First ride out on new horse didn't go well PLEASE help

[fairylesley]

So I have my first horse for me to ride I already have a little section A. But this is the first horse I've own that I can ride. Got him on Sunday and as I work full time I managed to get a ride in this evening before dark. Took him to the top of my lane/bridle path which he was great with but then no matter what I did I could not get him to come back. After a good 15mins trying I gave in and got off to lead him home. He was fine being led (very slow) so after a while I jumped back on to try again. He wasn't having any of it and backed into a dry stone wall where he discovered a wasps nest!!!!! He got stung all over as did I and I eventually came off half me trying to half him flinging me. We walked back and he led fine. I have been left in a right state though really scared me. So my problem is where do I go from here. I can't ride again now until Friday and then on the wkend. How should I deal with this?? I couldn't for the life of me get him to turn back so worried it will happen again. Please help I'm completely deflated, worried, and thinking how can I get past this! :0(

 

[fidgeuk]

I had to lead my horse jack out of the yard and around the short hack several times before I could ride him round there, he would just plant and not budge, I also long reined him round the short hack several times, which really worked. You need lots of patience, he's in a new place and needs to settle in and build his confidence in his surroundings and you.

Good luck

 

[fairylesley]

Thank you that's helping to put my mind at rest a little :0)

 

[Tallulabelle]

I second walking your horse on the hack a few times to try and show him its all ok.

Good luck

 

[dibbin]

Agree with leading him first. I took my new boy for his first hack last week, but I took him out along the farm track that goes to his field so he was quite happy because he's been that way lots of times!

 

[devonlass]

Is going with another horse an option?? By far the easiest and best way to help him feel more secure,but appreciate not always possible depending on how and where you keep him.

Personally I would be reluctant to lead him out in hand,seems like he ought to be a bit past this stage if already an established riding horse (unless he isn't and is a youngster if so go ahead and lead out!!),but if you're really not happy to ride through it then what about long reining?? At least he would still be taking the lead and closest thing to being ridden in his eyes,but you have the security of being on the ground.

Not sure if will help but my young twit of a pony has discovered the art of planting when hacking alone (he's always finding new tricks bless him *rolls eyes*),I resorted to letting him face the way he wanted but then making him go backwards,looked most peculiar to the people i passed by in cars all the way down the lane but it worked and got him moving!!

Hope you work it out,can't be any fun for you in your first days of ownership.

 

[its_noodles]

i would try to ride with at least another more experienced horse...
could someone come out with you???

 

[Tiffany]

Ouch poor you and horse. Wasps are not nice when angry. I agree with either walking him out or hacking out with someone. Other option is to hack out with someone walking on foot with you.

 

[Tayto]

Another vote for getting someone to walk out on foot with you or if you have the option, ride out with a more experienced horse.

I have owned my horse for 6 months now and we have had lots of ups and downs so I know how you feel -you will get there and you will find out what makes him tick - good luck

 

[MiJodsR2BlinkinTite]

So did your pony not want to turn around and come back??? Sounds like he was enjoying himself if that is the case!

I wouldn't be too discouraged if I were you OP. These sorts of issues are very common with a new horse/rider combination and I think you just need to give it time.

I would, for now, concentrate on gaining his confidence on the ground without even worrying about riding him. Do little exercises on the ground like picking up his feet, moving him around you (the PONY moves, not YOU!!!), and doing this sort of thing to establish yourself as his herd leader; THEN, if the facility is available, do some work in a safe area like a sandschool.

Then, and only then, when you're feeling more confident, I'd ask someone else on the yard who seems to have a reasonably placid horse to ride out with you. If you can, choose a circular route so there's no issue of having to "turn around". If no other horse available, then perhaps there's someone who could walk or bicycle out with you for a few times, just to give you both some confidence, as the pony will rapidly realise that you're a bit wobbly.

The other thing you could think about would be, just for these first few weeks, get some professional help. I would recommend an Intelligent Horsemanship practitioner (should come up on a google) as they've got the right approach IME, or you could ask around locally for someone with the right sort of approach.

Just give each other time, don't rush it, do your groundwork first and get each other's confidence. But better by far IME is to get some outside help in at the earliest opportunity because bad habits formed now tend to stick.

Good luck. You WILL get there!

 

[SMIS]

Hi Fairylesley. I'm so sorry to hear about your bad experience hacking out : ( and with it being the first trip out for you both it is so important for your confidence that it goes well it is such a shame it didnt. I hope you and horse are recovering from your stings as wasps are awful.

I had a bad experience the other week (not as bad as yours though) it was a near miss with a speed cyclist at a blind corner! My horse was very shaken and span with me hanging off the side but did not bolt thank god. The next time I went down that route he planted and napped for home, I think he remembered the bad experience and was understandably reluctant to go back there. I too was very scared as all I could think was what if another cyclist comes and scares us.

