Help! Advice needed

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whitedonkey

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Hi I brought a new horse earlier this year, after trying so hard to get somewhere with him I have unfortunately become too nervous to ride him. He has had me off a few times and is nervous to ride - being nervous myself we are obviously not a good combination.

He is a seven year old Dales and is well bred ( full brother came 4th at hoys)he was sold to me as suitable for a novice with some support - I consider myself to be more experienced than novice but I am a nervous rider and he needs someone to tell him whos boss as he takes the mickey out of me.

What should I do? I can't afford further lessons/schooling and don't have the time and confidence to do it myself. He passed a vetting and has had teeth and back checked.

I would like to sell him but am too nervous to ride him, I don't really have anyone elso to ride him so what should I do?

Any ideas much appreciated thanks
 
I am not an expert but do as much groundwork with him as you can. Poppy took the proverbial with me big time until I realised that she didn't play up with others more confident than myself, and then I was shown some simple groundwork exercises to do with her. It has made the world of difference. I too am nervous about riding and although I do have lessons on her at home, even having someone with me to talk to to take my mind off thinking the worst helps tremendously. And then you begin to look forward to riding rather than dreading it!
 
Take some more lessons and get a more confidant rider to come and school him for you; but as you have said you cannot afford more lessons I would look to selling him and finding a more suitable horse.
 
Agree with comments re selling him, and if you cannot afford someone to ride him for you at viewings, look at sending him to a professional selling yard to do the whole package for you.
 
It depends on how you feel about this horse! If you have genuinely lost hear with him altogether and have no interest in trying to build a relationship with him then selling is the fairest thing for you both. You'd ideally need to try to get someone else to ride him otherwise potential purchasers may be put off if he can't be demonstrated under saddle. However if you would like to see if you can resolve your mutual lack of confidence then you can 'grow' together through groundwork games as the other poster suggested. Enlist the help of a reputable trainer if you can otherwise read up on natural horsemanship (there's plenty of variations on the method out there and I have no favourite myself!), find one whose teachings you can understand and see if that helps you. There may be a local natural horsemanship group who you can talk to and they will often organise clinics which you can watch or take your horse to. A lady at my yard was in a similar situation to you and has a lovely partnership with her horse now - they still have to work at a few things occasionally but the lady now feels she has the tools, technique and 'feel' to help her horse through - so it can be done if you want to work at it. But no shame in saying that the horse is simply not for you, sometimes we just don't 'click' with them :-)
 
Ah hun, so sorry to hear that. :( we've all been there and its not a nice place to be in but good for you thoughh admitting you need help and are having problems...

Agree with the sales livery or you could advertise him yourself but be completely honest to people about the problems you ae having and admit that he is too much for you. There are many people out there who would be able to have the time and confidence to manage him and you may well lose money on him I'm afraid but there are several problem horse websites out there that he could be advertised on and people are buying animals that do have 'issues'. However, honesty is certainly the best policy.
 
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