Horses acting completely differently with other riders.....

[Parkranger]

Just wondered if anyone had experienced this with their own horse?

A very experienced dressag rider got on my boy while I was schooling him just to give me some tips etc. She is a very strong rider, got up and didn't take any rubbish from him - he reared vertically with her!

Now I'm by no means soft with him, infact the last week or so he's been looking amazing. She got off and I got back on and he was going as light as a feather.....she said that he kept pulling her back to me the whole time she was on him....

Think some of it was frustration (he is a TB after all) but worried that he's getting too used to me and perhaps does need other people riding him. Wonder if his being blind in one eye creates a kind of clingy bond......

There's another girl that rides him occasionally but she's a very quiet rider - I suppose if you just sit there the horse isn't going to object is it?

 

[SSM]

I think you have just had the biggest compliment a ned could give you, he trusts you!! well done!

I love watching other people ride Donkey, they all think they can get her going, and get off with one comment - she is as lazy as she looks when i ride her - even my instructor now knows it's not just me sitting on her!!!!!

 

[Parkranger]

Well that was the point of the exercise - as he's still learning he can be a bit of a leaner so I thought it would be good to get someone knowledgeable on him - never thought he'd react like that!

I suppose due to him being a bit 'special' I may have to forget having a sharer.......

Had to force myself to get back on though after seeing that display........

Bless him!

PS - how is stonks liking her clip?

 

[ecrozier]

I think they all do it to a certain extent....my boy tests people out when they first get on him, acting up too see how they react. If they tense up or over react he just gets worse and worse, and will buck or even bolt with them! However if they just ignor him totally he stops within 5 minutes and is absolutely fine. My mare is the opposite, she is a really forgiving ride if the person i novicey or nervous...my mum even rides her! But if someone who knows what they are doing gets on she is much more lively and challenging!
Sure they can rad quite a lot from people as soon as they get on board, and different horses react in different ways!

 

[Parkranger]

But to rear straight up! We've had a few bucks in our time, but nothing like that.

Perhaps she had a bit of an electric backside?

I don't take any s**t off him and suppose because we have that bond now he respects that instead of trying to get me off......

 

[Dogbetty141]

That must be a brilliant connection that you have. I think my horse seas me a feeding machine and that it. lol. No when somebody else rides him he looks at me with those horse puppy dog eyes as if to say what the hell have you put on my back I think it is because they become so used to one person riding them that they prefer and adjust to the way you ride.

Having said that my horse tried to playfully (to much energy no intention of bucking me off just having fun I hope) bronc around the school and I well thought I was coming off but I didnt and then he carried on like normal. Its the bond that builds the longer you own them. Your horse either doesnt really like change or loves you to bits and prefers your riding too.

 

[fairhill]

http://www.horsemagazine.com/CLINIC/B/BAKER_MICHAEL/working_your_way_thru_r.htm

Have a read of this article - it explains why different riders sometimes get a much stronger reaction when they increase the pressure on the horse.

 

[Parkranger]

Thanks Fairhill - will have a read.

One good thing came out of it though - he was amazing when I got back on him - we were laughing and saying he'd probably do a cartwheel for me now if I promised not to put her back on board!

 

[miamibear]

We have a horse on the yard like this - a so called one person horse, and i do believe these exist, this horse was using it as an excuse not to work because the rider that go on was a stronger rider and asked more questions he acted like an idiot. His owner got back on and just sat quiet and it was fine. Im not saying shes a bad rider but its different rider styles.

Owners know how hard they can push their horse before they explode so they never got through that barrier and sometimes it is required for training purposes.

My horse will let anyone ride him but he is very laid back.

Maybe the blindness creates a clingyness, i wouldnt say this is a bad thing he is obviously looking for support from you! Bless

xx

 

[samp]

My mare also rears up if too much pressure is put on and I have told this to my old instructor. Of course she got on forced her to work and soften and of course too much and yep she reared. I have changed instructors and she goes so much better in my lesson - shame she doesn't when at home!

 

[Rambo]

Bo seems to be a one man horse too. He's bolted with my OH on several occasions, as well as dumping her in the school, and has hospitalised another instructor who was exercising him for me

He's saint like when I ride him usually lol!

 

[Parkranger]

Funny you should say that as I beat myself up a little afterwards and thought 'perhaps I'm too soft on him' but in 8 weeks (inc 3 out of work) I've got him not leaning as much, working in an outline and trotting in an outline now.....so I must be doing something right.

