I think I should just give up.

[maisie]

I've had my cob for 4 years now - he's 10 and quite quirky. Last season we did a bit of dressage - mainly walk and trot and a bit of prelim. Last year we had a good season which unfortunately ended with him spraining a fetlock at the end of the summer and having 6 weeks off. I haven't competed much since, and when I have competed he's been a total a**e. He knows every evasion trick in the book to evade bend/outline/transitions. He's fundamentally bone idle, but prone to suddenly taking off with you when the fancy takes him. I've just had enough of fighting with him. He's a slug on hacks, and our hacking is quite limited and boring. I am absolutely at the end of my tether with him and I actually think he hates me. I can't remember the last time I looked forward to riding. I just want to know where the horse I rode last season has gone and why it's all so hard this year. I spent last night sobbing in the tack room and I really think I'm so crap I just should just give up. I don't want to sell him but I can't afford regular lessons and I don't know anyone who knows enough to help me. I can't believe that my 30year riding life feels so crap now. BTW there is nothing wrong with him to make him behave like this - he's just a git.

PS - don't mind if no-one replies. At least I've got it all out of my system now

 

[sallyg84]

mousehole, really feel for you, its so hard when you feel the relationship with your horse is falling apart. Where are you based? how is he on ht eground with you? Is it just problems with the riding side?

 

[atot]

He sounds like an absolute sod!!! Sorry I have nothing more constructive to say, but *hugs* to you. Have you thought of taking him somewhere exciting, and just trying to razzle him up a bit? The beach maybe? Have vets taken blood to investiage a little? Good Luck. Ooooh, hunt him!! That will certainly wake him up.

 

[Lobelia_Overhill]

((HUGS)) horses can be such pains in the arse ... maybe he liked his 6 week "holiday" a bit too much? My mare went 'sour' after a lay off for a cough.

 

[maisie]

Sallyg - I'm in Bucks - he's fine on the ground - although he does bite sometimes - he's not vicious - he just likes to grab at people. It's really just the riding side that has fallen apart. He leans so badly my arms practically go dead. The sad thing is, he actually can go quite nicely - it's just such a fight to get him to do it.

We've run bloods and they are fine, his saddle was checked in June and re-flocked. His teeth have been done recently. I honestly think he's just being a sod. I've been through 2 lots of box rest with him in 2 years. I've managed to stop him bolting on the road, so hacking HAS improved, and now my schooling has fallen apart. My OH tries to help, but we just end up falling out over it - he loves the bloody horse - which makes me feel worse - cos I am actually starting to hate him.

 

[bucksboy]

Have you tried having some lessons?

 

[sueandtoto]

**hugs** , is there no one on your yard that could help you ? , sometimes putting someone else on board helps , because everyone rides in a different way it may get him thinking a bit , I know you said you couldn't afford regular lessons but just one lesson with a good instructor would give you some basic ideas to start sorting him out , sounds like he's enjoyed being off work and is resenting being ridden again

, good luck Im sure you can sort him out in time

 

[MACCIMOO]

I know you said you cant afford regular lessons,but why dont you ask your instructor to ride him for 30 mins in school and see how he behaves with them,if he is completely different then you know he is taking the pi... with you,i have 2 sharers for my horse as i had a accident on him last year,when i do ride him though he is a complete prat with me like i have a electric bum so i dont really ride him anymore,if i didnt have my shreres though i wouldnt have kept him on as he is only 11 and not ready to retire yet,so dont give up,maybe he senses you dont like him at the moment,mine senses i am pooping my pants when i am on him lol

 

[Flame_]

Usually IME horses go naughty before they go lame or get kind of ill. If he's changed from the horse he was I'll bet he's developing something that just isn't apparent yet. Speculating again, in a ten year old cob my bet would be bone spavin in the hock. Have you tried riding him on bute for a few weeks to see if there's any improvement? It doesn't tell you anything concrete but if you do see any improvement you know for certain you need to be looking for a source of pain. There is, of course, a lot more that can go wrong in a whole horse than what can be found by teeth and back checks. Good luck and don't give up.

 

[mymissmegan]

Iv had my mare for 4 yrs aswel, we've had alot of ups and downs including blind bolting, I couldnt ride out by myself we don't have a sand school so it was quite nail biting. But I found that when I hacked out with some one i trusted and popped my horse behind she was an absolute angel. I then calmed down and as i kept hacking out and having good experiences I got a lot more confident then i started hacking out by myself and as she hadn't put a foot wrong so far I wasn't as worried as I used to be. We can go any where by our selves now even open fields (which used to be a blur as they went past so fast!) I was so nervous about asking for help from instructors as I thought i would be judged but I now have an amazing instructor. Megan was extremely green and didnt really understand and used to rush but with the right help from the right people you CAN do it. Even if you cant afford lessons all the time just having a lesson with some one that you both respect once a month will really help. BELIEVE in yourself YOU can ride you CAN get through this. Sponsored rides are alot of fun (may be best to go with a friend to pop his head behind) and maybe it will lift your spirits. I have been there I thought as i wouldnt ride as much I shouldnt keep her but we are on the other side and you can get there too. If you do go to competitions again maybe take some one with you you both respect and get the person to call the test as it is amazing how well my horse behaves when my instructor is about! I hope i have helped. Its a depressing time but once you've got through this together i really do feel you'd be closer and indestructable. Good luck x x x

 

[mintaka04]

Don't give up hun, try doing something different! If he's sour just now and won't listen to your aids, try doing it differently.
I agree an instructor would help, but what about a different instructor too? to see things differently for you?
I recently had some lessons with a girl who has trained with Heather Moffett (enlightened equitation) and the results have been stupendous.
However, I still get days like you are having (had one this morning) when I feel like I can't ride, lose my balance, fight with the horses head constantly....aargghhhh!
Yet I know I can do it. You just need to take a step back from it and re-evaluate, I think.
I hope you manage to get someone to help you and that things improve.

 

[Starsy]

Our cob was really sour, wouldn't canter on hacks etc until we got him a treeless saddle, which has made a big difference to him, although his original saddle was pronounced a good fit, and wasn't pinching him anywhere. Could be worth a try if you could borrow one off somebody.

Although if you are really hating him, it might be better to let him go to someone who just wants to plod about, and get a horse that you can really enjoy? I wasted a lot of years trying to succeed with another horse, and looking back, wish I'd called it quits earlier. Life's too short and all that? I can't say that I am a huge cob fan, some of them just don't seem to have the will to please (apart from themselves) that most equines have.