First horse, first year, anyone else find it hard?

T

tubby1

Well-Known Member
Joined
4 August 2010
Messages
333
Visit site
As the title, I have my first horse 6 yr old ish chestnut mare. I'm a late starter to horse ownership. Just really struggling with the ups and downs I never know what I'm going to get when I get to the yard nice horse aggressive horse. Easy to ride , bucking bronco ! We didn't get off to a great start but a change of yards I thought we were getting somewhere. Thiss week it's all Gone down hill with her being aggressive, bucking , napping. I'm not really that confident and feel maybe she is not the horse for me. How did everyone else find their first year?
 
The first year us always the worst, i heard it can take a year fir a horse to bond with a new owner. please bear in mind that a lot of horses are silly at the moment - including mine! Dont let it get you down the spring grass is coming thru and they know it, they all turn into goons at this time of year. if its really bugging you why not get some lessobs? Will hopefully give you something positive to focus on :-)
 
I have had my first horse for a year now. He is a very kind horse, but highly strung and green, and I had to deal with a lot of saddle related issues, however I couldn't be happier and I have loved this year.

What has made a huge difference is the yard I am on. Small and private with a YO who is constantly on hand to give advice but never unprompted. Through her and my instructor I have managed to solve most of our major problems. And this forum has been great as well.
 
Spring is in the air! I turned mine out last night for the first time and he's been out all day. Had a lesson tonight and he was superchilled - after one night out! Take it from me, we've had some 'exciting' moments recently
 
I have had mine for 6months now. I too am not the most confident rider but my horse is very quiet but lacking a little in the schooling dept. I too have found my first winter tough, i have been through a few ups and downs last few weeks. My boy had dropped weight, needed a few sessions to sort out his pelvis etc. I think its al apart of getting used to a new horse.
 
I too came to horse ownership very late (wrong side of 50!!) and I did wonder if I had done the right thing at first. I think it took a good 6 months for H to settle in and it took a lot of support from YO and others at the yard. We could NOT have done it without them.

H is on working livery but the YO is excellent at providing the correct riders for each horse. When he came he was really green (even though he was 10), but she put the most experienced riders on him, including a couple of men. Then one of the other larger school horses was 'off sick' for a month and H took up the slack. It meant he had a lot of work over that month-long period and it was the making of him! He went from acting like a 'baby' to being one of the best on the school (actually, now I would say he is the best!) ;)

He is now a joy to ride! Everyone loves him! He wasn't ever really anything scary, but very nervous and green. She can now put absolute beginners on him, nervous returners, disabled riders etc etc.

I had a lot of support in the early days (still do!) and I am so grateful to everyone up there. I know there are horror stories about working liveries, but it has been fantastic for us.

I think actually it just boils down to TONS of work and a little patience!
 
Yes the first year was dreadful I thought I was going to have to sell my pony but in the end a change of yards did the trick, he was just telling me he did not like where he was living.

I had have him nearly 5 years now and we have had lots of great times, though I do still have plenty of times when i worry about him or something goes wrong, but that is part of being a living animal (both of us!)
 
In three weeks time I will have had my boy a year and tonight i ended up sitting in the school in floods of tears cos I feel like I'm getting nowhere! It feels like such hard work sometimes doesn't it? :(
 
I am not one for crying but I CRIED A RIVER in the first year!
Considered selling him half a million times I'd reckon, at least :rolleyes:
I could not get a bridle on him, he would not steer, he bolted off with me in hand, I didn't show him (and he is bred to show) he barged at doors, at people, he wouldn't pick up his back feet, he would not get his forelock brushed... *sigh*

It does get better. He would follow other people.. but not me.
Now I can barely get him off my side! Make your horse associate you with good things, not always work etc etc.

All the best though- keep at it! I am still solving issues with mine, always will be! ;)
 
It is definitely tough and I have only had my boy six weeks! Two things have been a god send, lots of lessons and getting a professional to ride him once a week. He is such a good boy for ages once she has sat on him :) He is currently testing the boundaries in the stable though. Threatened to kick the other day but a hard smack with my hand and a shout from me and 30 seconds later he was nuzzling to say sorry *sigh*
 
Honey, hang in . . . I had my old trainer come out to see my boy today . . . she's seen (and helped) me go through it all . . . he reared, napped, spooked (and I mean SPOOKED), broke two of my ribs, was barge-y, unpredictable, etc. . . . but he was (and is) also sweet, clever, full of character, full of scope, and very, very endearing. He is now balanced, mannerly (most of the time . . . he STILL hates to be tied up once he's had enough), a doddle to lead and handle, and he is much, much better in the school.

