FabioandFreddy
Well-Known Member
Hi all,
I'm not really sure the exact purpose of posting other than perhaps someone can give me some advice or give me a kick up the behind!!
I've had my new boy since the end of January (lost my horse i'd had for 8 years shortly before). He's done a lot of eventing before, up until the end of last year and was mainly just hacking over the winter. He is a TB but is a sane chap and easy to do, despite having been ridden by professional riders (was one of my concerns when i went to try him, but all doubts alleviated). I bought him with the intention of doing a bit of everything with but i do mainly enjoy dressage, but also wanted something to give me confidence to start jumping again. No aspirations to be doing that competitively, just wanted to be able to do it again as a bit of fun. My old boy bless him wasn't brave and could be a stopper so confidence not high in that area.
So - 6 and a bit months down the line - been having regular lessons with my flatwork RI, all going well. He's really well schooled, gets on with his job - odd spook in the school but few and far between and nothing i've not been able to handle. Been out to a few dressage shows - he doesn't get lit up, same as he is at home which is great! Had couple of nice red rosettes! Hacking he's been fine, not quite as relaxed on his own but still fine to take out without any issues (odd spook and will often whinny on the way around but thats it). Had few sessions jumping him at home (only tiny! about 60cm), again - all good, takes you into a jump nicely without hesitation or getting het up either, jumps whatever height without giving it an extra metre! So all in all, been going well. Up until 2 weeks ago. Me and OH went XC schooling together - i had no reservations about this as figured would be the one thing he would be awesome at! It was a total disaster
He wasn't too bad in the warm up, popped a couple of little logs ok. As soon as i wanted to move him away from hubby and his horse he got really anxious and tense. Napping, tiggering on the spot. (Not ideal when i really need a confidence boost). Tried to take him and pop a little jump, ground to a halt in front of it as he had been too busy trying to turn around to see where his buddy was. We both went on to another bit of the course. He popped another little log a few times whilst OH was stood near us, as soon as OH went off again he threw his toys out the pram boinging on the spot, whinnying. Had to shout him to come back. We had a walk through to the next field, there was a little jump heading up the hill so i had OH stay behind me whilst i went to have a go - got half way up the hill in canter and for no reason he just spun around. I thought i was coming off i'll be honest, but luckily got my stirrup back and was fine. I decided to call it a day trying to jump as it was doing my already little confidence no good at all and i was likely to come off if i kept pushing it. We had a little canter together across the field (he was fine with that - i figured we were at least doing 'something' before i finished altogether) then i got off and just stood and said to OH to go and have a few jumps without worrying about me. He still didn't like when OH went out of site but not as bad with me on the ground so i could reassure him. To say i went home feeling deflated would be an understatement. It was the first time they'd been out together and although i know he'd have been out with other horses before i'm sure that it probably would have just been on the lorry - 1 at a time took away to compete, then back to the lorry and another took to compete. So probably he hasn't been put in the situation of going somewhere in a pair together like we did for quite some time. When we first got him he didn't like being left on his own in the stable, would boing and buck on the spot - but he was fine after a couple of weeks once he knew it was 'his' stable and could see the other horses in the field. He's turned out on his own in but in sight of my husbands horse and our shetland (he was a bit too fond of our aged shetland mare to turn them all out together so had to split up. He's ok hacking in company - fine in front or behind.
I had a lesson 2 days after, kind of just to get my mojo back and get another nice ride under our belts. He was fine, usual self in the school. Another lesson last week and again was brill, we were doing shoulder in, travers, shoulder in down the long side in canter, then up the centre line and leg yield. Had a really good lesson. Decided to hack last night, not been out on my own for a few weeks (again, i'm not 100% confident on my own as pretty much the only horse i hacked for 8 years was my old boy i lost) i decided to go a bit further around than planned and on to a route we've only done once before, as soon as we turned the corner he tensed and froze. I let him stand for a couple of seconds (probably shoiuld have just made him go on straight away) then asked him on - he spun round, i quickly spun him back the other way and gave him a good boot to go forwards which he did. We carried on ok, albeit extremely tense and then home. Wasn't a pleasant ride and ended up in tears when i got back home. I'm not sure if after the day XC he's realised he can test me so is doing that!? If he's lost confidence in me?! If its just all me and he's just picking up on the fact that i'm a bit anxious. I feel very down the whole thing. The jumping thing whilst disappointing isn't the end of the world - its something i think i've come to the conclusion that i just don't enjoy anymore. OH says i need to just take a few steps back, hack out with him for a while and stop putting pressure on ourselves as up until the XC day he hadn't put a foot wrong.
Sorry for the very long and pretty pointless post, i know i need to pull myself together and not let it spiral out of control in my head. Sometimes though its hard not to let your irrational side take over.
