Help, am I in the wrong?

[Pearl7]

I recently bought a OTTB mare who is the sweetest thing. I have been retraining her with support of a local instructor who has lots of experience with retraining ex racehorses. The yard owner however dislikes my instructor and seems to want me to go against everything she suggests and gives me a hard time about it. Both are very experienced riders however my instructor is more experienced with ex racers, hence why I employed her to teach/help me.
My horse has also done little/no hacking off road and becomes super anxious leaving the yard, she jogs and spins to go home. That is the basic background, so I decided to go for a hack with the yard owner. I didn’t realise the route (I am new to the yard) included going through an open field and then turning back on ourselves slightly. I said how my horse hadn’t seen an open field with me so wanted to stick by the fence. The yard owner was persistent that it would be fine and we should just stick to the route. Basically my horse’s head blew the moment we entered the field and left the fence, she bolted the whole way home. I somehow stayed on however my nerves are shredded. It was a proper bolt, she was at a flat out gallop and only slowed when she came to the yard. The yard owner blames me for the bolt since my mare was in snaffle, however I feel it is the situation that caused her to bolt. She has hacked without bolting in a snaffle before and has always been easy to stop in the school with it. I have decided to take her out again in tack but being lead and the yard owner has acted like I am being dramatic? My horse bolted a good mile through gates and sharp turns on wet grass/mud and it is a miracle we are both ok. Surely I am not being over the top by taking things back to basics with hacking and going in hand/long rein before I get back on, this is what my instructor has also suggested to do. I am also scared for this to happen again.

 

[Ossy2]

What is the yo’s solution compared to instructors?
I probably wouldn’t have taken horse out with YO in the first place given the background of conflict with chosen instructor and potential for YO to make a point. I’d be disappointed in myself for putting my horse in that position knowing it is anxious to leave the yard. As to who’s fault it is only those involved in the situation know the answer to that.
If your happy with your current instructor then I’d sit down with them and work out a plan of getting more basics under your belt first before going off roading again. It very likely would happen again if you don’t get the basics of the reschooling in line in a safer secure environment.

 

[Pearlsacarolsinger]

I would stick to following the trainer's advice, wouldn't involve the YO at all and in fact would ask the trainer for recommendations for a more suitable yard.

 

[smolmaus]

I said how my horse hadn’t seen an open field with me so wanted to stick by the fence. The yard owner was persistent that it would be fine and we should just stick to the route. Basically my horse’s head blew the moment we entered the field and left the fence, she bolted the whole way home.

I don't see how you can possibly be in the wrong here tbh. Well, I could say you should have trusted your own instincts here and not allowed yourself to be bullied into doing something you knew was likely to end in tears but that is very easy to say and very difficult to do, and I can't throw any stones from inside my little glass house either.

It's a sticky situation but I think you know whose opinion you should trust apart from your own. I hope you can stand your ground with YO now you have this evidence of her poor judgement to back you up a bit.

 

[windand rain]

Firstly the horse did not bolt it bogged off at speed secondly you are not in the wrong for sticking with your instructors views and thirdly maybe an off track tb was not the wisest choice of horse for you. Sorry to be harsh but I am not sure what the reasoning behind buying an OTTB if you don't have the knowledge of how to retrain one

 

[Bosworth]

With an ex racehorse you need to take it slowly ….. never ever turn around on yourself. So always a circular route, and on grass walk until you know he is chilled with being ridden on grass and coming back to you. Your snaffle isn’t the issue, i ride my ex racer in a snaffle, it’s the attitude of the yard owner and your lack of experience with your horse. Stick with your instructor, and get to know your horse while he gets to understand he’s no longer a race horse and can chill with life. He didn’t bolt, he took off, which possibly was because you held your reins, leant forward and tried to pull him up. That doesn’t work for racehorses, the easiest way to slow them is to drop the reins and sit up straight… look at jockeys at the end of a race.

 

[stangs]

The yard owner blames me for the bolt since my mare was in snaffle

In the nicest way possible, your YO is full of sh*t. A horse that wants to bolt will bolt, regardless of what bit is in its mouth.

 

[Pearl7]

Firstly the horse did not bolt it bogged off at speed secondly you are not in the wrong for sticking with your instructors views and thirdly maybe an off track tb was not the wisest choice of horse for you. Sorry to be harsh but I am not sure what the reasoning behind buying an OTTB if you don't have the knowledge of how to retrain one

hi she is not fresh off the track, she has had a years retraining and I bought her off a reputable retraining yard. She is very soft and settled in the school/fully retrained in that area but has seen little off road hacking hence her becoming agitated. I didn’t realise this until buying her (I tried her hacking on the roads where she is sharp but safe).

