Lost confidence!!!

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crazycorkey

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Hi I'm new but been lurking for a while so bear with me :)

After having to perform an emergency exit on a road off my botling 17h ish
I have pretty much lost confidence!
He is really lively and spooky at the best of times which we are working on. However today had to get off him because he was spooking at everything and tanking off, usually I don't care but today I was genuinely frightened. Sounds silly I know.
He is new to me only had him around 2 months, when he came to me he was under weight and only fed ad lib chaff and hay. Now he has put on weight and is eating a more complete diet he is completely full of himself!
I'm getting a calmer tomorrow.
Just want to know if anyone has struggled with forward lively horses and what they did to rein them in.
Hope someone can give me some reassurance lol.
By the way I'm 25 and been riding all my life.
 
Happens to us all at sometime or other, but it sounds like you are feeding him too well, so cut back a little and if you can lunge him for 10 mins, before you ride out and at 2 months you are still getting use to each other, so don't dispare. Mind you weather not helping as 1 min very cold and the next day warm, also does he hgave turn out during day.
 
Hi, yeah I agree with you about the feeding, now he has put the weight on I can stop feeding so much especially cutting out the corn oil!!!
At the moment im feeding hi fi, top spec cool conditioning cubes and bit of garlic 2x daily,

Turnout is limited to the school at the minute for approx 7-8 hours daily, when weather changes he will be turned out properly all day and stabled at night. This I'm hoping will make a big difference.
 
Hi, yes I have an instructor coming weekly. Problem is he has 2 speeds walk and 500mph nothing in-between so we have been battling this for a few weeks however today he has taken 10 steps backwards instead of progressing.
 
I have a horse like this :) i hum to myself as i find it makes me control my breathing and to relax.

However, as i am having confidence issues i really shouldnt be commenting in this thread, but a good instructor who thinks outside the box can work wonders!
 
Hi, please be sensible and don't attempt to hack out until you get these issues resolved. My horse would be beside himself without turnout and although his field is extremely muddy, he goes out every day with hay. This may not be possible on your yard, but I personally couldn't stable mine anywhere that didn't have all year turnout. Are you feeding him adlib hay / haylage to bulk him out, may keep him calmer than conditioning cubes. What does your instructor have to say?
 
Hi agreed, def not going to be hacking out until we have worked through these issues in the school. To be honest he doesn't listen to me in the school either and shoots off constantly if I ask for a simple walk to trot transition. But I thought if I get him out and burn off some of that excess energy it would do him good. BIG MISTAKE
Turnout is a real problem for me, but yo is pretty touchy about fields getting muddy. He has a constant supply of hay to keep him happy and munching. But I know this isn't enough as by about 2pm he is bored and starts picking on the others. Which then means that my horse gets brought back in which further exasperates the problem. Hopefully he will be turned out properly within the month. But if he doesn't improve after turnout has increased going to try cutting out cubes and then see.
Thanks for the advice xxx
 
black_horse said:
I have a horse like this :) i hum to myself as i find it makes me control my breathing and to relax.

However, as i am having confidence issues i really shouldnt be commenting in this thread, but a good instructor who thinks outside the box can work wonders!
Click to expand...

I do that :) coupled with giving him a neck scratch. X
 
Losing your confinance is no fun.I lost mine 2 years ago and havent ridden much since.When I bring my boy back into work this spring,I will either lunge or long rein him beforehand.As Echo Bravo said.
 
kirstyl said:
Hi, please be sensible and don't attempt to hack out until you get these issues resolved. My horse would be beside himself without turnout and although his field is extremely muddy, he goes out every day with hay. This may not be possible on your yard, but I personally couldn't stable mine anywhere that didn't have all year turnout. Are you feeding him adlib hay / haylage to bulk him out, may keep him calmer than conditioning cubes. What does your instructor have to say?
Click to expand...

Oops forgot this bit, had a lesson today and ended up getting off because he was spooking all over the place and shooting off. Usually I can deal with this behaviour and bring him back to me and actually get him listening but after our little epsiode I was a bit nervous today and eventually got off and we lunged. He proceeded to blow his brains and canter the circle until he was huffing and puffing.
I have to add that getting a few paces of trot without him getting too excited and tanking off is a real problem which is what we are working on.
 
I'd cut out everything except ad-lib hay from his diet. No point, IMHO, in feeding for energy and then when there is too much energy feeding a calmer.

