trojanpony
Well-Known Member
Okay, so I've been lurking on the forum for a while and dropping a few comments so thought I'd better do a proper introduction!
Bit of back story: I'm an endurance rider by trade, retired my fab endurance mare (14hh new forest x) in 2002 and decided to breed a foal from her to carry on the good genes. He was born in 2004 and for a combination of reasons (mainly my poor handling) became a bit of a handful!
We had an interesting few years, involving quite a bit of rolling, tanking off, rearing and biting but his behaviour was gradually improving (I thought!). From about 2/3 yrs I'd been sitting on him in the field and stable so thought I'd have a go at backing him myself. Getting on board was fine, but basically the silly behaviour I got on the ground continued with me on board. I could ride in the school or the field but occasionally got chucked off and the slightest thing would spook him into a mad gallop.
Then, at easter last year, I was schooling and my YO was driving round in a forklift making a bonfire. My boy (now 4yo) was a bit on his toes but I thought: better carry on for a bit till he settles.
My memory's a bit patchy but I do remember I was at the bottom end of the school and he literally just spun and bolted flat out up the school. I couldn't stop him and didn't have time to bail, assumed he would jump the gate but he must've ground to a halt throwing me face-first into the post and rail fence.
I was knocked out for a minute or so but when I came round I knew I wasn't quite right and got my phone out to call 999. Thankfully my OH was there to call for help.
Basically, when I hit the fence I'd ripped the bottom half of my face off my skull (sorry!). I'm so glad I had my body protector and hat on and managed not to hurt anything else. The hospital were amazed I hadn't fractured my skull!
So, after a quick ambulance trip, a few hours in A&E being x-rayed etc, and 5 hours of amazing emergency surgery they managed to stitch my face back on. I had about 30 stitches in the outside of my face and probably another 60 inside!
Needless to say this incident made me reassess my approach to my youngster's education! Whilst I was recovering from the accident I looked up a few local trainers and found an amazing lady called Melanie Watson who reckoned she could help. Sending him away was awful (not least because I know he was basically unhandleable) but she had him for 4 weeks and when I got him back it was like a different horse! I learnt so much through his re-education about what I'd being doing wrong and it's completely changed the way I deal with horses.
Getting back on for the first time was pretty nerve wracking, but I'm so glad I stuck with it - and with him. 9 months on and I have a happy, friendly, safe horse who others on the yard can bring in and out, and who's chilled out on hacks even when he meets buses, trains and barking dogs!
Well done if you've stuck with it this far - I hope for those who are interested it's worthwhile knowing a bit of back story about how I've got where I am - it's been quite a journey I can tell you!
BTW - It's also been a long road to recovery for my face as I suffered quite a lot of nerve damage and scarring - however, even that has improved so much more than I thought it would, so I'm a happy girl!!
Bit of back story: I'm an endurance rider by trade, retired my fab endurance mare (14hh new forest x) in 2002 and decided to breed a foal from her to carry on the good genes. He was born in 2004 and for a combination of reasons (mainly my poor handling) became a bit of a handful!
We had an interesting few years, involving quite a bit of rolling, tanking off, rearing and biting but his behaviour was gradually improving (I thought!). From about 2/3 yrs I'd been sitting on him in the field and stable so thought I'd have a go at backing him myself. Getting on board was fine, but basically the silly behaviour I got on the ground continued with me on board. I could ride in the school or the field but occasionally got chucked off and the slightest thing would spook him into a mad gallop.
Then, at easter last year, I was schooling and my YO was driving round in a forklift making a bonfire. My boy (now 4yo) was a bit on his toes but I thought: better carry on for a bit till he settles.
My memory's a bit patchy but I do remember I was at the bottom end of the school and he literally just spun and bolted flat out up the school. I couldn't stop him and didn't have time to bail, assumed he would jump the gate but he must've ground to a halt throwing me face-first into the post and rail fence.
I was knocked out for a minute or so but when I came round I knew I wasn't quite right and got my phone out to call 999. Thankfully my OH was there to call for help.
Basically, when I hit the fence I'd ripped the bottom half of my face off my skull (sorry!). I'm so glad I had my body protector and hat on and managed not to hurt anything else. The hospital were amazed I hadn't fractured my skull!
So, after a quick ambulance trip, a few hours in A&E being x-rayed etc, and 5 hours of amazing emergency surgery they managed to stitch my face back on. I had about 30 stitches in the outside of my face and probably another 60 inside!
Needless to say this incident made me reassess my approach to my youngster's education! Whilst I was recovering from the accident I looked up a few local trainers and found an amazing lady called Melanie Watson who reckoned she could help. Sending him away was awful (not least because I know he was basically unhandleable) but she had him for 4 weeks and when I got him back it was like a different horse! I learnt so much through his re-education about what I'd being doing wrong and it's completely changed the way I deal with horses.
Getting back on for the first time was pretty nerve wracking, but I'm so glad I stuck with it - and with him. 9 months on and I have a happy, friendly, safe horse who others on the yard can bring in and out, and who's chilled out on hacks even when he meets buses, trains and barking dogs!
Well done if you've stuck with it this far - I hope for those who are interested it's worthwhile knowing a bit of back story about how I've got where I am - it's been quite a journey I can tell you!
BTW - It's also been a long road to recovery for my face as I suffered quite a lot of nerve damage and scarring - however, even that has improved so much more than I thought it would, so I'm a happy girl!!