The first year was really tough. At one point I was terrified of riding him and thought I really should sell him (even though I love him so, so much). I'm not sure if there was one thing that helped . . . it was probably a combination . . . a particularly kind friend helped by just coming to the yard and helping me get on him . . . my trainer schooled him which a) made him easier for me to ride; and b) gave her the insight to help me get to grips with him; c) I gave him the winter off; and d) I now have him on a yard where I have tons of help but no judgment . . . we are working consistently in the school (walk, trot, canter (sometimes), leg yield, shoulder in, pole work) and hacking out too.

Bottom line, there is hope . . . and help. The first year is tough . . . some horses (like mine) take a long time to trust . . . you are building an important partnership.

I hope this helped.

P
 
Hi - will have had mine a year on Thursday - and yes, it has been a real rollercoaster! I have cried and laughed loads.. and just when you think you have it down something else comes along and throws you! I don't regret it though, although ask me again on sunday eve as we are off to a stressage comp:) Also to add, my normally very placid horse is a complete lunatic at the mo like many on the yard it seems - Spring is to blame apparantly! Its scary but I think it will pass once they are turned out 24/7. Good luck
 
Thanks everybody for your replies, it makes it easier to know I am not alone. Roller coaster is the right word I go from selling her to saying she has a home for life in the space of hours:o This forum is great for helping out :)
 
I've had my first horse for 4 months and have found it very hard going - the terrible gales for weeks on end in November/December didn't help at the beginning. He's had a complete change of personality in the last couple of months and I'm still trying to decide if he's the horse for me or if I've taken on too much and I'll end up lose my nerve completely! :( Roller coaster doesn't even begin to describe it!!!
 
I couldn't ride my horse for a month over Christmas because I couldn't get a saddle to fit him. I lunged him a lot and found it made me feel much closer to him. When I finally got a good saddle fitter and was able to get back on him, I was very glad of the time I had spent trying not to get tangled in the lunge whip!
 
It can be difficult so I would say get as much help as possible from someone you know and trust.

If you can afford it, why not book regular lessons and maybe ask instructor to get on for first 10-15 minutes or alternate between lessons and schooling sessions.

The other possibility is that he may not be the horse for you, it's like getting to know people, sometimes you get on and sometimes you don't.

You bought a horse to enjoy so if you really aren't enjoying him in another few months maybe you should consider selling him?

Hope it doesn't come to that but no point in carrying on if he is knocking your confidence and neither of you are getting anything out of the relationship.
 
I can vaguely remember some parts of my first year with my first 'own pony' mostly because they were the awful bits!.....

He used to bolt back to the gate in the field when I was riding, so I used to ride away from the gate and then get off and lead him back!

That the girl I shared the field with used to love riding my pony (because he was fast and terrifying!), and I'd always ride hers (because although he was fast, at least he had brakes!!)

We made 'contact' with a car whilst out hacking.

Pony was a nervy arab. Totally unsuitable as a first pony. But it was him or nothing. As my unhorsey parents didn't like either of the 2 very suitable cobs we'd been to look at because 'they were slow and ugly, and we'd wasted a day looking at horses', they weren't looking at any more!!

I wanted a nice slow hairy cob, that was my ideal ! ;)

So well done all your 'first year'ers'!! Hope you've had a better one than I !!!
 
There is a lot of 'blame the horse' being passed around here.

In Denmark you learn to ride and handle horses before you get your own. That eliminates almost all the problems being mentioned in this thread, most of which seem to spring from insecure people handling an insecure, possibly physically uncomfortable, animal.
 
(only read the first post).

I was given my first horse when I was 17, he was a rescue horse and gifted to me by my cousin when the school he was at closed down.

Oh we hated each other for the first year! I lost track of the amount of times he nearly killed me (quite literally, in hindesight he way outclassed me!). I don't remember exactly when we stopped hating each other but he turned out to be my horse of a lifetime and I miss him dreadfully :(

I have had my current horse for nearly 4 years and we have only just worked each other out.

I am never going to be a super awesome competition rider, some days I struggle to even be a rider, but my horse and I suit each other very well. I am quite happy to plod around the paddock school on him and he is quite content with being made a fuss over for no reason other than I have a spare half hour and he is tied up!

Not every horse and not every rider are going to achieve great things, there are some like me who are quite content to simply achieve some quite time together with their 4 legged companion.
 
Mondy said:
There is a lot of 'blame the horse' being passed around here.

In Denmark you learn to ride and handle horses before you get your own. That eliminates almost all the problems being mentioned in this thread, most of which seem to spring from insecure people handling an insecure, possibly physically uncomfortable, animal.
Click to expand...

That whats people can do in the UK. The problem is riding school horses are ridden for a good few hours everyday so when you get your own horse there is only you to look after and ride it.

You only learn how to ride when you get your own horse.

My first horse was a skinny loan boy, who I bought. He would not tie up, hated the stable, would not load, bucked, shied that's all before he put condition on. Hacked him to a show where he threw me off and ran home. He was a chestnut devil but I loved him to bits. Had him 4 years!
 