 

[Bosworth]

hi she is not fresh off the track, she has had a years retraining and I bought her off a reputable retraining yard. She is very soft and settled in the school/fully retrained in that area but has seen little off road hacking hence her becoming agitated. I didn’t realise this until buying her (I tried her hacking on the roads where she is sharp but safe).

stick with her, loads of walking on grass, loose reins and calm chilled walking. On circular routes, no high energy feed, just grass, hay/haylage, and sugar beet, grass nuts and micronised linseed if you want to get weight on. But no conditioning mixes or competition mixes. You want everything about her to become chilled…. And that includes you. If your YO stresses you, that will stress her. So no riding out with YO. youll get there ?

 

[Fluffypiglet]

From what you have written, your YO sounds unhelpful to say the least. You cannot have two such different opinions helping you with your horse and your instructor sounds more useful. Agree that it may be worth seeing if your instructor can suggest a yard that would be more suitable for you to move to?

 

[PinkvSantaboots]

The YO sounds like an idiot and I would not accept any help or advice from them again, it's your horse and you are entitled to have who you like help you if they get funny about it I would leave the yard.

 

[littleshetland]

It sounds like your YO is either woefully ignorant or jealous of your chosen instructor or probably both. Ex racehorses are a rather different kettle of fish regards re-training them, but thats not to say they can't turn into the loveliest horses once they understand what's expected of them in their new job. There's tons of good advice to be had on this forum and there's lots of fb groups out there. Definitely go back to basics with her...perhaps just quiet road work hacking or a bit of arena fun, just don't expect to much to soon from her. Your confidence is the most precious thing you can give your new horse so don't let your YO bully you again into doing something you don't want to do with her. Seek out help and advice from people you know you can trust and you'll be fine. Good luck!

 

[fankino04]

As everyone else has put your YO sounds like an arse, I'd definitely be avoiding any of their input with my horse and probably looking for a more supportive yard. When I got my ex racer when I was 14 I had the same thing happen on a hack, it was very scarey. My instructor helped a lot and we worked on both walking on a loose rein through fields and also schooling in a field ( initially in a corner so we had a fence to help stop us). This mare became my horse of a lifetime and was never ridden in anything other than a snaffle including when xc.

 

[Peglo]

I would ask your instructor for advice and go with what she says.

if your horse is good to walk in hand then I would hack her out leading. It was great for one of mine’s confidence. Don’t let anyone make you do something your not comfortable with though.

 

[tristar]

you have the right ideas i always stick to the hedge until confidence is established

its too easy to be railroaded into things you dont think are a good idea, next time say ``oh my tennis elbow has kicked off`` so i have to pass, just to give time to stand back and decide if you are not sure about doing something

 

[littleshetland]

hi she is not fresh off the track, she has had a years retraining and I bought her off a reputable retraining yard. She is very soft and settled in the school/fully retrained in that area but has seen little off road hacking hence her becoming agitated. I didn’t realise this until buying her (I tried her hacking on the roads where she is sharp but safe).

Don't set yourself up to fail so just stick to the things you know that you can both do successfully. When your confidence levels are up, then try new things and places with her. Take it nice and steady and at your own steady pace. Is there a nice quiet horse you can hack out with?

 

[Abacus]

Others have said all that needs to be said about instructors and so on. I would only disagree about taking your horse for a walk in hand. If she's inclined to bolt again she can just as easily do so, and put herself at risk if not you. I have always found I have more control on the horse; so in this case I would - as others say - don't set yourself up to fail; stick to safer hacks and ride her in a way you aren't likely to go wrong (school, safe paths or roads, whatever works. Build trust before trying anything else. Good luck.

 

[holeymoley]

I’m afraid I don’t have any experience with OTTB’s however I just wanted to say that I’m so annoyed at the YO for your hack. She could’ve explained to you the route planned before you ended up in that situation

 

[Leandy]

Well you are certainly not being dramatic. You absolutely don't want to put yourself and your lovely new horse in danger like that again. Your YO is not being helpful at all and was materially in the wrong to disregard your views on how best to negotiate the field. Whether she agreed with you or not, she must know as an instructor that it rarely ends well to take someone right out of their comfort zone. If the rider is nervous this will transfer to the horse and that is rarely constructive particularly with an anxious horse. Perhaps the horse would not have behaved as it did with a more confident rider but that is not your fault, you are who you are and she should have listened. So it does sound as though this yard is not for you. I would look to move and, in the meantime try to stay away from the YO and their hectoring ways.

 

[charlotte0916]

Another one agreeing that you’re not in the wrong. It sounds like you’ve set yourself up for success with a horse from a reputable retrainer, a professional experienced in retraining and a theoretically experienced YO. I would look to move from the YO or distance myself. You can have years of being around horses without necessarily gaining the common sense and experience one would hope so years of being around horses does not equate to someone who in practice is going to be helpful to you.

