Is your horse good?

[Festive_Felicitations]

Ok so this isn't nessecarily a CR post and is slightly self indulgent ...

Is your horse good, not just at comps but in general to ride? Maybe the question would be better phrased: is your horse well mannered? I realise some horses can't cope with hacking out and/or are more flighty than others, but with in terms of what they can cope with are they good?

The reason I'm asking is that this year Beau has been fairly awful at the few comps we've made it to. To be fair he has had a valid reason (i.e been sore) some of the time - before you jump on me worked it out afterwards not before as it can be hard to tell the difference between sore and blxxdy lazy

But after having read some of the wonderful comp reports on here of what people have achieved I was feeling a bit 'down' about riding Beau thinking we'll never get there But on the ride today he made me so proud, and proved that while a donkey at times he is so good in many other ways.

Today he sidled up to my bike leaning against the shed so that I could grab my high-viz top that was sitting on the handle bars, andd with the wind it flapped round his face as I picked it up. We open & shut 5 gates including one that requires lifting without me needing to get off. When waiting to cross the road he backed back onto the pavement when I saw a lorry coming and though it best to be well out of the way. Stood stock still after a fast canter to let kids pat him (and refrained from blowing his nose over them for once!), walked on a loose rein through a narrow gap in a fence while I hooked my legs over the front of the saddle.
He wasn't perfect he did do a few violent shies at patches of darked grass, lent on the bit when he wanted to come home faster than I'd let him.

Hmm random waffly post for a sunny Saturday afternoon.

 

[DaisyDoll]

My pony is awful on the flat, but some days she just listens and something clicks and she goes beautifully for one session which makes up for it. She is also a fantastic jumper which is why i bought her tbh the flat work used to really get me down but we're working away and its getting better very slowly.
Congrats on your acheivement, tis a great feeling when everything comes together!

 

[PucciNPoni]

Mine was always a good show horse before I got him. He's now learning to be a dressage horse and doing a no-bad job of it too. But what makes him particularly special to me is that he is just so lovely to do and is such a nice "person" to be around. I can take him off to shows, comps, lessons or wherever by myself. He's no bother to stud up, to tack up, to hang around with. So even if we don't "win" something, he's always doing his best to make the whole day enjoyable.

 

[Baggybreeches]

My horse is not the best horse in the world, but he is certainly one of the kindest horses I have ever met.
I have competed at decent levels as a junior and I have no desire to be constantly exhausted and poor (even though I am) now, so I am happy with the odd dabble here and there in whatever take our fancy. E.g I was thrilled with our 4th in an RoR class a couple of weeks ago as I know that my stitched and stapled patchwork quilt of a horse is not a show horse, but his impeccable manners meant he stood up in very good company, and that is reward enough for me.

 

[xspiralx]

He is not exactly a saint, but he is very very sweet and kind.

He will hack out on a long rein, go for a flat out gallop and then carry on walking along on a long rein.

He could be hugely strong, but he lets a midget like me ride him in a snaffle, and is very polite.

Flatwork or jumping exercises involving collection really do not come easily to him, but he always tries so hard, and never ever says no even if he doesn't quite understand the question. He's never bucked or reared.

And you can leave him in the field for a month and then get on and take him straight out to do anything, and he'll be exactly the same - not bad for a so called high maintenance ex racehorse

He's not perfect, he can get wound up and stressy, and can be strong galloping in company - but I can't complain!

 

[lannerch]

Yes but the rider isn't!

 

[JustMe22]

Erm....in a nutshell, no. He's a stubborn bugger, who is constantly pushing boundaries. He'll look for ways to push, and randomly pretends he's scared of things. He rears as a bit of a reflex to anything that he doesn't like (although, this is improving and he does actually think a bit before launching himself on to his back legs now). He also always has to be kept busy and entertained because he doesn't seem to want to focus...my instructor has been riding him for 2 months because of my surgery and she's said much the same as me.

Having said that...I love him to bits He isn't a nasty natured horse, just still a bit immature. He's good to handle (mostly) on the ground, and although a bit tricky, he isn't dangerous or "nasty".

