Horrific ride last night......dented confidence

MontyandZoom

MontyandZoom

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......not on my Zoomy, she's amazing.

I am going to a sponsored ride on the ginger one on Monday while Zoom is off with headshaking. I rode her last night, just schooling.

A bit of background, Ada was a homebred foal, she was orfaned and hand-reared before going onto a foster mum. Her owner is a mature lady who competes in endurance. Basically the owner is pretty scared of her :( She has wonderful paces and she has done alot of dressage with her previous rider. BUT she is nappy, spooky and generally a bugger :(

I (stupidly) decided to ride without a martingale since we were just schooling on the green (a small grassy area we school in). She was being totally resistant, wasn't listening at all and kept trying to bugger off. It took an hour of me working my arse off to get her to soften and go nicely. I stopped as soon as we had acheived something. There is a tiny log, about 6 inches that the younger girls jump over. Since I am going to jump her xc on Monday I thought I'd trot over it as a treat.

I just about managed to keep her in trot but she bucked a stride out, leapt about 6foot over it and then buggered off towards home. I managed to pull her round but we did 1 and a half laps of the green with me pulling her back teeth out before she stopped! :mad: we then walked down the lane to cool off (all in company I might add) and she was spinning, napping, spooking and trying to run off the whole time :(

I was good and rode forward confidently and praised her for going forward (even though I was pooing myself!) and even managed to give her a pat a few times.

I am now totally disillusioned :( She is meant to be my ride next year. Her owner is really glad since she doesn't like riding her much. I really don't want to take her on Monday since I have built up so much confidence on Zoom and this mare could ruin it. It's not her fault, she has had really inconsistent handling and riding due to her owner's nerves and general neuroticism.

I mean Zoom is not a novice ride........but is never nasty, this horse was trying to get me off. I enjoy schooling her and doing dressage but I will never trust her to hack out or go to rides on. When I did an endurance on her she bucked me off onto my head!

:( Sorry for the long post, I just feel like my excitement of having a fun horse to ride next year is now turning to dread.
 
Just don't do it if you don't want to. In the long run it could ruin your confidence and you aren't doing the mare any favours either if you don't really want to be on her. There is no shame in telling the owner you don't feel as though you want to commit to riding her.
 
oooh sorry you had such a rubbish ride.

Imo its not worth risking yourself over. If this horse was, as you say, trying to get you off then I would consider it dangerous.

If I were you I would speak to the owner and explain that you would not be riding it again due to what you described.

Just not worth risking your health or confidence over.

Sorry if its not what you want to hear, but I have a friend in Addenbrooks Hospital at the moment who will be there for a few months having had a brain haemorage - tends to make you very aware of your own imortality!
 
There's no point in getting hurt trying to sort someone else's horse out. Mum still has the "comedy video" of me falling off someone else's evil (and I mean that) beast - I was only riding it as a favour as the owner had broken her leg - but we sent it back asap. Why risk harming your lovely relationship with Zoomy?
 
I agree with the above don't do it! I had a nasty fall before Christmas and was convinced to get back on the horse I knew deep down that it was a bad idea and guess what.. it decked me badly again. Luckily I wasn't hurt but unfortunately the result of this is a total lack of confidence now on my own horse and its taking an awful lot to get it back. Sounds like you did really well to stay on and ride through it but the horse isn't your problem - I can't hear anything in that post that sounds like a 'fun ride'.
 
Thanks for the advice. I am going to speak to the owner tonight and say I don't feel confident taking her on Monday. I am still happy to school her and take her to dressage parties since this is where she excels and I do really enjoy it......and so does she.

I just can't trust her to hack and jump on since she is evil :( Ah well, no more sponsored rides for me!!

On the bright side, I had a great time at a sponsored ride last weekend on my friend's baby cob and she has said that she is happy for me to take him out and about when she is busy so at least I may get to do some rides when Zoom is on loan.

That's the thing. It was FUN on him, he's a little poppet. I do have a soft spot for Ada since I've ridden her alot in the past 3 years and she has taught me alot but it's got to be fun......and more importantly SAFE!
 
