I've Fallen/Been Chucked Off My Horse 5 Times & Lost Time I Lost All Confidence!

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lauren_wenbourne

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I've been riding since about january this year & my mum thought summer was the right time to get me my own horse, after she saw how much I enjoyed it & how quickly I had learnt the ropes. So when the horse arrived I gave him a week and a bit before I started to ride him, & then gradually bought him back into work with assistance from my mum (I'm 16), he was nice to ride but just a little spooky. I fell off him within the first 3 weeks of having him when he saw a motorbike & reared up in the school, I came off the back of him & landed on my back, luckily I was wearing a body protector! I've came off 2 times whilst jumping, another time during schooling & once when I was having a lesson, this was the fall that really knocked my confidence down, the lesson was going very well, after about 30 minutes I saw a pony in the opposite field galloping along the fence & then I heard a bike, I was going to stop but thought he'd just be worse, so I continued to trot, the bike shot past him when he had he's back to it, he went galloping off, done 3 big bronchoes (came about 3 foot off the floor) & I came off... This has really knocked my confidence & I now know he has a major fear of bikes! But is there anything I can do to bring my confidence back up? I can ride the horse I learnt on with nothing to worry about, its just him! Any advice would be appreciated. :)
 
Probably best advice is to get another horse if its bucking you off. You have been riding such a short time you need something thats been there and done it and doesnt have issues. Dont get me wrong when i got my first pony i was falling off it and decided it didnt like him but it was just me being unbalanced and novicey that was the problem, once i got the hang of it there was no stopping me. So you could persevere and see if things get better but the fact he bucks and rears i would say is totally the wrong horse for you.
 
I'd say he does not sound like a ideal 1st horse esp as you not been riding long at all. I'd of said I older been there done that very steady cob would of been far more suitable, something totally bombproof , maybe a ex riding school horse. 6 months of riding to owning a horse is very quick. If not careful I'd be worried you will end up losing all confidence and quit riding if you keep going with this horse, I'm not saying there anything wrong with him he just maybe not a complete beginners horse.

Most likely not what you want to hear, if you defo don't want to sell him I guess just lots and lots of lessons and help from more experienced riders at your yard and hopefully your confidence and skills will grow.
 
I agree with weebarney. The horse is either a novice and novice + novice often = ER or it is taking advantage of you.
Either way he is not right for you and matters will only get worse unless someone can ride him to sort out his problems.
 
The horse I learnt to ride on is an ardennes draught, he's very steady& safe, love him to pieces, I ride him, my mums experienced & rides the naughty one, I'm considerring starting lessons once chirstmas is done with, just hope they work out, I feel safe around him on the floor, just not once I'm on him, he's a quarter horse & can be lively, that could be another reason why he acts the way he has been because he hasn't been ridden much due to bad weather :(
 
Hmm if he is not ridden much that will not help! How old is he? You could get a sharer to up his work or pay someone to school him if you or your mum can afford that, but then again if your mum is experienced how does he behave if she does the same activities in the school?

Unfortunately I agree with the others that he is probably a bit too silly for someone who has not been riding long.
I have been riding about 15 years and would be apprehensive if you asked me to ride him! Having fallen off and injured myself recently my confidence is low and the thought of cantering on my quite lazy new horse (when I can ride her) makes me feel tense! You don't want to get to that stage so early in your riding life, and you definitely don't want an injury!
 
Also if you can lunge him when weather is crap that will at least take the edge off and probably improve your relationship, get your mum or instructor to teach you how to do it well so he doesn't try and get the better of you ;-)
 
I rode him yesterday on a lunge with an instructor, but he still wasn't 100%, my mum doesn't work, so she rides him as much as she can! He's not very good to lunge without a rider, so it'd be learning for me & him! & he's 9
 
He sounds like he needs some schooling, he should not be rearing just because he sees a bike, when he is in the school he should feel safe and be concentrating on his rider. If your mum can do some lunging and schooling with him it would help, he needs to gain confidence in order to be suitable for you to learn on, plenty of time out hacking will also help him to get used to seeing more.
 
This gives me flashbacks from my first horse.

I learnt to ride, then the riding school I was riding at was closing down so my parents bought me my first horse. In hindsight, he was totally, 100% wrong for me. He was a 9yo tbxwb ex eventer. He'd hunted out with 'novices' so his owner (and breeder) thought he'd be ok. Unfortunately, about a year into owning him, he flipped out, reared up and fell over backwards onto me and knocked me unconscious. I persevered for a few months after that but tbh, it wasn't going to work.