She gave me great advice on lifting him with my reins and when I got back on she said 'look, you're doing that, not me' and I suppose I was....a bit!

 

[Parkranger]

I think this was the problem here too......

 

[pottamus]

An instructor I had a long time ago got on my horse once to teach him to go forward better and whatever she did he started to object to...so a battle ensued and she got him so worked up that he started to hop as if he was going to go up in a rear. I started to object myself and said we should call it a day but it was too late then and he did a small rear! He has never done this EVER and I was heart broken that she had got him to that level...it is something I never want him to learn he can do and she had got him there! Needless to say she is no longer my instructor and luckily my horse has never tried to rear again...but then I don't try to have battles of pride with him! I don't tend to let people ride my horse, in fact only 3 people have in the 3 years I have had him. I trust him and know him well and he trusts me...so that is how it stays.
So to answer the post...yes horses deffinately can act different to other riders!!!

 

[allijudd]

romans is an angel really...we tend to stick new riders on him to check out what they can do..he is not nasty in any way but he can and will exagerate any of your fualts...for example i am stiff through my left hip so roman is virtually lame on that side until i can work through it...its quite hysetrical to watch....

 

[Madam_max]

Corroy is very much the same, a one person horse. With people more experienced that me she will 'try them out'. My instructor rode her for me while I was away and she soon realised that she is not as easy as she looks. When I went back to riding her she was very naughty for a few days as I think she was sulking. It's not because I am a really good rider (far from it), but I have had her 7 years and she has learnt to trust me, as underneath it all she is very insecure.

 

[filly190]

From what you have said, the other rider was asking more questions from the horse, and a little strop occurred. During the training of any horse when you push them out of their comfort zone, they will react.

It could be that you are both very comfortable with each other, however it may be time that you started to ask a little more and you may get a couple of strops yourself.

It could also be that the other rider was doing a little bit of showing off, we are all guilty of that, by getting on someone elses horse and wanting to look good and prove outselves. I am not saying it is a concious thing, but no one wants to look a fool. She may have been a little too strong in the hand, while holding him in via her leg and he had no where to go, other than up.

I would'nt like seeing my horse rear as if it is a good horse, it means its been backed into a situation where she has allowed this to happen, and not anticipated what he was about to do. A really good rider would have felt this rear about to happen, relaxed the horse immediately and not let it happen.

I would take her advice from the ground, I would'nt be putting her on board again, just in case she spoils what you have built up. I mentioned the strops above which do occur when you get them out of their comfort zone, but a vertical rear is not one you allow when schooling. A buck, a run out etc and bit of resistence but not rearing.

Good luck, you are doing really well and your horse is happy with you, you will go forward together, at a pace which you are both happy with and to keep this bond, I would take it in stages. Keep a video diary of your progress so you can look back.

 

[no_no_nanette]

Similar thing happened to my daughter - she has a Hanoverain, the most gentle chap you can imagine, but when she took him to a professional producer on one occasion for a lesson he reared for the first time in our 4 year ownership of him! My observation was that he was put under too much presssure immediately, and that the aids were very strong; he is used to being ridden with very light hands and seat, and responds incredibly well to this, Sounds like your chap is the same. I think that sometimes professionals get a bit arrogant about it, and think that their approach is the only approach - well, NO! Your horse is responding very well to your training - you are taking it gently, and he's responding to that. Well done you! The trick is to find another rider/sharer who has a similar style and approach to yourself, or is willing to adapt.

 

[Lill]

Blue is a bit of a one person horse. If anyone else rides him while i am there watching he tends to be fine and well behaved BUT each time someone has ridden him when i've not been there (when i am on holiday for instance and someone is exercising him for me) he has, as soon as asked for canter or after a jump had a massive bronking fit and tried to get them off! He has succeeded a few times as well! OOps!

Holly on the other hand is much more laid back and not really bothered who rides her!

 

[dieseldog]

She obviously did something right as he was nicer when you got back on him and thats because she got him to change something about how he was going. She must have come on a bit strong at the start though to make him rear.

Now to throw a spanner in the works - where you stood by the gate or somewhere where you would normally stop him?

