Emily T
Active Member
Unfortunately, it seems that my lovely cob is just getting worse. Yes, in the field I have walked him around bareback with just a head collar on and such but when we get up to the yard? He starts to act stressed. His head high, heavy breathing, eyes appearing stressed and spooking easily. This thing is, I think its my instructor. On my first day with him at the yard, a friend and I hopped on (keep in mind we were 12 & 13) and he was amazing in walk trot and canter. The next lesson I had I was shoved aboard by my instructor. She shouted a lot and when he would buck and bolt I would sometimes slid to the ground and my horse would skid to a halt. Over the few weeks I rose with her he was always lunged before a lesson in the arena and he was treated in the same way with my second instructor. In the end my dad got an jockey to help us and he got my pony out of bucking but six months later? The jockey isnt working with us anymore and my poor pony is scared to death of the arena. Whenever we are in there he follows me and often tries to heard me out of the door with him. Hes now box walking, kicking down stable doors, gets an upset stomach when up the yard, bolting, nipping at strangers and hes being stable up the yard because of bad weather so Im not riding him (its too dark after school and the arena is always booked at night and my mum would never let me hack him out). Oh, and a railway line runs parrel with the school and fields.
In all of this, my dad stu thinks the me and my horse can get over this butvmy Mum? Oh, well she blames my horse for everything when sometimes, its my fault more than his, like Ill get caught up in the moment and not realise hes about to bolt (if I can see its going to happen I can stop it in time). She also pushes me to sell him, but who would buy him? Hes got too much spirit and has a mind of his own but thats the reason why so adore him so much. Hes such a sweet boy on the ground too and I selling him is out of question. Even if I could find a buyer or a loaner, I know I could never be happy. I only feel happy when my friend (the one who ride him with me on the first day) has riddden him because her ideas about horse behaviour is the same and rides in a similar way to me.
But am I just making up this stress idea to save my pony? I know he behaves nicely for me (he doesnt jolt around or get annoying under the saddle like he does for others) and Im the only one who can get him out the field, get him to hold his feet up nicely, he follows me voluntarily and he often trekkes across his field to come see me and will walk up the land with me without a head collar. Ha also behaves better for me while being ridden if I tell him about my day and talk to him. Hes so strange and sits like a dog, follows me anywhere (literally), yawns when given a massage and loves celery but I still love this gelding. Hes only seven and I seriously cant get over this pony of mine. If Im made to sell him Ill never forgive myself for giving up. I know he loves me because Im the only one who hell canter after, come when called or lick. Do you think hes stressed or is it something else?
In all of this, my dad stu thinks the me and my horse can get over this butvmy Mum? Oh, well she blames my horse for everything when sometimes, its my fault more than his, like Ill get caught up in the moment and not realise hes about to bolt (if I can see its going to happen I can stop it in time). She also pushes me to sell him, but who would buy him? Hes got too much spirit and has a mind of his own but thats the reason why so adore him so much. Hes such a sweet boy on the ground too and I selling him is out of question. Even if I could find a buyer or a loaner, I know I could never be happy. I only feel happy when my friend (the one who ride him with me on the first day) has riddden him because her ideas about horse behaviour is the same and rides in a similar way to me.
But am I just making up this stress idea to save my pony? I know he behaves nicely for me (he doesnt jolt around or get annoying under the saddle like he does for others) and Im the only one who can get him out the field, get him to hold his feet up nicely, he follows me voluntarily and he often trekkes across his field to come see me and will walk up the land with me without a head collar. Ha also behaves better for me while being ridden if I tell him about my day and talk to him. Hes so strange and sits like a dog, follows me anywhere (literally), yawns when given a massage and loves celery but I still love this gelding. Hes only seven and I seriously cant get over this pony of mine. If Im made to sell him Ill never forgive myself for giving up. I know he loves me because Im the only one who hell canter after, come when called or lick. Do you think hes stressed or is it something else?