Next time you do hack, make sure that you have a VERY calm companion with him. It might also be worth considering changing to a PeeWee bit. I've found them very effective for steering and brakes on spooky horses.

He's probably sick to death of the school but if you want to get rid of some energy, how about lunging?
 
Tinseltoes said:
Losing your confinance is no fun.I lost mine 2 years ago and havent ridden much since.When I bring my boy back into work this spring,I will either lunge or long rein him beforehand.As Echo Bravo said.
Click to expand...

Yeah good idea, Im going to similar and lunge then ride. I don't want to leave it too long because I'm already anxious enough lol x
 
I echo the feed and turnout. My old chap used to be one hell of a handful who also had two paces...jog or gallop:D and there is no way I could have got away with limited turnout.

It is very early days between you it will come as you get to know each other and as he learns to trust you his spookyness might lessen.

My confidence used to vary a lot with my old chap some days I really used to have to push myself to get on him. I would say keep going but don't over push yourself so you can keep control of yourself so if its just a ride down the road and back so be it if its a success for both of you. If he's spooky it might help him build his confidence too to take it a bit slower sometimes the longer you're out the more it blows their mind.
I too used to find singing helped a lot or chatting, I have "written" letters, my diary and even done homework (that's how long ago this was! Now I plan what I going to cook!) all on board to take my mind off it and before you know it your home again.
I have ridden with my ipod, not safe on the road but in the school it can be ok. I found it very helpful to get jumping again because I was over thinking it and it distracted me enough to just do it.

It happens to everyone, good luck with him :)
 
Cupcakes and Horses said:
I echo the feed and turnout. My old chap used to be one hell of a handful who also had two paces...jog or gallop:D and there is no way I could have got away with limited

Lol bit like corkey, however walk is mostly ok it's if I ask for trot he explodes.
Turnout is such an issue for me if it doesn't improve soon I'm going to look to moving yards.
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Pearlsasinger said:
I'd cut out everything except ad-lib hay from his diet. No point, IMHO, in feeding for energy and then when there is too much energy feeding a calmer.

Next time you do hack, make sure that you have a VERY calm companion with him. It might also be worth considering changing to a PeeWee bit. I've found them very effective for steering and brakes on spooky horses.

He's probably sick to death of the school but if you want to get rid of some energy, how about lunging?
Click to expand...

So true, what's the point taking the edge off with a calmer then giving it back with the feed.
Will have to have a look into a peewee bit, im def lacking in the brakes department hahahha.
He is absolutely sick of the sight of the school im sure, again a reason why I thought I would hack out. From now on though it's all in the school. Lunging then in the saddle
 
Does sound like a change of bit might be on order and could help you a lot with your confidence might be worth ringing and having a chat with someone from the bit bank or horse bit shop both hire do you can try. I'm a big fan off the myler combination. If he's ok at walk why not stay at walk for now and work on relaxing you both down you can still keep busy with lots of exercises even when out if your roads are quiet enough. I leg yield shoulder in haunches in play with the speed and all sorts then build in say two very slow trot strides and just build it up slowly when your ready.
 
black_horse said:
I have a horse like this :) i hum to myself as i find it makes me control my breathing and to relax.

However, as i am having confidence issues i really shouldnt be commenting in this thread, but a good instructor who thinks outside the box can work wonders!
Click to expand...

:eek: You have confidence issues? On the delectable Delicia? Surely not? :eek:;)

Seriously though - I have serious lack of confidence too with my 17.1 TB
He is an absolute poppet until you take him on a bridleway. He anticipates a faster pace (he only stopped point to pointing 18 months ago - he is 15) and gets in a hissy fit when I ask him to remain at walk. Then we get "Oooh look at me I can stand really high on my back legs"! :eek:
Now that is bleddy scary!
I hack out with my very uber confident friend who advises me and provides me with the comfort blanket I need. I still haven't been brave enough to go back on a bridleway and it's been 6 months since the last rearing incident.
Good luck and I agree with all of the excellent advice provided here :)
 
Turnout makes a huge difference. My mare who is the most laid back horse - my non horsey OH can catch her and bring her in (if he can work out which way the headcollar goes on!) and has ridden her, friends kids ride her etc. She has just come off box rest where she was on complete box rest for 4 weeks, no walking about the yard or anything, then I was allowed to start walking her in hand. Queue full on rears on the end of the leadrope every time we went in the arena, dragging me about all over the place. Wouldn't have recognised her as the same horse. A week and a half of turnout and I have my horse back!
 
