How did you learn to ride more forward going/fizzy horses?

Foxford

Foxford

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Since I got my youngster at Easter, a couple of people on the yard have been kind enough to let me have some rides on their horses. I haven't been hacking for ages and thought my nervousness was down to a little bit of "outside of the menage" syndrome, although I was fine at shows and hacking on my old horse.

After having been up half the night worrying about going out in the trailer today for a long hack, things went well. But it got me thinking why do I get anxious about riding sometimes?

I've decided the answer is I've never had or regularly ridden a "fast" horse. And the last couple of bad experiences I've had have been on such horses. Now I've been riding for about 10 years consistently. Quite an acheivment that I never managed to get the ride on a livlier horse!! Part of the problem stems from the fact we never sold my 1st pony who was a 14.1 fell, and I never got to upgrade my horses as the years went on. Since then chance has dictated that I've had lazy horses to ride (who include a TB and a TBX!). I'm very good at getting them to go forwards and work with them. However put me on a forwards horse and I think I panic that I won't be able to stop them.
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I'm kind of feeling maybe it's too late for me to learn, but I can't limit myself to only riding the slow ones as I want to be a good rider. Just thought I'd add spookiness doesn't really bother me.

So how did you all do it!
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Spill the beans!
 
I enjoy riding lazy horses, always have, prefer having to work to get them going forwards than living in fear of being taken off with, however.....I think I am actually better at dealing with fizzy horses.
I had lessons as part of a module for uni, and my instructors always stuck me on fizzy horses. If I got to choose i picked the lazy ones, but they always swapped me off!
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Forward-going and/or fizzy all I've had for years and years. I'm beginning to suspect I make them that way, which is fine because I really don't like ploddy horses (my YO has several
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) and I just can't get them going. Well, I can but it's such hard work!!
All I can really suggest is sit quietly and make your aids as subtle as poss
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I think it gets harder as you get older. We don't bounce the same and consciously or unconsciously, we worry about that.
Get yourself a good back protector, always wear a hat, carry a mobile phone and just get out there and do it!
There's no magic fix other than doing it for yourself and knowing that you can!
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I just got put on them, I cannot remember if there was ever a transition from slow to fizzy ones - it was too long ago. I like forward thinking, switched on horses though, can put their natural energy into good use!
 
I learnt to ride fizzy horses thanks to a fantastic riding instructor and a couple of fizzy, but kind horses.

I found having good core muscles and not leaning forward made a huge difference and also keeping the horses soft in the hand.

Like anything practise makes perfect and also more confident.
 
My girl is very forward going. The one thing that I've learnt to do is to stay relaxed, sit calm and I need very little leg aids she responds to my shifts in weight. However, I've never had a problem with breaks so I never get the feeling that she's going to tank off. I guess I've just learnt that sometimes if I'm out on the gallops and I'm ready to go for it, she's a bit like a bullet out of a gun, but I know as soon as I let her go she'll open up but not do anything more than that. It can get a bit frustrating/unnerving when they do that silly prancing on the spot thing just before you let them go. I think you really need to know you can trust a forward going horse and the only way you get to know them is to ride them regularly, but you do need to have a good still seat and hands and sit deep.
 
I always liked the fast ones at the riding school! I suppose I learned to ride them properly though when I spat my dummy out wanting to buy a pony that was too sharp for me. My mum caved in and bought it. I spent the next year moaning and crying at how hard she was to ride but (rightly!!!) I got no sympathy and told "you picked it, get used to it" in not so many words. I've still got the pony, sixteen years later but long time retired, and I owe every compliment I get on my riding to her.
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I had a mare who was as good as gold and a great confidence giver but after we sold her I got chucked on whatever ponies grandad brought home as projects - some of which ended in disaster lol. The worst I had though was looking after a friend's horse while she travelled. On one occasion I was bronked with for a good 30 mins on and off before sailing through the air and straight into the post and rail fence. Totally lost my confidence after that and then didn't really ride for 5 years until 6 months ago. I found that most of the experiences made me more confident and I enjoyed lively horses but that last one was just too much and it really scared me. I suppose the point I was making in a roundabout way was - try to find a middle ground if you can as too lively can really damage your confidence.
 
Always got put on them, liked the adrenalin of it, always had forward going ponies/horses too so think I'm just used to it. Just a matter of experiencing lots of different types of horse so you can improve your confidence X
 
first I think you need to realise that just because a horse is forward going/fizzy, it does not mean they are going to try to kill you!! They are just enjoying their work!
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Just try to relax, and keep having a go! You'll get used to it eventually.
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I've been hunting since a very early age so i'm used to horses being a bit mental. I do seem to get a bit more scared on hacks than anything else though, especially if I'm alone.
 
My 1st horse was a 16.1hh ex-racehorse and completely off his trolley!! I was only 11...soooo stupid buying him but i was young and daft and my parents didn't really know anything at that time. Anyway, he taught me how to stay on at a flat out gallop, go round a course of jumps with absolutely no control, looking back, i think how lucky i was not to have been seriously injured, but surprisingly enough i never fell off him, probably because he went everywhere at break neck speed and i held on for dear life! lol.