Mondy said:
There is a lot of 'blame the horse' being passed around here.

In Denmark you learn to ride and handle horses before you get your own. That eliminates almost all the problems being mentioned in this thread, most of which seem to spring from insecure people handling an insecure, possibly physically uncomfortable, animal.
Click to expand...

I rode and handled horses for 7 years before I bought Kal ... but it is never, ever the same as having the (sometimes terrifying) responsibility of your own. Also, I didn't blame Kal at all for our rocky first year . . . he was being a horse and responding to the stimuli around him . . . he hasn't changed, I have. I learned to get tough with him (firm, but fair - never aggressive), put firm boundaries in place, make sure he had appropriate feed for his level of work, make sure he is happy in his environment (turnout, stable, fieldmates, etc.). Our relationship got better because we learned to trust each other - and that takes time (and longer with some horses than others - like Kal).

I will freely admit that I bought the wrong horse . . . having ridden riding school horses and safe friends' horses for 7 years, what I bought was NOT a riding school horse. Not his fault. Kali is sharp, opinionated and quirky - not quite how the seller described him. 2 and a quarter years on, though, he IS the right horse. As my trainer said yesterday . . . we've spent an awful lot of time together and know each other very well.

No matter how much you have ridden and handled other horses, buying and owning your first horse can be quite a daunting experience. I'm not sure that there's any way round it . . . other than to do what many people here did (including me) and make sure you get lots of help.

P
 
I suppose technically i shouldn't have posted as Spider isn't my first, having had ponies as a child, but having had a ten year plus break it certainly feels like it!
 
Mondy said:
There is a lot of 'blame the horse' being passed around here.
Click to expand...

I don't think anyone is blaming their horse - I certainly am not. My frustration comes from the fact that I 100% know that the issues are my fault.

This thread has made me feel better too, so much so that I am sitting at my desk typing up a plan of action for the next few weeks / months (should really be working but oh well...)
 
Hang in there! It does get easier!

My first year with my mare was tough, She tested me, bolted, barged, etc etc. Basically, when I look back now it was stemming from a lack of trust in me.

Once we got to know each other, formed a relationship and she trusted me as leader, things almost snapped into place overnight.

I definitely cried more in that first year than I have in the 10yrs since put together. I still have her now and wouldn't change her for the world.
 
Mondy said:
There is a lot of 'blame the horse' being passed around here.

In Denmark you learn to ride and handle horses before you get your own. That eliminates almost all the problems being mentioned in this thread, most of which seem to spring from insecure people handling an insecure, possibly physically uncomfortable, animal.
Click to expand...

I dont see anyone blaming their horse they are merely describing their experience. Saying that learning to handle a horse etc eliminates problems shows a lack of experience in my view. It is very very common to have problems in the first year, in fact it is to
be expected and worked through, it's a normal part of having a new
horse.
 
Hang on in there! It does get easier

I have had my mare for about 18 months, she was lovley for the first few weeks then I think she thought she would push me to breaking point. She was strong, bolschy, walked straight through me and any one else that handled her, she forgot all her manners etc etc. A few weeks after I got her her saddle slipped while cantering and I came off and broke my shin bone and ankle so spent 8 weeks in plaste, turned out her saddle didnt fit but thats a whole different thread. then last July she tore her Manica Flexor Tendon which resulted in surgery and 7 months box rest! The walking in hand was horrendous at first as she spent most of the time with either her front legs in the air or bucking and bronking round the yard. Im not a crier but she reduced me to tears nearly every day and made me feel totally bloody useless and many a day I felt like giving up. But I perservered and am also stubbon and wont let anything get the better of me lol and while she was on box rest I spent loads of time with her and when we was able to start walking her in hand I did loads and loads of ground work with her and reminded of her manners and taught her to respect things and other people and to stay out of my space unless she was invited in.
I also changed her diet and now she is the most laid back horse and is so settled and now has manners and also respects my space. She follows me anywhere and everywhere now and the bond just gets better and better. Im loving it!

Im actually worried that she is being so good! lol

Im still having a few confidence issues when riding as Im a nervous rider anyway but we are getting there slowly and have just started hacking out again now as well as doing a little schooling now that she has the all clear from the vets

I also had amazing support from my friends at the yard.

It is hard but you will get there!
 
I will have had my boy for a year in two weeks, and again like a lot of people, we had had our differences. Although not my first horse, (my other was a saint, could have ridden him blind folded), I call him my first "proper" horse as you actually have to ride this one if that makes sense, rather than just sit there.
We had a few issues over winter but know what to expect for the next one and I have been having regular lessons which have made a HUGE Difference.
Don't give up, sure things will get better for you.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Top