Always Henesy said:
:eek: You have confidence issues? On the delectable Delicia? Surely not? :eek:;)

Seriously though - I have serious lack of confidence too with my 17.1 TB
He is an absolute poppet until you take him on a bridleway. He anticipates a faster pace (he only stopped point to pointing 18 months ago - he is 15) and gets in a hissy fit when I ask him to remain at walk. Then we get "Oooh look at me I can stand really high on my back legs"! :eek:
Now that is bleddy scary!
I hack out with my very uber confident friend who advises me and provides me with the comfort blanket I need. I still haven't been brave enough to go back on a bridleway and it's been 6 months since the last rearing incident.
Good luck and I agree with all of the excellent advice provided here :)
Click to expand...

Lol this post made me giggle x
 
Cupcakes and Horses said:
Does sound like a change of bit might be on order and could help you a lot with your confidence might be worth ringing and having a chat with someone from the bit bank or horse bit shop both hire do you can try. I'm a big fan off the myler combination. If he's ok at walk why not stay at walk for now and work on relaxing you both down you can still keep busy with lots of exercises even when out if your roads are quiet enough. I leg yield shoulder in haunches in play with the speed and all sorts then build in say two very slow trot strides and just build it up slowly when your

Yeah will def try my hardest to remain in walk, to be fair to him walking is usually ok but today in the school he was on the tip of his toes just looking for the next scary thing to spook. Going to take it back to basics and just tackle walk and few strides of trot and nothing else until we have cracked it.
Click to expand...
 
D'sMum said:
Turnout makes a huge difference. My mare who is the most laid back horse - my non horsey OH can catch her and bring her in (if he can work out which way the headcollar goes on!) and has ridden her, friends kids ride her etc. She has just come off box rest where she was on complete box rest for 4 weeks, no walking about the yard or anything, then I was allowed to start walking her in hand. Queue full on rears on the end of the leadrope every time we went in the arena, dragging me about all over the place. Wouldn't have recognised her as the same horse. A week and a half of turnout and I have my horse back!
Click to expand...

I'm desperate for the same thing to happen with me, and that I'm going to get a more chilled ned once his turnout is increased and not limited to the school.
 
Now that you have gotten his weight up,drop the hard feed or just a couple of handfulls, must admit mine are on the winergy low energy,keeps the weight on,but no blowing their brains out. Could you try just dropping your reins a little when you are walking him about in the menage. Or I know it sounds stupid, break him in again,start from the bottom and work your way up and that way you both get to know each other and he gets to know what you mean, as I've found out over the years, differant words and how they are said mean differant things to the horses.
 
I was thinking that too, my plan is to concentrate from the ground and leave the riding till he is responding to my voice aids properly. At the moment he is very very confused about what I'm asking him both lunging and riding so don't know what I was thinking hacking out!
Hopefully a combination of limiting hard feed, increasing turnout and more lunging will hopefully do it.
 
I was told by previous owner that he takes off when you tighten up the contact. however I have gradually got him to accept the contact better. but still I ride with a far looser contact than any of my other horses in the past.
 
Pearlsasinger said:
I'd cut out everything except ad-lib hay from his diet. No point, IMHO, in feeding for energy and then when there is too much energy feeding a calmer.QUOTE]

I agree with this - if you cut out all hard feed you can always reintroduce it if he starts to drop weight. I think there's often a temptation to give them foods they don't really need - think little kids and Coke!

It's always a funny time of year for horses - I think they get as bored with the winter as we do and start to build up a head of steam!

Nothing new to add really, apart from lunging and a good instructor are good advice.
Click to expand...
 
Don't know about anyone else but all the horses on my yard have been drinking the loopy juice at the moment:D Hacked my 19 yr old out on the weekend he was like a lunatic:Dspooking at stuff he doesn't bother about normally. Also we brought a few horses up to have their teeth done today well the 20 yr old walked up the field on her back legs:D think the time of year has alot to do with unacceptable behaviour at the moment:eek:
 
Hey went to the feed shop today, currently I'm feeding top spec cool conditioning cubes and as advised want to take him off this.
D you think it Would it be a good idea to add in the top spec lite balancer for condition?
 
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