TBH I wouldn't do it.

Riding is supposed to be fun and this mare doesn't sound like fun. Especially as she is someone else's you have no reason to persevere if she is likely to help you lose confidence. I wold wait until a fun horse comes along as i'd personally rather have no horse to ride than a nerve jangling one.
 
Definitely don't do it. If she was being a prat over a 6inch log at home then imagine what a cow she would be at an event with lots going on. It's just not worth losing your confidence, especially on someone elses horse
 
Bloody hell, sounds like you stuck on brilliantly!! My confidence would be through the roof if I'd managed to handle what you did last night and I didn't end up dead!
But I would echo the others - if she's going to be dangerous, don't touch her. Not worth it. Enjoy your Zoomy!
 
No, don't do it.
I was happily jumping round RAF Halton last April, which I know you have done too. But that was a good day. I had many more that weren't good with my last horse and have now totally lost my confidence.
I have had my new horse, Harvey 5 months now and apart from when I rode him before I bought him, I didn't actually try a canter until 2 weeks ago. I have been terrified of riding for nearly a year and I wouldn't wish it on anyone.
Bless Harvey, I was so lucky to find him. He really is a good boy and I hope it won't be too much longer before I have my confidence back completely.
Losing confidence in something that you enjoy so much is really crushing - so please don't go x
 
eahotson said:
Like everyone else don't do it!Your health and confidence are far more important.Sounds as though she would rather be in a dressage home.
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I agree sadly :( Her owner has Ada's brother too. He has been a fab allrounder and endurance horse but is 24 and has cushings. I dread to think what will happen when he's gone since Ada just isn't the right horse for her.

I am going to speak to her tonight and say I'm not going. I feel a bit bad as I've committed but you're all right................it's just not worth it.
 
Don't Go... you are so confident now and jumping Huge with Zoom its not worth it Zoom needs her mummy :) so dont risk it

ANDDDD you know I told ya you can always have one of mine if you are stuck for a mount for a sponsored ride... you can have Ted he will look after you he puts up with me lol
 
I also had a horse which displayed similar behaviour. I have never known a horse so naughty, with so many nasty tricks. He bucked, when prevented, reared for no reason over and over again, spooked, bronced, spun, shied, napped. Everything checked and nothing wrong with him. He too had an older owner whom he was too much for and then once he had totally dominated her and she basically kept him like a pet and only did groundwork with him, she had sold him on. He basically went from being a promising young showjumper and dressage horse to a nightmare 9 year old. I am just recovering from 6 months of cronic neck pain from a bad fall I had from him when he spooked at nothing and I fell off onto my neck onto concrete and got dragged because I held onto the reins. He is now being ridden by a large male professional who is struggling with his behaviour too but is perservering due to his jumping talent. If you feel you are making no progress and are having to restrict what you do with him, then I would say its time to give up. There are plenty of easier horses out there and some spoiled horses need professional reschooling which costs a lot of money.
 
Mithras said:
He too had an older owner whom he was too much for and then once he had totally dominated her and she basically kept him like a pet and only did groundwork with him, she had sold him on. He basically went from being a promising young showjumper and dressage horse to a nightmare 9 year old.
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THIS!! She is VERY dominant over her owner and is now a 9 year old nightmare. Her owner does take her on endurance rides but she is very inconsistent. She can be good but when she is good she is very very good and when she is bad she is horrid!

Thanks Tedster :D I love Teddy boy, he's awesome :)
 
There is always a deeper reason why an owner doesnt ride their own horse or the horse gets passed around a bit (loan homes) other than obvious reasons (money/preggers/illness/work commitments etc).

Unless you enjoy 'a challange' and feel that with time and patience this mare will come round to your way of thinking and your going to enjoy the benfits in the long run, without injuring yourself in the process, then I agree with others, it's not worth the risk.

