How long does it take to "click" with your horse?

BroadfordQueen

BroadfordQueen

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How long do you think it takes to truely "click" with your horse? Do you think you need to have clicked with your horse to do well in competitions?

I am positive me and Queenie haven't clicked yet. Sometimes it feels like we have, but the next day we don't gel at all so I have to stop riding before I get angry with her, cos then we start going backwards in our work.

I am not too worried at the moment that we haven't clicked as it has only been a few months, but my friend said you should click with your horse straight away and if you don't you shouldn't buy it
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Now I am wondering if this horse is really the right one for me! I am sure she is but my friend has got me doubting it!

Just wondered what your opinions are?
 
I think it can vary on the horse really. I think I did click with mine in after the first year as didn't really do much with him until after then. Then I went to oz for over a year and came back and I find I am now struggling to get back jumping again. Not sure if I need to click with him again though, or if I am just being wussy about jumping anything over 3ft!
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I always think there has to be some sort of spark between you and the horse, if not you surely wouldn't buy it?
But I think it can take quite a while, my first proper competition pony it took about 6 months before we clicked properly and I could ask anything of him, whereas in the those first 6 months he would say no to something if he didn't trust my judgement.
I also think the "clickabiltiy" also has something to do with how well the pony/horse settles to a new environment. It took my boy about a year to fully settle with us.
 
I know exactly what you mean!

I got on Queenie and knew straight away that she would be perfect for me, but I knew it would take me a long time to get used to her as she is so sensitive and long striding which I am not used to!

In fact I nearly got jumped off when I jumped her for the first time!

I just feel so frustrated sometimes cos I still cant ride her properly!
 
Ittook me a year to click with Boss but we got some good results together in that year- we just didnt quite understand each other!
I clicked with Moon and Millie straight away- I understand them
 
I think my main problem is that Q is not a friendly horse- she doesn't enjoy cuddles, or being groomed- she just pulls faces at me! So I find it harder to really bond with her like I could with my past horses.
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It took me about a year to click with my chestnut... there was lots he need to teach me first
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But our lovely bay boy...well the first time I rode him I felt I had been looking through those ears for ages and ages.
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I think it differs........
 
It depends on the horse tbh, I have ridden horses for other people that I have clicked with straight away, and others really not got on with.
With my own horses I don't really think there was a big eureka moment with any of them, they are all very different personality wise and I have to adapt to their way of going. Without seeming bigheaded, I doubt there are many people who could ride my horses better than me, because they seem to place a lot of importance on trust, more than actual direction or commands. (Does that mean my horses are disobedient!)
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It took me longer than I expected to click with Adrian. He was bought to replace Catembi who had died, & altho he looked like Cat & rode like Cat, he didn't have his experience. I think it was harder for me as I'm a one horse owner, so had only ridden Cat for 4 1/2 years & knew him inside out.

It took maybe 9 months & I was starting to think that it might never happen when it finally did. Adrian now feels like an extension of myself!
 
I think it can take ages. My mare the first time I rode her I felt that she was my sort of horse and I found the buttons quite easily. However 4 years down the line, and I know her inside out and love her to death but I still dont think we've really clicked, we just dont have that innate trust, I dont know why.
My new coloured horse although bigger and longer striding is more laidback. I know less buttons on him then I did with my mare (does that make sense) but even though im still feeling where the controls are, I feel more comfortable on him.
Its hard to explain. Put it this way I will quite happily after 2 weeks of owning him take him down a main road in rush hour and gale force winds and feel very safe and comfortable. After 4 years I still wouldnt trust my mare in the same situation (even though shes never done anything wrong) I would feel tense and probably save riding down that road to a weekend day that was calm weather.
I do think it take a good 1yr to 18 months to truly bond with a horse.

Tbh I think your doing very well on yours, to be jumping Newcomers so confidently when youve only had her a few months is a big thing. Some strong mares always take longer to gell with anyway (like mine) but when u do they'd usually give their life for you.
 
I think part of it is a skill and part of it is an undefinable 'click' factor. I ride 2 or 3 horses a week that I've never sat on before. You very quickly learn to find out where the buttons are, what this particular horse likes/dislikes, what its little quircks are and suss out a way to ride it. However I wouldn't say I 'click' with 100% of them. Some have that extra factor and you think straight away 'I know you, I like you and we'll get on just fine'; others I think 'I can ride you, I think I know you but I don't really think I'll ever like you all that much' (and who knows, it might be mutual
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).

I think that last bit is the undefinable 'click' factor which can't be learnt, but I do think that the more strange horses you get on the quicker you are likely to 'click' with any particular one.