 

[Patchwork]

I think sometimes it depends on what they have come to expect from the rider. My instructor has a very intelligent, sharp GP dressage horse who can be an absolute pain in the neck for her to hack - will randomly spin round and drop his shoulder, shoot forward, buck, etc. However, I only ever take him on 'fun hacks' whereas she also works him in the school and he will hack on a loose rein for me (I even ride him bareback), although she is obviouly a vastly more experienced and capable rider. Similarly, my mum used to be an RDA instructor and during the holidays we and the other instructors and helpers used to exercise the ponies - it always made everyone laugh to see 'absolutely bombproof' ponies capable of being ridden off lead rein by tiny disabled children prancing and bucking when ridden by us lot!

 

[miamibear]

Im not trying to say you are a bad rider far from it but in my experience every horse who is ridden predominantly by one person knows who its "mum" or "dad" is and will perform better for them or play up for the new person.

Also bear in mind everyone has a different way of riding even down to how they carry themselves and their weight

 

[SouthWestWhippet]

Mine takes the p*ss with other riders on the flat. She is clever tho

and you have to be quick to out think here. She was naughty with me when I started riding her but I know the signs now and I can usually catch her and distract her before she starts up. But she is sweet as anything with novices if they want to jump. I think she likes it when they don't tell her what to do LOL

Some horses don't like 'strong' riders though I think. They don't like being told what to do, they prefer to be asked nicely. Mine is like this. If someone got up on her and started 'having a fight' she fight back. Maybe yours is the same and prefers a more subtle 'no nonsense' rider. It sounds as if he definately prefers you. Lucky you. Doesn't it feel great to have a horse that only wants to work for you?

 

[evsj]

Its very gratifying when a really good rider gets on your horse and gives credit to your riding. My old instructor (BHSI, List 1 judge, been round Badders twice) got on my mare once during a lesson as she was dispalying a touch of that attention deficiet disorder thingy....

Anyway, after about 10 mins and instructor calling her a 'naughty little sausage', my instructor conceded that I made her look very easy to ride when she really is'nt (shortens neck, hollows when rein contact too much). Which made me feel great. Your boy obviously prefers your style of riding too!!

 

[Pidge]

Oh yes, I fractured a bone in my hand when Pidge carted me round a 2'6" showjumping course with only one stop (pink pigs fence- don't ask!) and this was despite his numpty mother riding him as I hadn't jumped that big since I was a teenager, it certainly wasn't stylish on my part. The next month a much more experienced lady took him round the same course and had a cricket score of a round as he was awful with her, and this was after me saying "just point and steer and leave it to him" I had never been so embarrased

just goes to show they know who mum is......

 

[Parkranger]

[ QUOTE ]
She obviously did something right as he was nicer when you got back on him and thats because she got him to change something about how he was going. She must have come on a bit strong at the start though to make him rear.

Now to throw a spanner in the works - where you stood by the gate or somewhere where you would normally stop him?

[/ QUOTE ]

Ha ha no - I know what you're thinking! I was stood in the middle of the school.

She's a great rider and she taught me so much. I suppose the difference is that when he gets heavy in the hand or tries to yank the reins he gets a wallop on the arse which sends him forward rather than a jab in the mouth.....

She definately made a difference as he was light as a feather!

 

[spooks]

ours is a total dickhead when anyone other than ashleigh gets on him!! her now ex mate had a lesson on him once and he made her look like she hadnt got a clue! everytime she asked him for trot he took off, he was napping like the proverbial,they gave up in the end and decide to jump him instead, that was just as bad! the same person took him in a class a few days later and he was a total moron again, poles flying everywhere,legs all over the place and even going through the odd jump rather than over it and this was only over 2ft 6! ash was watching and said ,that isnt my horse! lol. the interesting thing though, i spend a lot of time with him on the ground so we have a bond as well and one time he was following me around the collecting ring at towerlands (we were the only ones walking in there at the time otherwise i would have led him instead of just walking beside him) while ash walked the course then she came back out he spotted her and took a step towards her then stopped dead in his tracks and looked back at me and just stood there as i dont think he knew who to go with!! lol

 

[Governor]

My instructor has said from the first time she sat on my horse that he'd be an excellent exam horse - for the simple fact he'd show everyone up...which i'm sure would be great fun in instructors exams and the like. She's a BHSI and was visibly concerned about the way he was going in comparison to the way he had done with me just a few minutes before.

I'm by no means a fantastic rider - i'm not sure i'd get through my stage 3. Governor is pushing 16.3hh and i'm not even 5ft5 so it would make more sense that he'd go fantastically for a more experienced or larger rider.

Having said that i've pretty much been his sole rider since I bought him as a rising 4 year old so I suppose he's been trained to my riding or something. I try to take it as a compliment anyway...

It's pretty flattering on your part!