Not only that, you won't get any thanks for it and when the mare does decide to comply and actually turns out nicely (hacking/competing etc) I'll bet you my doller, the owner will suddenly decide to take an interset again and want to start riding it again. :D

If you don't think this will happen and you don't mind a few teathing problems and putting the work in, then it might actually turn out very well for both you and the mare and you could end up having lots of fun together. :)
 
Definitely don't do the ride on Monday!!! Why risk it? This is someone else's horse, it sounds like it needs a lot of work before anyone should try taking it out in company and if you get hurt who will ride Zoomy?

If you feel safe hacking, schooling and doing dressage stick to that and enjoy it. If not, give her back to her owner!
 
Thanks everyone.

Kenzo - I think part of the reason I feel so **** is i usually just ride her through the bad times and then feel great when i've got her going nicely again. But last night was the first time I've been really frightened.

I feel bad since her owner cancelled an endurance to go to this ride but I am just not confident enough. I guess I will carry on with the schooling and see how we go. She can be very persuasive but this thread has made me more sure that I don't want to go so I'm gonna stick to my guns!
 
MontyandZoom said:
THIS!! She is VERY dominant over her owner and is now a 9 year old nightmare. Her owner does take her on endurance rides but she is very inconsistent. She can be good but when she is good she is very very good and when she is bad she is horrid!

Thanks Tedster :D I love Teddy boy, he's awesome :)
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But boy was this horse a star at groundwork! I have never known such a spoilt horse, it behaved more like a child than an equine.

tbh OP, this sounds like the sort of horse you should be charging to reschool as it seems to have some serious reschooling issues before its suitable for any type of enjoyable riding.
 
MontyandZoom said:
Thanks everyone.

Kenzo - I think part of the reason I feel so **** is i usually just ride her through the bad times and then feel great when i've got her going nicely again. But last night was the first time I've been really frightened.

I feel bad since her owner cancelled an endurance to go to this ride but I am just not confident enough. I guess I will carry on with the schooling and see how we go. She can be very persuasive but this thread has made me more sure that I don't want to go so I'm gonna stick to my guns!
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Sounds like you have a sensible head on your shoulders, last thing we want is to be reading on Tuesday morning on the forum is about a bad accident you had on the Monday!

Don't pushed into doing something your not happy with, if you have that gut feeling, its there for a reason.
 
Re telling the owner

just say that you dont think it would be wise or safe for either you or the horse to go on Monday and you would hate for something to happen to either of you :)

and yes I agree with others, it would be unwise to take her, I certainly wouldnt. Too many other important things you need to be in one piece for :D :D
 
Please don't think I am trying to change your mind, I don't think you should take it either but was she in season and is she having a lot of spring grass? My mare was an absolute b*t*h yesterday (in season) napped back to my hacking companion, refused to leave him, threw herself around on the road! Refused to go forward, bucked when I hit her..it's probably a mare thing and also if she hasn't jumped for ages it was such a treat...
 
Are they the two belonging to the lady in the house by the field? (I don't know her name :o )
If so I really wouldn't worry about it- her bay was walking all over her the other morning so I don't think it's anything you've done or can blame yourself over (and this isn't meant as slagging her off- just saying if the owner handles them one way, and you're not riding/handling the horse on a regular basis you can't get enough consistency for the horse to recognise you/the way you do things in a different way and respect you)
But as with the others- it's not worth it, keep riding Champy as and when. Can you get a sharer for Zoomy so you can keep riding her but don't have to have the full responsibility? I'd offer you Phoenix but on his bad days he sounds like Ada (but it's not a constant thing, so on his good days if we ever get back to the stage of being able to ride him you'd be welcome to)
 
Poor you. I definately would not do the x country so soon if this is what she's like at the moment!
Don't feel bad about pulling out, I do it all the time if I don't feel right or if I don't think my horse is right. There is always another day, and losing your entry fee is not as bad as having an horrendous experience.

Whether you take her on as your ride or not, is another question, only you can answer. Maybe she'll get better the more work she does?
 
I'm sorry, losing confidence is horrible...I personally wouldn't do the ride if it knocked you that much. You don't have anything to prove!

Callme silly for asking, but have all pain aspects been ruled out? Not just back/teeth/tack/etc but anything like her having high ovaries which cause discomfort jumping or even worse when in season and enflamed or similar?
 
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