 

[rhino]

Yes, I truly have the perfect 'pony' and appreciate how lucky I am

 

[Starbucks]

Yeah mine is lovely.

 

[Firewell]

Yes mine is good.
He has is moments, can be sharp at times out hacking and can get excited at comps and need a lunge first but that is literally it. Not bad for a 6yr old TB!

Yesterday I decided to ad hoc have a jump in the school with a mate for fun. He jumped 3ft6, then I decided it would be fun to jump the fillers stand alone no wings to practice skinnys, popped though. Then went for a wander round the village and he walked past builders cutting up concrete blocks with such a loud noise and billowing dust clouds walked through that all on his own.
Today I decided to school in the field then go for a blast, I can gallop him on the buckle I don't even need the reins. Then he lined himself up for me to do the gate and rubbish me is having to lean right out of the saddle and use both hands and he stands still!

He can have his moments which make my heart race but on the whole he is very good, I'm very lucky .

 

[Lolo]

I'd say that yes, Reg is a 'good' horse. He has lovely manners on the flat and isn't bargey or in your space at all, and lets you faff around him and have dogs all under his legs and he just stands and chills. He gets stressy when he thinks he's going out, but that only results in twirling, and he's such a gentleman otherwise we just try and let him chill. Out hacking he is very mannerly- goes in front or behind and whatever speed you say and never gets strong or silly. You'd honestly not think he was an ex-racer he's such a poppet.

Tbf, most of our other ponies have been nightmares so it's not down to amazing handling- he just has a really willing and gentle disposition and likes to make Al happy as he adores her.

 

[kirstyhen]

Yes. Mally is the ultimate 'good' horse
I brought her in last night and the other horse in her field broke through the gate and galloped past us, she did nothing more than jog Then we I decided I better run to the yard so everyone could hear me shouting loose horse, she canter alongside me
She is fantastic at switching off, whether that be walking on a loose rein, pootling on a hack or standing around waiting. She doesn't get fired up until you take a contact and pull.
She's the same at a show as she is at home, falls asleep in the trailer inbetween classes and plods about until I need her to switch on.
She also loads and travels like a dream, stays in or out on her own, hacks alone and in company, goes first or last and will happily stay in walk whilst everyone else gallops off!!

I do appreciate I am a VERY lucky girl!!

 

[not_with_it]

On the ground yes. She would never, bite, kick, drag you or do anything nasty. When being ridden she can be hot and spooky but would never do anything out of malice. She really doesnt have a nasty bone in her body.

Her daughter however is slightly different. Again she doesnt have a nasty bone in her body but she does know her strength and will try to drag you about.

Im lucky to have them both really.

 

[PolarSkye]

Erm....in a nutshell, no. He's a stubborn bugger, who is constantly pushing boundaries. He'll look for ways to push, and randomly pretends he's scared of things. He rears as a bit of a reflex to anything that he doesn't like (although, this is improving and he does actually think a bit before launching himself on to his back legs now). He also always has to be kept busy and entertained because he doesn't seem to want to focus...my instructor has been riding him for 2 months because of my surgery and she's said much the same as me.

Having said that...I love him to bits He isn't a nasty natured horse, just still a bit immature. He's good to handle (mostly) on the ground, and although a bit tricky, he isn't dangerous or "nasty".

Are you sure we don't own the same horse?

P

 

[soulfull]

honestly without wearing rose coloured glasses Micah is almost perfect

ON the ground he is almost a total saint (scared of needs so have to twitch)

Ridden he is ace forward going, jumps anything, good brakes, works from voice if I like. Gets a little excited hacking if he has to stand still and is excitable hacking in groups larger than 4 or so.

He has in the past been known to have the odd huge buck and the odd threaten to rear but that was in the first 6/8 months of having him

Everyone on my yard says he is awesome

 

[nikkimariet]

Bruce is honestly the sweetest horse when on foot. He is so well mannered and really 'gets' the idea of personal space. He doesn't barge, push or use anyone as a rubbing post. He won't ever snap at you, pull mean faces or raise a leg at anything. He moves back when you enter the stable/field and won't snatch for his breakfast/tea/haylage. He is helpful when opening and closing gates whether on foot or riding.