ETA Whoops, I think it might be 'quirk' rather than 'quirck'
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[ QUOTE ]
I think my main problem is that Q is not a friendly horse- she doesn't enjoy cuddles, or being groomed- she just pulls faces at me! So I find it harder to really bond with her like I could with my past horses.
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this is exactly the same with me with my grumpy gelding. i still dont feel we have bonded and i have had him nearly a year and a half, however dont worry too much as we have still had some quite good results depite not really 'clicking'.
some days i just dont seem to be able to get through to him others he is fine. but he doesnt make a relationship which i find quite upsetting really
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I think it very much varies and as Gamebird says, i think there are different types of 'click'.

I've had my mare 3 1/2 years and i absolutely adore her but i'm not sre we've ever properly clicked. On the ground she is like a puppy and will follow me around etc, you could sleep next to her in her stable (not that i'd want to/have done!!) which i think is part of the reason i love her so much. On board her though, something has never been 100%, i think now i've had quite a few bad falls from her that our relationship is a bit damaged (i mean in terms of communication etc not in a 'my horse is like my child' way!!) We are both much happier together now i dont jump her but i still dont think we're always on the same page.

With Blue though, as soon as i sat on him i thought it felt right. Despite him being very green and not really understanding me much, i always feel like i know what he's thinking and he tries his heart out for me. Now he's getting more experienced its even better and i feel like we're a team, although i've only had him 5 months. I have never really had that feeling with T.
 
I think it's like meeting people at a cocktail party - some are like old friends right away, most you like some things about them but they don't necessarily light your fire, some you can't get away from fast enough.
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But, as Gamebird says, if you're a practised and motivated communicator (which means you're genuinely interested in the other "person") you can usually have at least a pleasant conversation. By the same token, there are people you can live or work with, who you wouldn't want for your best friend. Liking a horse as an individual helps most people ride that horse well but I don't think it's strictly necessary, nor is it a given that the relationship is otherwise a good one.

As far as competitive success, I think it depends a lot on how you define your terms. Many good riders can get reasonable results from any competent horse but we've all seen very talented horses that win with one top rider and not another. This might have as much to do with management but knowing what a horse likes or doesn't like is part of "clicking" in my book.

Some horses are so easy going and adaptable they seem to click with everyone, others not so much. I think it's as much from the horse's end and the rider's, although of course it's our idea so it's our job to make the relationship work. (Or bow out gracefully.:))

I think sometimes a lot depends on how the rider thinks about the horse. I've seen many people "click" with their horse after meeting a new instructor, seeing a horse go for someone else, or having some sort of experience that shows them the horse is "better" than they thought.
 
I would say that 18 moths later I have clicked with my TB when riding, but he still doesn't do cuddles, he's rather an arrogant sod! But I clicked with my little part TB within a few months, it just depends obviously if it's you first horse and you've just moved off ponies then it may take a lot longer than if it's a second horse. It's like people it's easy to understand the ones that are on the same wavelength as you

How did the combined training go on Sunday?
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Like moonwalker, I clicked with him straight away and knew he was what I wanted but took as year to actually work together !!
 
I really wouldn't worry just yet, it took me just over a year to gel with alisha, at first i was getting eliminated in every SJ I did, now she is jumping double clears fairly consistently
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Blu took a just under a year - got her May 07, and I would say we clicked March 08. I bought her for her jump and because I thought I could make something of her, not because I felt we 'clicked'. Love her to pieces now, she is such a part of me - so in my case, your friend is very wrong!
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She sounds like Q - hates being groomed, and fussed over. We have an agreement now though haha, and she gets grabbed round the neck for a hug whether she likes it or not (she does really
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)

Cara I am just starting to click with now, so about 7 months
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[ QUOTE ]
I think my main problem is that Q is not a friendly horse- she doesn't enjoy cuddles, or being groomed- she just pulls faces at me! So I find it harder to really bond with her like I could with my past horses.
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I agree with those that clicked straight away with their horses, that's what made me want my girl. She was utterly useless, completely green, (couldn't jump a stick or canter in the school, aged 5) but we 'clicked' nonetheless. It seemed that our outlooks matched. She is not a cuddly horse by any stretch of the imagination, she tolerates me fussing her but is soppy in her own way. We have a good bond, just so long as I don't crowd her!

On the other hand, I rode another horse for about 2 years that was incredibly soft, loved fuss and she did progress in her ridden work. But I would never say we clicked - we just didn't 'get' each other. Funny, isnt' it. Really hard to define what 'click' means.
 
I'm not sure- I saw my horse and adored him. 10 minutes later I'd cantered him, and was head over heels, lol. However, the circumstances were quite different and not that normal. I was desperate, lol.