Someone at my yard said to go back there repeatedly over a few days e.g. Fri, Sat, Sun and spend time getting him to walk past the object/area and stand there until he feels comfortable enough to put his head down and eat grass.

We have done this twice (with someone on foot) and so far he is less nappy and last night I was so please he marched out ahead of my footsoldier! (usually he is nappy and doesnt want to leave home then rushes back) Before we got to the offending location I hopped off and led him with a lunge rope to the corner and when I could see in both directions we stopped and he grazed for 5 mins until we headed home. It felt like he wanted to hack out because he knew he would get to that spot and it would mean a treat (grass).

I guess repetition makes it easier (so long as it is a positive experience each time) and the reward of something nice happening like food or a fuss - whatever your horse likes.

 

[squidsin]

I've had my horse 7 months and we're still struggling! She came with a set of problems I didn't know about though. My advice would be to ride him in the school until you're sure you've got brakes and steering, then take him out with a foot soldier or another experienced horse and rider. They say it takes a year to get to know a new horse and there are bound to be LOTS of ups and downs along the way! I think you just have to be realistic and not get too frustrated about the niggles (easier said than done, I know.) Really bad luck about the wasp's nest though - not exactly an every day thing to happen and any horse would ditch their rider in that situation (unless they were an absolute saint!)

 

[fairylesley]

Wow just got home from a long day to lots of lovely comments and advice thank you all so much. I have just been in the field though to mend the fence he'd broken down! Haven't got anyone to hack with I'm afraid so I'm just going to do some handling lead out and ride very close to home. The way we went is the way I brought him home so I think he thought he was going back!! His names Ralph he's 14 and been at a riding school his whole life so BIG change for him! He planted him self and when I urged him forward he just went backwards and then eventually into a wall where the wasps nest was. My leg is still killing me where I got stung so god knows how he feels he seems ok though x

 

[MiJodsR2BlinkinTite]

As your horse has been in a riding school then YES that does explain a lot; you WILL have some issues to deal with but it IS possible.

My boy had been in a trekking centre and all he knew was to follow the bum ahead; then I had him on winter loan and had no option (like you OP) but to hack solo and he said basically "no thanks and the second word is ...off"!!!

However, I had some skilled help; we started by working in hand then progressed to leading him out in hand to give him confidence, all tacked up. Then one day, almost unobtrusively, we'd gone out and about half way round I just hopped up and rode him back to the yard - and he was fine.

Its just about giving yourself time and not rushing things, only progressing once you're both confident.

As yours is 14 and has spent all his life in a riding school, he'll have learnt a few tricks to keep up his sleeve, they always do. My trainer says that the type of horse she spends the most time on and the type the people have the most problems with, are ex-riding school horses, for this very reason, so think you are doing very well with what you've got TBH.

Keep at it, you WILL get there: don't believe anyone that says you won't.

 

[fairylesley]

Thank you so much, great advice and putting my mind at rest. Tonight I led him out and led him back and then gave him he's tea! I thought the fact I was giving him his feed when he returned and groomed him he'd maybe see that as a 'oww I like this I want to go back for this!' what do you think good idea or not??

 

[squidsin]

All the ground work and bonding you do at this stage is brilliant and really does make a huge difference, and yes, grooming and a food reward are a good idea. It's a good idea to bring him in some times and not ride him, so that he doesn't always associate being caught/coming in with food. I think leading him out on the hacks you intend to do is a good idea too - get him used to the routes without putting yourself at risk. Then you can see on the ground what's likely to spook him and how he reacts to traffic, dogs, bin lorries etc.

 

[putasocinit]

lunge him, it can be done in a field or in a school, with you being in control of making him move and then reward by allowing him to slow down and walk you are becoming the herd leader, and once you are the herd leader he will do as you say which means he will trust you to turn around on your hack and to go forward, but dont become nervous and make him feel he has a leader who he can feel is scared, the leader is never scared they take the herd to safety and food. good luck

 

[poiuytrewq]

Oh no, sounds awful, Don't despair though. When I first got my new horse home a few years ago I wondered what on earth id let myself in for! Luckily I knew it was the new environment as id looked after him for his old owners for years! Id have probably sent him back otherwise
They do take time to settle and on the plus side it would be more of a problem if he had refused to go out. You need to try a circular route if possible then there is no issue of turning back.
Have you had any more success since this post? Hoping so x

 

[056775]

Two things

1) IF you can ride out with some one else you can follow and build you confidence together

2) Which I've had to do recently with my new one (only if safe and practical to so) - after a quick smack behind the leg with a schooling whip and achieving no forward response, I turn around and ask for rein back for a good 10 + meters then turn around and go forward. I keep the rein back really straight so its hard work. At one junction where I wanted to keep going and he wanted to head for home I must have reined back for about 30 meters, and after that he was thrill to be allowed to walk forwards

I refuse to stand there flapping and getting him wound up and me. Also, as this has happened a few times I'm much more on the ball for any chance in rhythm.