How can I help my best friend with her new horse?

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sue_ellen

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Ill try not to make this too long!
My best friends horse was put to sleep in feb this year and she was devastated. He was her first horse and she had had him nearly 10 years. She didnt think she would want another one but 2 months ago she found she was missing the whole horsey thing and bought a new one.
He is a light weight cob, 15.1hh and just turned 6yo. Not much schooling but has hunted for the last two seasons, and he is ID x, probably TB but it just says ID x on his passport.

He is lovely and kind and easy to handle from the ground, and she felt an instant bond and attraction to him when she first saw him. The problem is a riding one.
We hack out a lot together and we have lots of lovely safe off road riding. She rides just behind me, but has gone in front too, he is a bit spooky but nothing like her old horse who could spook for England! But he has another trick which she is finding really unnerving. We can be trotting steadily and he seems to just decide that he wants to do something different and will just try to charge off in canter, he puts his head down and just tries to go, he will do this in canter too, just try to speed up. She can stop him, but he fights and shakes his head and swerves about trying to get away from her and it is shaking her confidence.
Last week he did this but we were on the grass verge on the side of a private road, (no traffic), and he tried to barge through between me on my boy and the hedge. This was really scary because if I hadnt been able to pull my lad to the side we could have had a nasty collision. Teeth, back etc all ok.
She is quite a brave rider but this is worrying her, and she is getting more upset by the fact that she feels frightened. As most of us know, its not a nice feeling! We are both in our 40s and just want to enjyoy our riding, shes come off him once already, and we dont bounce as well as we used too!
Yesterday he tried it again but this time she was ready for him, managed to stop him then sent him on in the trot.
We think he is just trying to see what he can get away with, would others agree with this? Has anyone else had to deal with this kind of behaviour, what did you do? He is in a snaffle and she finds him quite strong, we thought a change of bit might help, but what bit would be best?
After last week she was going to sell him but she wants to feel she has given him a good chance, so we just need to help get the balance back in her favour to make it a bit easier for her, if possible, so any tips or advice very gratefully recieved!
Thanks for reading, sorry its got so long!
 
I would put him in grass reins (sounds a bit pony club but they can be very effective!) You can use side reins and put them from the D ring on the saddle, cross them at the wither then clip onto bit ring- then he wont be able to tug his head down.
I would def up his bit- maybe a jointed pelham or a waterford would be the next step up from the snaffle.
 
I'm no good at giving bit advice, but I want to say good on your friend for not giving up on him and wanting to give him a good chance!

I really hope this works out for her as he sounds like a lovely horse on the ground and I'm sure that's exactly what she wants
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I have a very strong horse who can be a bit bargy out hacking and I put a standing martingale on him as then if he wants to tank and pull he achieves nothing. I only wear it for hacking and he is a million times better, once he realised he was acheiving nothing all the snatching and pulling stopped. He is still strong but can't get his head down to really tank.
Does she find him hard work in the snaffle at other times too or just out hacking? Whats he like schooling in it? Do you know what he was hunted in? What nose bandis he in?
I also find the polo stop incredibly useful on horse that do this sortt of thing, I will try and think of a way to explain it if you don't know what it is already.
 
My horse used to do this - again he is an IDX. I found the best bit was a Waterford snaffle as he couldn't grab hold of it and p*ss off.
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Oh I know the feeling, you have a horse you trust so completely and when it goes its so difficult to replace. I am in a similar situation and have a few bruises on my aging body to prove it!

I think it might be unrealistic to expect another horse to just take the place of the old one. So first of all take the pressure off by giving a year time frame to become established as a good horse (and try to enjoy the journey!). My personal experience is that horses take longer than you think to settle in and its only when looking back that you realise this.

Secondly, if you have a new horse I would say that it is probably easier to establish the respect (it does sound as if he may be trying it on) in the school. So sorry but its time to find a good instructor who will help your friend to establish the basis of the relationship in the school and also to give your friend the skills she needs when riding.

Thirdly, when you hack out try to merge the boundaries between schooling and hacking, ie make the horse work in an outline, insist on good walk/trot/walk transitions, etc, this just sets the scene.

The truth is no horse can just walk into a home and be perfect, it takes a little bit of effort on both sides to achieve that!
 
I have a ID x TB. He does the exact same thing. I ride him in a snaffle for schooling and dutch gag bit for hacking/XC/SJ etc. Its very effective
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Also, learn to recognize the signs that he about to pull a cheeky stunt. Mine will take in a big breath of air......
I find sitting bolt upright and 'deep' into the saddle and tighten with my knees, stops him disappearing .......
 
Completely agree with Canteron....I'd get a good instructor and work on getting to know the horse a bit more and give a longer time frame for getting to know each other.
 
Thanks for the advice everyone, what is a polo stop silverbreeze? Never heard of that one. He is just in a loose ring snaffle, running martingale and cavesson noseband. Think he was hunted in a 3 ring gag. Em bob4 you are right, he is lovely in lots of ways and she wants to give him a good chance, it has been very difficult as Boo was her horse of a lifetime and she never thought she would have to replace him, she hoped they would grow old together!
 
I think he is just trying it on ! I would

1. stick to very safe bridleways not near roads
2. try a pelham or waterford
3. try a daisy rein

4. if all else fails get someone like an instructor on him to take him out a few times

im sure he will be fine - can she tell when he is about to do it ???

if she can can you have a signal between you when she feels him going you stop immediately

Or also practise just walking when out so he doesnt think he is ever going to go faster x
 
It was a tip someone taught me when I used to have a pony that constantly bolted with me, i found just knowing I could stop helped me no end as I wasn't anticipating and worrying about the bolt so he stopped doing it so much. It's not a fix for the problem but definately helps the confidence.

I am right handed so would take my right hand and cross it over the neck to the left and push my hand down parallel to my knee, so the the rein and pressure is on the horses neck, you then pull up firmly with the left hand. basically it just means that the horse is pulling on himself. Like I said though, this is not a fix but will probably give your friend some confidence whilst working on the fix through some of the other suggested avenues

good luck
 
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