Also i helped out, then started work at my local riding school and would get stuck on all the nutters lol. I could ride anything back in the day but now i'm a bit more sensible (and older) i tend to stay away from the lunatics! lol
 
I used to much prefer the plods, and I remember at the riding school back in the day there were only 2 of us who could get this one pony going forwards a treat and I was one of them!
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She was brilliant! Then I moved on to a TB who most lessons I just couldn't stop - ah, the pair of them taught me so much!
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However I think its just what you're used to, I'm more used to fizzy now and can't see myself being anything but bored with a plod again, but I'm sure that will change again in the future!
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I think i am quite lucky, my mare is very forward over jumps and out hacking hence my requirement for a pelham (only bit she respects) but schooling we go down to a waterford. she is really responsive to my leg. the thought of 'booting her one' to make her move would just never happen. well you could try but remind me to bring a camera to document your visit to the ground :-)
 
Thanks everyone, there's some great advice here. I guess I will always prefer the lazier equines out there, but it would be lovely to be able to hop onto friends highly strung horses sometimes and have a laugh. I think I'll go out on my own this week for a gallop across the fields, I'll probably be more confident I can stop if I'm alone!! I'll make sure to report back, just so you know I'm still alive!
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I was the guinea pig for all the naughty little ponies that came to our yard that I worked at, From little 11hh ponies up to full size horses , but it was mainly working with ponies , Majority of them went to cavan , and having to jump them in the arena before selling . I remember being dumped onto a 14.2hh that didnt have any breaks and trying to take it around a 1.10 course in half the size of the arena ( they dont use the full size of the arena at the time ) I think that was the worst experience of my life, After taking it around several times I came out with my hands blistered and red raw .

Ive always been used to more fizzier type horses, I find it easier to sit on something and just sit quiet and work with them that way , rather than to have to really work with them I suppose you could I say I'm lazy lol
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I am convinced that a lot of it depends on what you learnt on, particularly if you learnt as a child. Sister and I learnt at the same time, she is 5 years older than me, she was tall for her age and I was small for mine. She rode the cobby ponies who took a fair bit of motivating, I rode the mad little show pony types and welsh Sec A's. She still likes the more solidly built creatures, while I still like the more forward going lighter built variety. She has an ID, I have an Araby Appy, who feels like a half uncorked champagne bottle most of the time! Sister hates spooky creatures, I quite like them. All this I am sure based on those early experiences.
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After I lost my horse 9 year ago I thought I wanted a more fizzy/forward going horse so that's what I got. He was an ex-point to pointer and I quickly learnt to be very still in the saddle and have a light contact. I enjoyed him being responsive but he was a bit of a nutter when it came to jumping. I ended up selling him after three years - I could ride him ok and he didn't frighten me but I got fed up with his unpredictability and I decided that the fizzy horses weren't for me. I now have sane horses which you have to kick on sometimes and I'm sticking to them. I think if you regularly rode a fizzy horse you would adapt quite quicky to their ways, at least that's what happened to me. I suppose the only way is to get on and do it.
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You certainly do adjust to them
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My old boy was an ex riding school horse so unfortunately had a hard mouth but surprisingly was VERY forward going
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For the first 15mins of a hack he would jog - if you tried to stop him he would canter sideways
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so I just went with him. But I had such a close bond with him that it never worried me - and I think that is the key to your confidence, cause you certainly need to be confident and relaxed when riding a forward going horse
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I personally prefer them as I find kick alongs quite boring to ride. I like a challenge and the feeling of having all that power underneath you quite excillerating
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You certainly need to ride with your seat more though and very light hands as the fizzies I have ridden have all tensed up if you ride them on a close contact
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- apart from the ones with hard mouths that is
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My first pony could buck and duck out at jumps for England but he was very steady bless him. Went from riding only him for best part of 5 years to riding an ex grade A showjumper who did flying changes 3 feet off the floor! Although i was very nervous at first we took it slowly and that helped me to adapt, and my instructor used to ride her so knew exactly how she had to be ridden. Take things steady and you'll adapt in no time, and agree with above, definately ride from the seat a lot more.
 
Like Colleen_miss_Tom I was a guinea-pig at the riding school I helped at - got plonked on anything new that came in and never thought twice about it. If I came off more than twice they usually sold the pony on!

As an adult I've always had forward-going horses, to the extent that 30 minutes schooling (they all hated schooling and turned into slugs) reminds me all too forcibly how little I usually use my legs.

Agree with the advice above to be light with your hands and use your seat and weight more than your legs.
 
I got plonked on a hyper little chestnut mare who would rear if you had a rein contact and bolt if you didn't, she taught me how to sit quietly and use my seat. At the time I was scared of her, but my instructor was even scarier so i just had to get on with it!

another riding school guinea pig here too!
 
That's so true YorksG! I had 2 younger sisters when I learned to ride so was always on the 15hh lazy cobs and little sis got the welsh As and show pony types. If I ever have kids that learn to ride, I will be sticking them on everything after reading this post...

Funnily enough I've bought an ID too!
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