.


Goodluck.x
 
You sound just like a girl I know! She bought her ex-racer boy and for about 12 months, nothing seemed to go right for them - either he was lame or he was being a twit - and we honestly wondered what she'd ended up buying for herself. But she persevered and he seems to be coming right now (she's worked out when he's most likely to injure himself and takes steps to try and avoid those situations).
She's also been doing the walk / trot tests to build up her confidence, and clear round jumping. They seem to be bonding really well now and I think they'll go from strength to strength.

If you've found a horse that you bond with, the rest will work itself out with time.

Also, be careful about being too watchful / paranoid about lameness etc. I'm not saying ride him when he's obviously lame, but if he seems not quite right, don't automatically assume he's lame. Get someone whose opinion you trust to have a really good look at how he's going and be honest with you. You might think he's 'off' but he might be fine.
I say this from experience: since my lad has come back into work following a stifle injury, I have become paranoid. The vet, my trainer (BHS AI qualified for over 40 years!), my OH (doctor) and everyone who has seen him move says he is fine, but I still need regular reassurance, despite him being back in full work for almost 2 months now!
 
I think you should focus on what you have acheived so far rather than what you have not.

Your having lessons every 2 weeks, hell that's good, well more than a lot of us do...in fact I wish I could afford lessons every few weeks.

You have bonded.

''He's always almost on the bit but never quite there'' but your horse is an ex racer, sometimes it does take longer, some more than others and still after a year people struggle to get to where you are....no matter how many lessons they have, some are just more difficult and take a little more un doing, without boring them to death with too much schooling.

I'd say, just get out there and strut your stuff, have a go at the dressage, I bet you will be very pleasantly supprised.
 
Thanks for all the replies! I have taken on board what you've all said and I'm going to try to think more positively about what I have achieved this year and try not to worry so much about what we're not doing. The idea of trying an online test sounds like a way forward. I'm going to spend this evening trying to convice hubby that he'd love to spend an hour or 2 with his video camera!
 
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