I don't think 'clicking' just happens. It's when you know and understand each other and what each other wants and try to acheive that. It's when you can second guess most of the time, and trust your horse. It can take ages, so don't stress. You look fab on Queenie- ignore your friend. It'll come together- just give it some time.
 
[ QUOTE ]
I think it's like meeting people at a cocktail party - some are like old friends right away, most you like some things about them but they don't necessarily light your fire, some you can't get away from fast enough.
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But, as Gamebird says, if you're a practised and motivated communicator (which means you're genuinely interested in the other "person") you can usually have at least a pleasant conversation. By the same token, there are people you can live or work with, who you wouldn't want for your best friend. Liking a horse as an individual helps most people ride that horse well but I don't think it's strictly necessary, nor is it a given that the relationship is otherwise a good one.

As far as competitive success, I think it depends a lot on how you define your terms. Many good riders can get reasonable results from any competent horse but we've all seen very talented horses that win with one top rider and not another. This might have as much to do with management but knowing what a horse likes or doesn't like is part of "clicking" in my book.

Some horses are so easy going and adaptable they seem to click with everyone, others not so much. I think it's as much from the horse's end and the rider's, although of course it's our idea so it's our job to make the relationship work. (Or bow out gracefully.:))

I think sometimes a lot depends on how the rider thinks about the horse. I've seen many people "click" with their horse after meeting a new instructor, seeing a horse go for someone else, or having some sort of experience that shows them the horse is "better" than they thought.

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/\ /\ /\ /\ /\ /\ /\ What she said!
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My interpretation of "clicking" is being able to get a tune out of a horse in an effortless (aka lazy
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) way, ie. not having to think or try too hard. Maybe in a broader sense it is being able to get a tune out of a horse full stop. In that case, it's having all the tools in your toolbox that means you will never be at a loss for where to go or what to do next with any particular horse and - unless you're very lucky and have been able to always ride the type of horse that suits you to a "t" - then surely that has to come from experience, training and general miles on the clock riding different horses?

I usually buy my horses at the age of 2 or 3, so by the time things get a bit serious and I expect them to go out and compete, I've normally got a pretty good understanding of them and am halfway to "clicking" with them. "Clicking" could also be seen as a moveable feast, as they may be one way when they're in their comfort zone, then turn into something completely different when you challenge them more. Hopefully an educated, thoughtful rider would recognise this and act appropriately according to the situation - I'm thinking square pegs and round holes.
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[ QUOTE ]

My interpretation of "clicking" is being able to get a tune out of a horse in an effortless (aka lazy
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) way, ie. not having to think or try too hard.

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Ahhh, this is why it's difficult to define, because for me 'clicking' is more about understanding each other's psyche. What motivates the horse, how it reacts to things, it's general approach to life.. and it understanding the same about you. All of which help to get a tune out of the horse, IMO
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Sorry milliepops, that's what I meant (even if I didn't explain it very well
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), but I had that as a foregone conclusion in that you don't have to try very hard to understand each other therefore click readily and without much effort. It's a bit like the friend that you feel like you've known forever when you've only just met. Perhaps being on the same wavelength is a better way of explaining it?
 
aaah, ok, I misunderstood your post. Thought you meant that getting the tune was the significant point, rather than the product of the 'click'
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'Wavelength' is a good one
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I think you just know instantly when you have clicked with something, that is the first second you get on it.

It just all feels so easy and like you dont even have to try, and that you can just sit there and look pretty, and watch the world go by.

Before I wouldnt have agreed with the ' if you dont click with your horse straight away then dont buy it' but now I do. Not to say that its not possible for the 'non clicking' partnerships to work.
I think it is a sixth sense thing between you and the horse.
 
I feel in love with my pony on the first viewing but it has taken nearly 18 months for me to really get to really confident riding and handling him and understanding his needs.

Strangely though from the start people presumed that I had had him for years.

He is however only 6 and I think part of it is him growing up and learning. It all seemed to come together when I took him to his first RC SJ rally and even though I was nervous and out of my comfort zone - we were up a level and he is still a baby and a pony so the jumps are bigger for him. He was amazing and jumped the best he had ever jumped and I managed to control my nerves and help him out a bit too, though he looked after me too. It felt like we were a partnership up against the odds we did it together and were as good as the horses!

I think the clicking sometimes creeps up on you and it is not until you push yourself out of the comfort zone that you realize that you have clicked! The months of taking it easy and pottering about getting to know each other paid off.

It might however be easier to click with an older horse as it is less of a learning curve and the horse might know more of what to expect.
 
My horse came though much better riders than me before we settled with each other, and was branded difficult.

However, I find him reasonably straight forward, but no one else seams to. I guess we just get along.
 
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