I would stick to confidence improving activities - schooling, hacking in company off roads or with someone experienced leading you so you don’t have traffic to contend with too, hiring areas etc and sticking away from harder situations until you’re confident in the horse. Above all, consult your instructor to make a plan. I like the motto ‘make it easy to get it right’ set yourself up for little wins and they’ll stack up, there’s no prize for doing it the hard way expect lost confidence

 

[Winters100]

I hope that I am not overstepping the mark to ask this, but are you really sure that this is the right horse for you? I don't know how experienced you are, but am a relatively experienced rider, but would still not be comfortable with a horse who needs retraining. Only you can answer the question, but perhaps you would be happier with a less complicated horse, one who you could just go out and have fun with?

To me the other problem with working with trainers is that I believe it only works well if either the owner is an experienced and confident rider, or the trainer is coming almost every day. I am not sure if this is the case in your situation.

If you decide to continue I think you need to work with the trainer and very diplomatically somehow ask YO to stay out of it. Good luck!

 

[Mrs. Jingle]

I’m afraid I don’t have any experience with OTTB’s however I just wanted to say that I’m so annoyed at the YO for your hack. She could’ve explained to you the route planned before you ended up in that situation

Oh I think the YO knew exactly what she was doing. Find a new yard ASAP and continue to enjoy your horse and further your progress at a comfortable rate that both you, your horse and your trusted trainer are happy with. Good luck, with time and patience you will get there.

Incidentally I would not be telling YO you are leaving until new yard is confirmed. Just pay out your notice and any outstanding costs incurred, load up your horse and go.

 

[canteron]

The most important lesson you can take away from today is that you are riding for yourself not to impress anyone ….. never let yourself be bullied into taking too large a next step.

If you learn that from the ride then it is a day well spent!

 

[eahotson]

I would stick to following the trainer's advice, wouldn't involve the YO at all and in fact would ask the trainer for recommendations for a more suitable yard.

Agree.

 

[Shilasdair]

The mere act of owning a yard, or buying a yard, does not confer instant expertise on Yard Owners. Unfortunately, many seem to believe it does, and insist on proffering advice on everything from nutrition to riding. And your YO also deliberately set you up, and put you in danger - appalling behaviour.

If I were you, I'd stick with your chosen instructor, and try to find a new yard, not run by an idiot (although good luck with that - idiocy seems to plague YOs).

 

[Arzada]

And your YO also deliberately set you up, and put you in danger - appalling behaviour.

This. Never ride with YO again.

 

[Meowy Catkin]

I just want to say that I am a big fan of ex-racehorses. They do vary a lot however and suit different careers when they have finished racing.

When I read your post, one specific horse I knew came to mind. He was a lovely boy and had a very successful post-racing career in dressage. He was also a brilliant schoolmaster and would care for a novice rider in the school and on a road hack. However he was never safe in open fields. His owner luckily accepted this and although she missed galloping through the stubble (with permission) like others on the yard did, she knew that it blew his mind. He was around 17 by then and had been off the racecourse for many years. He was however fine when taken to shows that were on grass.

I'm not saying that your horse will be the same. I certainly wouldn't give up after one bad incident but I would be very, very careful with how I proceeded. I would also not hack with the YO again.

 

[Elf On A Shelf]

So your YO and thus yourself decided to take an unproven exracer across a grass field and turnback on yourself?

Uh huh ...

Let me guess - your reaction to the horse taking off (I highly doubt it bolted) was to grab hold of your reins and pull? That is what we do when we want our horses to go faster and work harder, especially on turf where 90% of racehorses spend their lives galloping.

If you aren't confident your horse won't be either as it sounds like the type that takes its cues from its Rider.

Don't go hack through the middle of fields. Stick to the edges, school in corners so your nearly always on a turn and for love of god don't panic and rip your horses mouth to shreds if it takes off again.

What you do do when this happens is stand up in your stirrups, don't lean forwards, push down into your heels so you can balance and not lean on the horses mouth, don't lean on your knees as you will just get dragged forwards. Put your hands and reins onto the horses neck without a tight hold and speak gently to it. Woooaaahhh steeeeaaaaddddyyyy. Long, drawn out soothing words will calm you both down. Panicking and shouting will make it far, far worse.

If all else fails then break its jaw. Not literally! We just call this method a jaw breaker. Come up out of your stirrups, plant one fist in the neck with a short rein and haul ass on the other rein straight back and up towards you as hard as you can and don't let go. The horse will 99% time turn its head and slow down because you are essentially taking away its direct field of vision. DO NOT let go until you have returned to a sedate canter or trot. If your arms get sore then swop them over quickly. Don't jab them in the mouth that just pisses them off, solid constant hard pressure.

 

[The.Dr]

I would stick to following the trainer's advice, wouldn't involve the YO at all and in fact would ask the trainer for recommendations for a more suitable yard.

This is the exact thing that will help. Your YO Sounds like a bully that when push comes to shove would not help.

 

[PeterNatt]

Your yard owner was totally irresponsible and could have caused a serious accident not only involvig yourselves but also other third parties.
I would also suggets that whoever has rehabilitated your race horse has not done a good job - if they had truly rehabilitated it you should be able to ride it by itself or in company at the pace you want it to go at and it should most certainly not loose it's bottle and zoom off towards home.