I don't think he has a nasty bone in his body. He seems genuinly concerned about not hurting people and has that sense of self preservation (IE careful about walking over bumpy ground so he doesn't trip etc). Very gentle.

Trust him around my nuts mother and teeny cousins. Even my granny will go and say hello to him and she's not too fond of the 4 legged things!!

Total saint basically.

 

[Princess P]

He wasn't perfect he did do a few violent shies at patches of darked grass, lent on the bit when he wanted to come home faster than I'd let him.

LOL I'm glad mine's not the only one who shies at different coloured grass!

 

[ChloeC418]

Dela is the biggest sweetheart ever. She hasn't always been as good ridden as she is now but she's always had beautiful ground manners. She's so friendly, totally trustworthy when my little (4/5 yo) cousins just stroke her belly as thats where they can reach. She's very oddly unmarish and LOVES having her teats washed. I'm sure she understands me, like today there was this massive fly (god knows what it was, it looked like a flying grass hopper. It was huge. She hated it and looked really scared of it) that kept landing on her. I was hot clothing her at the time and I kept throwing the towel around swooshing trying to get the fly. She wasn't worried, she just looked pleased that I was trying to get it away from her. Also the other day she endured 4 hours in a broken down lorry on a dual carriageway with vehicles driving past every 10 second. Then we were towed home and she was good as gold. I do love Dela

 

[racingdemon]

yes.... my horse is a total legend! & has made eventing with 2 toddlers and a business to run very managable... he is totally chilled at home, at an event & tolerates being fed glitter, flowers, sandwiches etc, he puts up with no end and for a TB ex racehorse is such a chilled out person. he's not a straight forward ride, but not naughty, just quirky, but makes up for it in spades my making life so easy to manage.

don't think i could be doing as much as i do with the contraints i have if he wasn't such an angel!!

 

[Chloe1]

Love my horse to pieces but he can be a real mixture. At competitions he is fantastic, really rises to the challenge every time and always goes beautifully - been placed in all 10 of his be outings at pre - novice and novice this year.

At home however there can be days when I sometimes don't know what to do with him!! He can go beautifully for ages and then I can just get on him one day and he is completely rock solid and I simply cannot do anything with him, so I usually just end up riding on a long rein so as not to get frustrated. This can last for a day, few days or weeks and then all of a sudden I get on him one day and he is beautiful again! I don't ride or do anything differently!

Given his competition record I have figured I can manage with these rock solid weeks as he never does it at events, but it is just so odd!! My new tactic is to put the double bridle on for a few days as soon as he has a solid day and this seems to help!

 

[Solo1]

No, he's an absolute stressheaded loon

Can't be tied at an event as he snaps the string and buggers off, fidgets constantly when tacking up at event, prances around when trying to mount and has been occassionally known to take off bucking once on his back. This has been solved by having a tight inside rein so now we just spin He can be a nappy bugger to get in the ring, rears, bucks, general pig headedness, but get him in a canter with leg on and he'll jump anything from any stride and the slight bonus is I look like a fab rider having gotten him over his 'tantrum' when infact it's just a matter off 'no, you are doing this' and he gives in very quickly

XC schooling he will nap towards other horses, throw some very impressive fly bucks and head tossing and then have a tantrum at any leg put on, but he does knuckle down when it's his turn.

He box walks like a bugger and eats on the move when turned out! Goes up when being led if it's not quick enough, bolts off when turned out (you cling on if he's in one of his moods until you can whip headcollar off) and worst of all loves to roll and he's a blimmin GREY! Can't hack as he likes to double barrel cars.

