In support of the 'novice'

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Flicker

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What's the opposite of a 'Rant' on here? Because that's what I want to do now...

In the late summer, I posted about a friend of mine who was (is) quite novice and was sold a horse that was, with the best will in the world, way more than she was able to cope with. She had been very careful, done her homework and taken an extremely knowledgable friend with her to buy the horse and had also made it very, very clear to the seller that she was a complete novice. Basically, they got duped and once the horse got a bit of food in its belly and a roof over its head, it became a total handful. My friend spent more time on the floor than she did in the saddle and eventually the decision was made to think about selling it.
I have to say that after this, she kind of turned a corner. Where she had been having weekly lessons, the dear girl stuck her hand in her pocket and had daily ones. With the help of her instructors and friends, she completely changed the horse's routine and diet (one step at a time). Our horses are stuck in because of the ice at the moment and she's been up at 6am every morning lunging, and then riding in the evening. Her riding has come on leaps and bounds and, do you know what... the horse is a different animal. He is healthy and perky, but so calm and well-behaved. She's jumping him now, hacking him (when they can get off the yard) and doing all the things that she bought him to do. She has quietly and determinedly made him into the horse that she thought she was buying all along. Needless to say, he's not for sale, but if he was I think she'd do quite well with him :)

I just wanted to post this to congratulate her, but also to just remind people that, if you are prepared to learn and put up with a few bruises, it is possible to buy a horse as a novice and not end up killing or ruining either it or yourself.

Sorry, just thought we could do with a bit of good news today :D
 
Well done to your friend!
In my opinion there are novices out there who arent willing to accept help from others,and think that they are Frankie Dettori,and these people fall flat on their faces at the first hurdle.
And there are people out there just like your friend,who ask for help,and that makes a huge difference.
After all,we never,ever stop learning about horses!
 
great to hear of a succes story, it does take hard work and determination to achive results. I bought a 5yo that put me on the floor 3 times in the first week that i had her, but with determination and hard work (and an excellent instructors guidance) we have exceeded our expectations and goals. She is now 20yo, semi-retired and her 3yo filly has just been backed. Off we go again, more hard work!!!! and people used to say "oh you are so lucky to have such an easy horse" they didn't see her when she would put me on the floor 3 seconds after i had got on her!! well done to your friend.
 
well done to youre friend - as far as im concerned I will help any one who wants to listen and soaks up the advice - we all start some where BUT people who send their daughter for 10 riding lessons then buy daughter a pony and mother gets a green horse and then think they know it all and wont listen to commonsense ****** looks to sky and rolls eyes****** please give me strength
 
I agree that people who 'know better' are so infuriating!

I love the anecdote about people commenting on your 'easy horse', with no concept about how long it takes to get there. That's what horse owning is all about, isn't it - like ducks, we seem to glide along so gracefully to the outsider, but they can't see our little feet frantically paddling away under the surface LOL!!!
 
That's a great story with a good message. So many people take up riding and expect it all to come easily. Once they find out just how much hard work (and humility!) it takes to ride well and to manage horses they give up. Your friend is a great example of just how much can be achieved with a b----y good attitude! Congratulations to her from me :)
 
That is absolutely great and very encouraging.

This is the best thread I have read on here in ages. Really inspiring.

Well done to your friend, she must be exceptionally happy! :)
 
What a great thread. Your friend should be so proud of herself, that took lots of courage, determination and commitment and now she is reaping the rewards. Good for her, she sounds like someone who would be welcome around my horses any day of the week.
 
Good on your friend. It can be done and I hope she feels very proud of herself. There are far too many people in the horse world who are too quick to criticise.
I bought my horse as a 'novice' owner. After 2 horrendous years featuring several hospital trips, being told to sell him, being bitched about and shouted at, coming home from the yard in tears, losing my confidence completely and feeling utterly hopeless, I now have the horse I have always dreamed of.
He has taught me more in 2 years than anyone else has in my entire life.
 