I'm not really sure the exact purpose of posting other than perhaps someone can give me some advice or give me a kick up the behind!!
I've had my new boy since the end of January (lost my horse i'd had for 8 years shortly before). He's done a lot of eventing before, up until the end of last year and was mainly just hacking over the winter. He is a TB but is a sane chap and easy to do, despite having been ridden by professional riders (was one of my concerns when i went to try him, but all doubts alleviated). I bought him with the intention of doing a bit of everything with but i do mainly enjoy dressage, but also wanted something to give me confidence to start jumping again. No aspirations to be doing that competitively, just wanted to be able to do it again as a bit of fun. My old boy bless him wasn't brave and could be a stopper so confidence not high in that area.
So - 6 and a bit months down the line - been having regular lessons with my flatwork RI, all going well. He's really well schooled, gets on with his job - odd spook in the school but few and far between and nothing i've not been able to handle. Been out to a few dressage shows - he doesn't get lit up, same as he is at home which is great! Had couple of nice red rosettes! Hacking he's been fine, not quite as relaxed on his own but still fine to take out without any issues (odd spook and will often whinny on the way around but thats it). Had few sessions jumping him at home (only tiny! about 60cm), again - all good, takes you into a jump nicely without hesitation or getting het up either, jumps whatever height without giving it an extra metre! So all in all, been going well. Up until 2 weeks ago. Me and OH went XC schooling together - i had no reservations about this as figured would be the one thing he would be awesome at! It was a total disaster
He wasn't too bad in the warm up, popped a couple of little logs ok. As soon as i wanted to move him away from hubby and his horse he got really anxious and tense. Napping, tiggering on the spot. (Not ideal when i really need a confidence boost). Tried to take him and pop a little jump, ground to a halt in front of it as he had been too busy trying to turn around to see where his buddy was. We both went on to another bit of the course. He popped another little log a few times whilst OH was stood near us, as soon as OH went off again he threw his toys out the pram boinging on the spot, whinnying. Had to shout him to come back. We had a walk through to the next field, there was a little jump heading up the hill so i had OH stay behind me whilst i went to have a go - got half way up the hill in canter and for no reason he just spun around. I thought i was coming off i'll be honest, but luckily got my stirrup back and was fine. I decided to call it a day trying to jump as it was doing my already little confidence no good at all and i was likely to come off if i kept pushing it. We had a little canter together across the field (he was fine with that - i figured we were at least doing 'something' before i finished altogether) then i got off and just stood and said to OH to go and have a few jumps without worrying about me. He still didn't like when OH went out of site but not as bad with me on the ground so i could reassure him. To say i went home feeling deflated would be an understatement. It was the first time they'd been out together and although i know he'd have been out with other horses before i'm sure that it probably would have just been on the lorry - 1 at a time took away to compete, then back to the lorry and another took to compete. So probably he hasn't been put in the situation of going somewhere in a pair together like we did for quite some time. When we first got him he didn't like being left on his own in the stable, would boing and buck on the spot - but he was fine after a couple of weeks once he knew it was 'his' stable and could see the other horses in the field. He's turned out on his own in but in sight of my husbands horse and our shetland (he was a bit too fond of our aged shetland mare to turn them all out together so had to split up. He's ok hacking in company - fine in front or behind. I had a lesson 2 days after, kind of just to get my mojo back and get another nice ride under our belts. He was fine, usual self in the school. Another lesson last week and again was brill, we were doing shoulder in, travers, shoulder in down the long side in canter, then up the centre line and leg yield. Had a really good lesson. Decided to hack last night, not been out on my own for a few weeks (again, i'm not 100% confident on my own as pretty much the only horse i hacked for 8 years was my old boy i lost) i decided to go a bit further around than planned and on to a route we've only done once before, as soon as we turned the corner he tensed and froze. I let him stand for a couple of seconds (probably shoiuld have just made him go on straight away) then asked him on - he spun round, i quickly spun him back the other way and gave him a good boot to go forwards which he did. We carried on ok, albeit extremely tense and then home. Wasn't a pleasant ride and ended up in tears when i got back home. I'm not sure if after the day XC he's realised he can test me so is doing that!? If he's lost confidence in me?! If its just all me and he's just picking up on the fact that i'm a bit anxious.
I feel very down the whole thing. The jumping thing whilst disappointing isn't the end of the world - its something i think i've come to the conclusion that i just don't enjoy anymore. OH says i need to just take a few steps back, hack out with him for a while and stop putting pressure on ourselves as up until the XC day he hadn't put a foot wrong. Sorry for the very long and pretty pointless post, i know i need to pull myself together and not let it spiral out of control in my head. Sometimes though its hard not to let your irrational side take over.
.