Basically on paper he sounds like the stressiest most annoying horse ever. But riding him is amazing, he turns to the slightest weight shift or pressure on rein and seems to know exactly what I'm thinking all the time. Jumping is so honest, he's stopped once with me because I was an absolute idiot and didn't use any leg at all. Plus he keeps me fit trying to prance around with him He does everything I ask of him, though maybe not stylishly and with the occassional tantrum, but he's so daft he makes me laugh and when he flops his head on my shoulder or lets me snuggle up to him whilst he's lying down, or comes galloping across the field with a huge whinny it makes the days when I want to murder him a little better

My youngster... well we don't speak of her. She's good at escaping? Anyone want a pony that can lift gates off their hinges with her shoulder...? She's far, far too clever!

 

[TPO]

Very very very good <smug smile>

All my horses have been well mannered; only one has been sweet on the ground but was extremely challenging to ride and very spooky. Two were bad mannered, with one bolshy with it and the other aggressive, when they arrived with me but with time and some "Larry Trocha suggested methods" (see fugly blog) they became well mannered individuals. All of them have been relatively high strung but did relax over the years.

However my current horse is just amazing. He's so easy to do in VERY possible way. He's bomb and spook proof; is so trusting and is just a dream in every way. He's off the track and we've had set backs due to lameness so he's still very green but he tries so very hard.

He's affectionate and thrives on attention. He (gently) thrusts his head into your arms for hugs and loves being groomed and faffed over. Yesterday he wandered over to my hay for a meal on the hoof so I decided to wrap the big blue tarp that covers my bales over him and he didn't blink an eye even when wrapped from ear to tail. Then I laid it on the ground and he walked over it with no fuss while looking at me like I was slightly mental.

D is funny and has a real personality plus the droopiest bottom lip ever. I've had him on 3 different yards (finally settled) and he's always loaded and travelled like a dream then settled in pretty quickly to his new place. He's good with other horses and never aggressive or bossy and always shares his hay pile.

I feel guilty as I've had him nearly a year and for the majority of that time I've taken him totally for granted and moaned that he wasn't more "spirited" or challenging. Now I know how lucky I am and it feels good to cop a bit of a break with a horse wired to this planet rather than the moon!

 

[Mbronze]

Can't fault mine at all.

She may be the spookiest thing alive when she sees a patch of grass that wasn't there before, but will hack through busy traffic, road works etc without batting an eyelid. Another bonus is she will stand very politely on the lorry, and can be trusted to be left alone at an event.

I tend to take all her tack off in the stable and leave the door wide open and she will stand in there peering (where her door should be) as if to say 'mum, you forgot something'. She will also never, ever run off with you, she is truly the first horse I have met that has manners to die for in and out of the stable.

 

[Kokopelli]

He is a saint.
He tried his heart out for you even when he doesn't understand he'll try and get it. He has the best attitude to his work, always has his ears pricked and is eager to just get on and do it. That's the thing is he wants to work he isn't forced.

He has moments where he plays up but this isn't because he is being naughty (half the time it's because of my numpty riding) it's because his mind goes into hyper mode and he forgets everything. He is either genuinely scared or just really excited of in pain when he plays up. None of it is naughtiness in fact I don't think he has an intentional naughty bone in his body.

 

[rhino]

He is a saint.
He tried his heart out for you even when he doesn't understand he'll try and get it. He has the best attitude to his work, always has his ears pricked and is eager to just get on and do it. That's the thing is he wants to work he isn't forced.

He has moments where he plays up but this isn't because he is being naughty (half the time it's because of my numpty riding) it's because his mind goes into hyper mode and he forgets everything. He is either genuinely scared or just really excited of in pain when he plays up. None of it is naughtiness in fact I don't think he has an intentional naughty bone in his body.

What a lovely post - I think Andy is a horse many people would find far from easy and be quick to blame him for perceived 'bad behaviour', it's very refreshing to hear an attitude like yours

 

[Kokopelli]

What a lovely post - I think Andy is a horse many people would find far from easy and be quick to blame him for perceived 'bad behaviour', it's very refreshing to hear an attitude like yours

Thank you for your kind comment, that's put a big smile on my face.

 

[marmalade76]

Mine is perfect (for me, anyway)!