Thank you for posting this.
My horse tuned out to be a lot more horse than I am rider . She was described as a happy hacker and it turns out she has BE evented up to Novice level !
It has taken me 18 months to get a good enough seat and to learn complex aids and techniques way beyond what a normal novice rider would need to know.
There have been times when I have felt that I'll never be competent enough for her, but in every other way she is the perfect horse.

Please pass on my congratulations to your friend and tell her she has inspired me to carry on trying, it can be done :)
 
I am in total agreement with you on this one, and my congratulations for sticking with it. I wish there were more people like your friend, the horse world would be a happier and better place. Having been sold what was described as a perfect first horse nearly 7 years ago by a riding school, and find out he wasnt, I can identify with her totally. My perfect, bomproof novice ride turned out to be nappy, bargey, not bombproof, a bolter and extremely strong. Well, I persevered with it and have a lovely 17 year old happy hacker who although can still be bargy and a bit quirky, suits me down to the ground. Good luck to her and hope she continues to go from strength to strength.
 
awww thats so great to hear! people are sometimes to quick to stero type and say things in black and white i.e a novice shouldnt buy a youngster or a novice shouldnt be able to bring a horse on, but you could get somebody who has had horses for 20+ years and never improved or wanted to improve and been happy as a hacker, then you could get someone who has rode for say 5 years but has all the determination, confidnce and passion to make it happen & probably leanr more in them years than the person who has rode 20+ years, yet on paper who is classed as the novice, and what does someone define a novice to be able to do? everyone has their own opinions, advice etc but it is each down to the individual and anything is possible, if you are determined to make it happen you will. the amount of times iv been told i'l never get a standardbred to canter....and guess what...i did...retrained and rehomed, anythings possible, believe in yourself not what other people say, a good person will take ALL advice in, churn it up and re use it in a way that works for them, NOBODY knows everything, and we should all learn from each other, far to much criticism and stabbing in the horse world, it shud be fun and enjoyable, after all its so expensive not to be isn't it?? i currently have a handul of a 5 yr old Welsh D that is really testing me, full on broncs the lot, only managed t get me off the once tho ;) but i have scome close to thinking is he just to much, but its just not in me to admit defeat, sell him and probably buy a 12 yr old that cud be even worse....i stuck with him, and our relationship i& trust is growing stronger by the day and he is getting soooo much better, it all comes down to determination.
Thanks so much for the post! V inspiring & im sure many of us can relate to it, we'v all been novice beginners at some point haven't we xx
 
Really nice post this would make my dad say i told you so, he always says to be a good rider you need to take the knocks and to get better you need to ride trickier horses well this was his theory after putting us on naughty horses from us being small but i guess it works.

What i will also say is just because you are experienced dont underestimate novice riders they need to be encouraged to progress i have been in a horsey family all my life and we have always been taught to give support to novice riders and not to be surly if we find a determined novice who may have just as much natural talent to make them as good or better than ourselves with all our years of experience ahem.

I think when anybody who supposedly has more knowledge than said novice does not help out and give advice even if they can get a bit cocky, well this horse buisness can get you very heady and above yourself when you get it right, this says more about there own shortcomings and fears than the said novice.:)
 
Lovely post, proves the one thing that is needed is TIME!! So many issues with behaviour is due to the lack of time spent with the horse, people expect to turn up, tack up and ride a horse twice a week whilst feeding vast haynets and hard feed, then say the horse has behavioural problems when difficulties arise.
 
How very nice of the OP to post this and congratulations to her friend on both her new knowledge and her "new" horse. It takes a lot of courage and sense to think your way out of a problem, get good advice and enough of it, and not just "grit your teeth" and keep soldiering on in the same old ways.
 
A perfect example of how patience, time and ultimately a genuine desire to get into a horse's mind has paid off handsomely. Their bond will be immense and directly proportional to the fun they will have together. Lovely post and thank you for sharing.
 
Nice post to read, my friend was a novice and got a completely unsuitable horse (Arab) but a year on everything is beginning to click and they are going really well :)
 
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