Hi I'm new and really need your advice!!

[countrybumpkin]

This is my first post and i could really do with your legendary advice!! I have had my 20 yo TB gelding for 5 years and have been mainly hacking plus weekly lessons with some low key dressage competitions.
My problem is the school where i go for lessons! It is surrounded on 3 sides with a spooky high hedge and behind the hedge at C is a small farm with chickens, donkeys etc. which has become a problem. I had a really nasty fall in Feb when he did a huge spook sideways and took off across school back towards the trailer being a rodeo pony!! So off to A&E for pelvis x rays but luckily nothing broken!

I had my first lesson since then on Sat and he did the exact same thing but i did manage to stay on!! My instructor says he is taking the mickey and i just need to REALLY make him concentrate. But it has really knocked my confidence as i know he will do it again to try and get out of working hard!!(He has learnt all the tricks in the book!!)He also does smaller leaps at random points for no reason, other than to frighten me!!
So.... any words of wisdom? apart from sit tight!! I am already dreading my next lesson as he is SO quick and has learnt how to scare me !!
Thanks for reading

PS Back, teeth etc all fine!

 

[teddyt]

Work the horse in hand in the school for several sessions before you get on. Also try having a nanny that wont spook for a couple of sessions. Your instructor could also ride your horse first before you get on.

 

[Ziggy_]

Instead of having a lesson, could you bring him to the school for a schooling session with your instructor riding him?

If she can get him to concentrate and behave it might boost your confidence and help you to believe it can be done (if that makes sense!)

Probably not much help but the 1st thing that came into my head

 

[Cliqmo]

Hi there, welcome to HHO

Love the name BTW

Can you get your instructor to ride him for you to start with? Clearly they don't think your horse is dangerous if they think he is 'taking the mickey' and having someone a bit more confident on top might mean he gets over it a bit quicker?! Failing that take him for a walk around the arena in hand before the start of the lesson and let him stand at look at the chickens etc so he can acknowledge they are not out to get him

 

[Booboos]

I would agree with Teddyt. Maybe lunge or long-rein him in that area and get your instructor to school him past.

Also, is it possible to go to another school to get your confidence back and sort out the problem before you go back to the scary one?

I assume that he doesn't behave like this anywhere else so it's not a pain related issue, but if in doubt it might be worth checking back, saddle and teeth just in case.

 

[MrsMozart]

Hello and welcome

.

The others have made good suggestions. What happens when your instructor gets on?

 

[Lippyx]

The baby I ride at the moment, had a similar thing like that with me! Around our menage there is a high mound, and she was certain she saw something on the other side, and would not go in the corners! Once I worked her mainly down the other end, and got her concerntrating on loads of transitions etc and rode her down to the scary end, and she went past no probs!

Why not lunge him in that end of the arena? Does he like jumping, you could lunge him over a jump going towards that end, so he has to concerntrate on the jump (or trot poles) and not on whats on the other side of the hedge!!

 

[f_s_]

Hi and welcome

I agree with the OP try and walk the horse in hand around the arena before you ride, and/or ask your instructor to ride him past the spooky part, if they really believe he is just mucking about!

My mare takes the "mick" out of my daughter, just at one particular part of our school. She plays on the fact that my daughter doesn't particularily like that corner either!!

Last time my daughter rode her, I asked her to sing loudly before this point, and really keep her leg on (I mean squeeze hard), I also asked her to relax her hands and sit back slightly. Sounds like quite a lot to remember, but, because she was breathing(singing) reassuring and positive (strong leg) not gripping her reins, and sitting back slightly, the mare was as good as gold. Once the horse realised she wasn't going to get away with it and was ridden forward she was brilliant, and daughter had every confidence in her.

Your instructor should be able to help you and gain your confidence, good luck

 

[countrybumpkin]

Thanks for the replies!! My instructor lunged him before I got on on Sat and he behaved beautifully!! So I think he really is just using it as an excuse. And unfortunately my instructor doesnt ride anymore so she cant get on him!!

 

[diggerbez]

definitely an excuse then methinks- you are probably tensing up and he is thinking "whoooo! this is where we get to loon about"

perhaps get your instructor to lunge you ON him next week- that way he'll hopefully be listening to her and not worrying whats happening in the bushes!

 

[Cliqmo]

Hmm thats a pity about the Instructor not riding, I always chuck mine on board during a lesson so I can see what the horse is going like and they can feel what I'm working with

 

[DuckToller]

High hedge, chickens, donkeys?

I would change the school and possibly the instructor. Spooking at that is a perfectly natural reaction for a 20 yr old TB. It's too much to cope with and too dangerous. I wouldn't want to ride my horse in there, and I certainly wouldn't want to teach in there.

Some horses get more spooky as they get older, not less, so make life easier for him and you. Find yourself a nice quiet school and an instructor that is more sympathetic to the needs of your horse.

ETA: and until you find the above, just hack. I forbid you to go back in there in case you hurt yourself next time because he has frightened himself twice now! He will absolutely, definitely spook again because it's a genuine fear on his part, I really really don't think he is trying it on.

 

[spike123]

How is he if you take him for a hack first as a warm up ? It doesn't have to be a long hack but just enough work to get him listening to you and to make him relaxed.Then I would maybe lunge him in the area of the school where he reacts until he settles sufficiently to work properly. My horse can be a bit of a spook monster in one area of the school and will take ages to settle down and produce proper work. My instructor has taught me that the best way to get him working actively past it without spooking is to lift my inside hand to turn his head to the inside of the school while keeping my outside rein down low towards my knee and use my inside leg firmly as if asking for him to move over to keep him working straight and listening to me.I find it really does help at all paces.When ever he tries to evade me he finds he can't when I use this method and has to concentrate hard on where he is going rather than what is happening around the outside of the school.

 

[gemmahodgkinson]

just a thought about people suggesting that you work him in hand - i have to work my girl in hand in the school at the moment as I can't ride due to an injury and our school set up sounds very similar to yours with hedges and trees all around it.
Last week I was working her in hand in the wind (should have known better) and she was leaping all over the place, cantering on spot etc and spinning around. I gave up as it was getting dangerous. she now does this everytime i go in there.
I have decided that next time I will use a very long lead rope, wear my hat and some thick gloves!
If your pony is likely to spin round and tank off as he has done before you need to make sure you are safe on the ground too!

 

[Zippydoodles]

My instructor talks to me if she thinks I am going to worry about things - i'm usually relaxed by the flow of chat and trot past whatever i was expecting a reaction to without realising. Perhaps you could start by working in a 20m circle around your instructor at the 'friendly' end of the school and gradually move down the school as you relax and become more confident? Whatever you do good luck (and if in doubt sing! it stops you tensing up. I recommend anything by the spice girls

)