So cutting the story short, we sold him. I now own a daft Conny x tb who we bought 6.5yrs ago with a previous record. We were better matched personality wise so now I've brought her on to become a competition horse (this is the horse who wouldn't go over a pole for anyone else and used to bugger off on hacks with last owner (besides buck everyone off!)). I sold my first horse in 2005, getting G in 2006. Had a whistle stop naughty cob in between who threw me in front of a moving car... Needless to say, he grew a reputation around my neck of the woods and whilst he's been in his current home now for 4.5/5yrs, I couldn't stick at it with him.

My advice to you would be to sell him before you quit. A horse like this will make your decision to quit riding extremely easy. You haven't been riding a year yet, go find a steady horse you can ride confidently now. Don't expect to 'grow' into him as its unlikely you will. You've overhorsed yourself too much. It's easily done, I should know! You need something you can have fun with, I know I can grab my mare out the field, razz her about then not ride her for months if necessary, then drag her out the field, take her competing, come home with rosettes, and whilst she may be slightly more looky, she'd never do anything I couldn't handle. You need that in a horse, something you can trust with your life, not something that trashes your confidence.
 
I trust the one I learnt to ride on with my life & I'm riding him at the moment (not literally!) My mum rides the naughty one, allthough he's good as gold for her, but she has been riding since she was about my age? Could that be why?
 
lauren_wenbourne said:
I trust the one I learnt to ride on with my life & I'm riding him at the moment (not literally!) My mum rides the naughty one, allthough he's good as gold for her, but she has been riding since she was about my age? Could that be why?
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In a Word - YES!!

I saw a pony in the opposite field galloping along the fence & then I heard a bike, I was going to stop but thought he'd just be worse, so I continued to trot,
YOU are expecting it to happen, and your fear and tension is causing the horse to tense and panic.....
you don't expect the other horse to do anything 'bad', so it doesn't

as the horse behaves well for another rider, then it's not a naughty horse, per se, it's a nervous, overhorsed rider
.
 
a lot of ponies will spook at these things, ideally they should not, but if he is just frightened and not being naughty, then that is something that can be addressed. Best addressed with you not on him, ie on the ground.

With the jumping was he bucking then, or did you just lose your seat?

Also take things slow - do what you feel comfortable with, but as often as possible, gradually extend it. It is ok to stop and get off if you think that something may upset your horse or if you are losing confidence. Spend 10 minutes lunging and hop back on.

Don't rush to sell him, give him and you a chance. It took my son about 2 years before he grew into his pony.
 
What does your mum think about the situation ? She bought him for you; surely she can't be happy that you keep falling off and may get injured ?
 
Echo what labruyere has said. Would your mum like to keep the QH? Keep going on the nice safe horse you are riding atm. Don't think QH is right for you just now: you are courageous to keep going, but he is getting you off for whatever reason, and wrecking your confidence, which is not doing him any good either. Good luck!
 
I think you need to get a really decent instructor in to help you and assess if he is the right horse for you, I.e is he a genuine spooky green horse or has he clocked on that you are a novice and is taking the mickey. Get reccomendations from people and try looking at your local pony club for one, it can take a while to find an instructor you click with and feel comfortable with, and I think that's really important as you need to be able to be 100% honest with them and tell them what you're feeling and what's happening when you are riding in between your lessons. Ideally also an instructor that will be happy to get on the horse themselves and this might help establish what's going on with the horse. My horse can try and spook in the school at things she wouldn't usually bat an eyelid at, it is an evasion tactic on her part and I have to work hard at keeping her focussed on me the whole time rather than looking for things to spook at.
Whatever you decide to do with your horse, if you do decide he is too much and decide to sell or if you work through your isues and keep him, having some decent professional help from someone outside I.e not emotionally attached to the horse has got to help. I've been riding 25 years and still have a lesson every week its invaluable to me! Good luck x
 
You must keep up riding lessons , on as many different horses a s possible. To have bought a horse when you ve only been riding for such a short time wasnt the best idea! If you are really keen go and help out at any yard that will allow it - try to make the yards different ,in that they specialise in various disciplines eg showing,dressage,hunting etc - there is never a short cut to experience .
The horse you ve got might do you in a couple of years time!
 
I would have to agree with the others on here. I got my first horse to learn to ride on this time last year after mucking out my friends horses for the best part of 3 years and begging my mum and dad to death :p he was absolutley perfect for me 14.3 18yo pba, totally bombproof showed me all the ropes, broke my heart to sell him but knew it was the right thing to do so now I've got a 6yo 16.1 6yo tb (bit of a difference!). I would have never have got her without have that 'begginer' horse. You need to take a step down, and get something for a novice.
 
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