Horse Viewing. WWYD?

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Allie5

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I went to see this mare who is for loan last night. She sounded just right for me and have been chatting with her owner for a few days before agreeing a time to go and try her. Owner explained to me that the mare can get anxious with new riders/changes in routine/lack of turnout etc and that she has a fairly serious buck in her when she is anxious. I explained to the owner that I would try the mare but that I would keep it low key and not push her as I didnt want to unsettle her into a bucking fit. I explained that I thought I would be able to tell from her responses etc if we would get along. If we did then she could come to my yard and settle properly and we would get to know each other. Owner agreed that sounded like a good plan as there had already been 3 people trying her this week and owner felt she was becoming uptight with this and likely to explode.
So got there, met owner, met horse, chatting away. I let the owner catch her, tack up etc as I watched. Mare was a bit nippy but nothing major. Owner lunged her then I had a quick shot of lunging her then it was time to jump on. Owner had fractured her spine in november in a car accident so no one to ride the horse first. So got on and rode her for about 15 mins, just in walk and trot. Played with transitions, responses etc. She was lovely and no sign of bucking so we called it a day. I walked her back to her box and untacked her while owner watched. We then chatted for a bit and owner tells me about this other girl who had been to see her. Apparently she was "brilliant" with her, cantered and jumped and even sat out a few bucks. The only thing owner was concerned about was this girl lived over an hour away (owner stipulated in ad no more than an hours drive)and she wanted to be able to visit the mare. I honestly felt rubbish. I wasnt frightened of the horse but I felt it was important to not push her into an anxiety ridden bucking fit. Yet I came away feeling like crap. Like I wasnt good enough. I tried a horse for loan last year and the owner said I wasnt right for him and I was gutted. I dont know what I'll do if ive failed again! It's like a job interview! I spoke to Sedeka about it and she said that if it was her horse she would rather she went to a quiet rider who was concerned about her mental state than a gung ho rider that ignores the horse. However owner admits to being a novice and I wonder if she was just impressed by this girls "bravery"

So WWYD?
I dont know if I should email the owner and offer to come back out and prove that I could canter and jump her I just chose not to! Maybe offer to catch/tack up do it all myself so she can see? Or just let the owner make her own decision?
I really did like the mare and I'm really worried I've c****d this up big style by playing it too safe.
 
Stop being hard on yourself, sounds like you are a more sympathetic rider and nowt wrong with that. Just express your interest and let the owner decide. :)
 
I would stick with your instincts, and your principles. You could contact the owner for a chat and lay it on the line - you are well capable of cantering and jumping, but given what the owner told you, you'd rather be considerate of the horse and let her get used to you gradually. If the owner thinks there is something great about pushing the horse to the point where she bucked, then maybe she isn't as concerned about the horse being anxious as you thought she was? Honestly, don't feel crap about this, I think you did the right thing. The owner just has to make a choice between what style of rider she wants for her mare. I know who I'd choose.
 
If you like the horse ring the woman and say you would like to try her again but go up a gear. At the end of the day you do need to know what the buck is like and whether you are able to deal with it. It sounds like the other girl is not ideal as too far away. The owner would have been wrong to slate the other girl anyway, however she rode, as the horse world is a small one. :)
 
I can see it from the other end - I wouldn't want my horse pushed but if it had a vice I would like to see how the person reacted to said vice. She isn't saying your bad in my opinion, she's just seen someone deal with the bucking.

My horse has been known to nap and I wouldn't want him leaving the yard on loan without seeing someone ride through it. Otherwise I may end up having him straight back as they may feel over horsed.

By all means, give her a call and ask to ride again. You don't need to prove anything to anyone. Personally I would rather a napper than a bucker or rearer though.
 
I think you can tell quite a lot about someone from watching them ride walk/trot. I have to say, I would agree with one of the above posts in that if I was loaning my horse, I would prefer what you did over the other girl. Having said that, if you are worried, I would get in touch with the owner and say you would like to come back out and do some faster work with her?
 
tbh I wouldn't want to loan a horse that is known for being quirky without trying it properly and that, to me, means cantering and jumping and putting a little pressure on her to see what her reaction is.

Perhaps in the owner's mind, she has seen the other rider has been successful with riding the mare through the issue whereas she will still have a question mark over whether you are capable of sitting out any tantrum should the situation arise.

If you like the mare ask to go back and try again and have a canter- I really can't see the point in taking the mare home without trying it properly in case it is too much for you.
 
I think I'd say I was interested in the horse and would it be possible to come back and try it in canter and over a little jump. When people have tried my mare for part loan I want to be able to see that they can ride her and sit to her bucks, if they become unseated or she scares them then they are not suitable. She only does small bucks, usually. As an owner she wouldn't want to unsettle the horse but also she probably doesn't want to let it go on loan to someone who she isn't sure can handle it.
 
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