HELP!!

[EMallinson]

Hi everyone I don’t really know what to do. I got an exracehorse which I was doing a lot of schooling with. Which started to get boring for me and him so I started jumping with him which he was loving. I had an accident while practicing combinations and since then he is so scared of jumping and even just a normal trotting polo. Just wondering if anyone could help.

 

[AmyMay]

Do you have an instructor that can help you?

 

[OrangeAndLemon]

Assuming the horse has no injury or pain related to the first incident, you need to get an instructor to advise.

 

[EMallinson]

I don’t have an instructor. MY horse the the polo stuck between his leg and spun round and I face planted the floors. Getting an instructor is my last resort as I’ve done everything with him without help

 

[AmyMay]

Getting an instructor should never be a last resort.

 

[ycbm]

I don’t have an instructor. MY horse the the polo stuck between his leg and spun round and I face planted the floors. Getting an instructor is my last resort as I’ve done everything with him without help

An instructor should not be a last resort, especially not with an ex racehorse. Strangers on the internet who can't see you or the horse are not the people to advise you, sorry. You've already hit the floor in a nasty accident, please find an instructor before you or the horse get badly hurt.

.

 

[Upthecreek]

You will need to go back to basics to build his (and most probably your) confidence. If he is scared of poles on the ground now I would just have some in the school to ride past and around until he is completely comfortable going past them before you even attempt to go over them. They can be sensitive souls and if he has not had that experience before it most probably really scared him and you will have it in the back of your mind too when you jump, even if you aren’t conscious of feeling nervous. A good instructor will help you both - experienced eyes on the ground are a massive help in this situation.

 

[OlderNotWiser]

As above, you need an instructor’s help. My daughter’s horse had an accident jumping and needed to go back to poles on the floor for about 4 months. Her instructor was a huge support through that process. A good instructor will become someone that you share your successes with and turn to when it feels difficult or demotivating. They are not in the business of making their clients feel badly (and if someone does, you need to find a different instructor). Ask for recommendations and be honest about your problems and aims. I’m in my fifties, still have an instructor and have lessons as often as I can.

 

[dree]

Do you have a safe indoor arena....or outdoor....that he can't get out of. I would put poles down and just let him have a sniff around...no riding...just in a halter....have other stuff down as well. In fact, I would start with small stuff lying about and just one pole. Counter conditioning him. Don't ask him to do anything. Just sit back and relax but be aware of his reaction to everything. Good luck.

 

[Shay]

An instructor should not be a last resort, especially not with an ex racehorse. Strangers on the internet who can't see you or the horse are not the people to advise you, sorry. You've already hit the floor in a nasty accident, please find an instructor before you or the horse get badly hurt.

YCBM has it absolutely right. An instructor should be your first port of call, not a last resort. No matter how experienced everyone continues to learn, everyone needs eyes on the ground from time to time. You've hit an issue you need help to solve - or you wouldn't be asking us. You should not hesitate to get that help.

 

[be positive]

I don’t have an instructor. MY horse the the polo stuck between his leg and spun round and I face planted the floors. Getting an instructor is my last resort as I’ve done everything with him without help

And now it has all gone wrong shows exactly why you needed help, he probably wasn't ready to practise combinations, having no one to adjust the striding, to help get you back on and over something on that day to end on a positive note has set you and the horse back a long way so now is the time to get some help and stop trying to do it all alone, it proves nothing at the end of the day and the horse knows no different if you have help or not.

 

[Rowreach]

I don’t have an instructor .... Getting an instructor is my last resort as I’ve done everything with him without help

And it’s gone wrong. The best riders in the world, in every discipline, use trainers .....

 

[Ambers Echo]

Echo all the others. You (and me and everyone) need instructors to help us all out. If it is a cost thing then i can sympathise but honestly you can't really afford NOT to. If it's an ego thing - drop it. It is unnecessary and unhelpful. I can understand people wanting to do the work themselves but that is different from doing it without even getting advice and support from an instructor.

In the meantime I'd work around and eventually over poles from the ground before trying to ride over them again. The aim is not to get him over them but get him comfortable and confident about them. If you look at the Tik Maynard thread I describe a system he uses to build green horses' confidence up over obstacles which is done on the ground first. But it is not as easy as it sounds as you have to time things well in terms of when you ask the horse to try a bit more and when you release and reward - the aim being you never ask for more than the horse can manage and that you circle the horse away again before he takes himself away (backs off, moves away, looks away).

(Getting that bit wrong is why inexperienced trailer loaders can start off with the horse willing to peer in and end with them unwilling to get within 20m of the back of the trailer!)

 

[Maesto's Girl]

The best thing you can do is get a trainer to help from the ground. For me doing it on my own is a last resort and I am finding, the better we get, the more I need a trainer to get better. My mare used to be scared of ground poles earlier this year and now we are out competing up to 70cm - none of which would have been possible without a trainer by my side

 

[Starzaan]

As an instructor, please let me tell you that getting an instructor should NEVER, EVER EVER be a "last resort".

I have seen FAR TOO MANY horses ruined and riders injured because people thought they could do things without any help.

There is a reason that even Olympic riders have very regular lessons. Please, for the sake of your horse, and for all of us instructors who are getting tired of having to fix disasters caused by people refusing to get help until things are truly dire, get some help from a good instructor.

 

[Denbob]

The best riders in the world use instructors and coaches for very good reason, nobody is ever EVER above an expert opinion.

 

[mini_b]

This is how so many end up sold on cheaper again as projects, passed around losing confidence each time.

I hope you find someone knowledgeable you trust and get along with to help you both out

 

[eggs]

Why on earth would it be a last resort to have an instructor? The fact that you say that the schooling was becoming boring for both of you also raises a red flag as to why it would be beneficial to have an instructor. Without seeing you or your horse it is difficult to give advice - other than to get a good instructor - as your accident has clearly scared your horse.