My horse has issues with fun-rides!!! Please HELP!

shell1978

shell1978

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Took Lacey to her first fun-ride...oh my god was I aching the next day!!!!!

Started off really well as we had no horses in front of us, and none behind, got about 1/4 of the way around and we caught up with 2 horses! Shall we say she got a tad excited!
For the rest of the ride she would do like a lunge, where she would do a little rear then catopolt herself off her hind legs!!! I was like a rag doll!!! And if we were on grass it was worse, cuz she would do one after the other!!! Hell!!! By the time we got back she was dripping with sweat, and I was shaking, cuz she zapped all of my energy. So not such a fun ride after all!!!
There was no mallace in her at all, she was just so excited!!! If I would have let her gallop all the way around she would have!

Just after some suggestions really on how I can stop her from doing this, as I would love to do more fun-rides!!

She is ridden in a market harborough with a hanging waterford.

p.s Back, saddle & teeth all checked and hunky dorey!!!
 
For many horses (or maybe their riders) fun rides are no fun at all - especially if horse are not used to going out in company.
It is a bit like hunting, if you are going to go, do it regularly because going infrequently usually results in a nutty horse, or don't go at all
 
She's just very excited at being in company of other horses both behind, in front and around her.

We've had a couple of ex hunt and racehorses behave like this on their first pleasure ride but by the time they've got 3-4 under their belt, they realise it's a pleasure ride, they overtake, they get overtaken, they snack on grass, they take their time and walk, and they have good canters (or possibly gallops) and jumps too. Once they realise what it's about, they usually settle well into PleasureRide horse mode!
 
Sounds like a normal day at a fun ride to me!!! Everyone at my yard does them and they all come back with stories like that.

No, seriously, hopefully she will settle down as she gets used to them?
 
Did you go with someone else? If not I would go with another calm horse. Practice hacking out together beforehand and teach her that she always stays behind her companion.

The only fun ride I go to is an hour and a half hack away - which is quite good for taking the edge off!
 
God my first one last year really was no fun, we had to wait ages for one of my friends who could load her pony, then she wimped out so I had waited 1/2 hr getting my horse annoyed for no reason!!! Then when we started we bumped in to the fun RUN!!!! about 100 people went past and my horse hates crowds (oh no) then when I tried to get back on he tried to throw himself on the floor, then we spent 20 mins trying to get him to move others went past and the company we were with thried to make him move but he would not budge!!!! so i had to get off again and walk him 1/2 mile then when I got back on I could let him stop I tried kicking and every thing I felt like I had run a mathathon!!!! he kept doing it but he got slightly better just!!! at the pubs on the way everyone wanted us to stop and have a drink just could stop else I may never move again, we made it to the end, eventually but the next time I took him out he was brilliant and on complete fun ride mode!!! I want to take him to newmarket ride this year not sure if it might blow his brain but it will be fun!!!!
 
If I were in your shoes I think I would try and build her up to going out with a bigger group. Start off riding out with another 3 or 4 if you can, making them change position in the ride, from leader to back stop to being in the middle. Ifyou can then ride with a few more even better, keeping the ride slowish so that it isn't too exciting until they have all learnt manners in a group. I would also suggest making sure that they will stand in a group, thus not endangering others at stops! If you can find people to do this with you it is worth the effort.
 
Did two so-called fun rides, by the second one mine was like yours, texted my flatwork instructor to say that I had mastered all the airs-above-ground, capriole especially, just needed help with the basics now
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Spent three months having weekly physio sessions to try to sort my back out. Horse was so wound up I couldn't hack him for weeks. Never went on one again!
 
when your horse was leaping around what pace where you doing??? ive done loads and now my horse is a star at them and nannies a lot of others, however echo its like hunting you have to bite the bullet and do it and they get better,,,,,but you need to push on at the start..my mates previous horse was nutty and we had to trot at least half hour from the start to get away from others and to prevent us being overtaken..you have to be the ones doing the overtaking and then your ok!!!!...the worse thing you can do with a fizzed horse is walk which is what your brain wants to do..think forward and make them work so do lots of things you would do in the school to get him listening...i used to take my lad in a waterford which was great but now he goes in snaffle...try to do one on a nice hot day as well!!!
 
Sounds a bit like my boy on a fun ride - that's why I don't do them anymore! Last one we did was 2 years ago - we were meant to by nannying my friend's youngster. Youngster was a saint, mine was a menace!
If you do want to persevere though, just make sure you go round at a sensible pace with like minded people. Setting off early or late means you're more likely to avoid crowds too. Other than that I suppose its just doing more in the hope she'll get used to it.
 
:O How scary, I have a Lacey EXACTLY like that, just add in a rear and flip over backwards at our last sponsored ride.
 
QR
If you are overtaking the other riders you then risk their horses becoming 'nutters' as well, I for one would not thank you for hammering past me! Please school your horses to behave in groups before you go on a fun ride and risk ruining it for others.
 
Its not a case of overtaking, its just seeing the other horses that gets her excited. And I was certanly not Hammering past.
My horse is well schooled thank you very much. If you have nothing constructive to say dont bother posting.
 
It tended to only be in walk that she did it, but I could not get her to trot, she just wanted to gallop or leap!!!
Think like someone else said, next time I go I will either have to get there really early or be one of the last to start!
 
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