Help! advice needed, feeling really down!

[XmisshorsestyleX]

Hi everyone,
Heres my dilemma..
Im riding a traditional cob for her owners, mainly hacking but recently decided to give her a go at showing. The yard that shes at doesnt have a school and the only place i can ride is in a very large field, now usually shes a very reponsive ride out hacking, listens well to seat, leg and hand.
When I ride in the field shes nappy as the other horses are at the top of the yard, we started off quite well last week doing lots of transitions, circles, leg yielding, half halts etc but still she wasnt coming down on the bit at all and also chucking her head about.
Two days ago when I rode her it was like riding a firework ready to explode at any minute and today was not an improvement at all! She would NOT walk at all just jogging all the time, throwing her head up and swishing it about all over the place, threatening to rear while asked to halt. Usually i ride quietly with soft hands and lots of leg aids but today it was hard to have any control at all when asking her to move off my leg and i found myself automatically holding onto the reins when she was running out from me, i tried slowing her down with my seat but nothing was working. I took the saddle off as i thought this would help calm her slightly which it did just because i prefer to ride her bareback.
Her saddle, back and teeth have all been checked and all is fine. I really feel like im letting the owners down as i dont think shes at all ready for a show in two weeks time unless we stop fighting and start working together. I will be asking a friend to come ride her to see if its me rather than her. Shes currently in a dutch gag (on snaffle rings) and to be honest i dont think shes happy in this so i have ordered a JP french link, to try her in that and see if that makes any difference. Shes also lunged in a pessoa & hacked twice a week.
Any advice or tips will be appreciated but please be gentle with me!!
Thanks

 

[Irishcobs]

Sounds like she doesn't like the bit, is it a single joint? See how she is in the new french link, she may like this better and stop throwing her head about.
Also is there anyway you can fence part of the field off like a show ring, may help to stop her trying to run to her friends.

 

[XmisshorsestyleX]

yeah it is a single joint, im really hoping this new bit will make her abit happier in the mouth, so we can move forwards instead of back!!
maybe book a lesson aswell..

Will ask owners if its possible to fence the bottom area off but this would have to be taken down every night as there are other horses grazing while im not riding.

 

[oliviacharley]

hiya,
My horse can be the same at times too...although he is normally really laid back, he too can be nappy and looks out for my little mare when I am trying to school him. I am like you and have soft hands and use my legs but sometimes I do have to be quite tough with him and this is when he can start to rear too....I dont know if it might be an idea to lunge her first to tire her out and to get her listening to you..? I also found that sectioning off part of my field helped as he then realised that the area was for schooling and not a field to mess about in.
Maybe change the bit...do you have lessons on her..? Does not sound like you are doing anything wrong....maybe it is spring fever too....do you ride out with others...? This might help with the nappy and maybe stop the jogging.

 

[Torryvald]

You shouldn't give yourself a hard time, it sounds to me like you are doing your best for this mare and you sound pretty competnat to me; but she sounds to be a bit of a handful at times.
Lessons will def. help, as will having a sectionned off area, which will make you feel safer if she was to tank off or something. Is she maybe not used to being schooled and is maybe unsure of what is asked of her. I used to hack out a cob for a friend and decided that I wanted to start schooling him, he used to take off with me and buck, but I always thought it was because he was so used to being hacked out and whizzed about on by his owner that he was unsure of what I was asking. Also she may be sore in her muscles if she is not used to being worked on an outline.

Get good instructor who can advise you on bits and stuff and don't put pressure on yourself to go to the show if you don't feel she is ready.

good luck!

 

[YorksG]

If you can't fence a bit off, mark out your schooling area with cones etc and then try working her in the area in hand. I don't know why it works but it has worked with two of ours who thought that the field was for being silly in, rather than working. It may not work for you but it's worth a try.