My horse regularly gets me off on the school

[RandomAmanda]

My 6 yr old Irish sports I bought to bring on hacks out like a dream but on the school seems uncomfortable and it’s only a matter of time before he explodes and takes off and rodeos until we part company afterwhich he looks a little worried but calm. He has had a made to measure saddle, seen a veterinary osteopath, teeth checked, bit checked, checked for ulcers, wormed, fed only non heating food. I’ve ridden for many years but im really unsure what’s happening, any advice?

 

[JFTDWS]

Get a vet, for a proper work up. Second opinions on saddle and teeth. Get a good professional to look at him, and work out what's going on.

Failing that, try a priest?

 

[Tihamandturkey]

Perhaps go back to basics - he may have been backed without much ground work being done - ISH take ages to mature too so he's still only a baby really 😉

 

[Pearlsasinger]

In addition to the above, what is the surface like. is it deep/holding/difficult for him in some way?

 

[RandomAmanda]

In addition to the above, what is the surface like. is it deep/holding/difficult for him in some way?

 

[RandomAmanda]

It is a mix of sand and rubber and recently been renewed, I wouldn’t say it’s heavy

 

[RandomAmanda]

Perhaps go back to basics - he may have been backed without much ground work being done - ISH take ages to mature too so he's still only a baby really 😉

 

[GTRJazz]

I have a RID but still related to the great race horse St Simon, he has only in the last year started to like schooling age 9 , fine out on busy roads and jumping one after the other 1mtr cross country type jumps he is steady and you could put a child on him.
In the school he used to try what ever it took to make you stop, being strong (Very) , bolting, running at the wall or fence and turning so you hit it, prancing and going back. Spooking he was very good at that . His pet hate was show jumping he came from Galway in Ireland which I have been to on a Pre hunt holiday they have stone walls to jump and would not like a horse turning away refusing.
So when I tried to turn him in front of a jump as you do in show jumping he went nuts. He loves to be with other horses as he would have been hunting in Ireland and turns into a saint with company in the school. It just takes a bit of thought and I like to be quite around my horses they come around in the end. He also works better if I hold one of those short jumping crops but I hold it half way down like a hunting stick

 

[be positive]

I would get a full check by a vet but suspect he has not been well started and going back to real basics, long reining, lunging as if he knows nothing would be the best way forward, if he has been rushed in a school, jumped before he was ready he may well be too tense to think let alone learn so going back to the start should give him a better chance.
No horse should be acting the way described above by GTRjazz, if given the right education in the first place even if it has picked up some bad habits along the way if they are not in pain, can understand the questions being asked they usually come round if taken slowly and quietly for a few months, it may mean rather a lot of walking to get him established but will be worthwhile in the end.

 

[Maesto's Girl]

Feel your pain! Mine had all the checks going - even her eyes! But it was just her spookiness. It's in her nature. She would drop her shoulder and spin and I'd be off. I basically stripped everything back and started with the basics again. Building trust and establishing a better relationship was key and now she listens to me more than what's going on elsewhere. She will still spook but not to the same extent and I am staying on a lot more.

 

[RandomAmanda]

Feel your pain! Mine had all the checks going - even her eyes! But it was just her spookiness. It's in her nature. She would drop her shoulder and spin and I'd be off. I basically stripped everything back and started with the basics again. Building trust and establishing a better relationship was key and now she listens to me more than what's going on elsewhere. She will still spook but not to the same extent and I am staying on a lot more.

I am beginning to see I need to go back and start again, I assumed too much regarding his early education, the trust is not strong enough and his brain has no where to go other than adrenaline fuelled panic, thank you for your comment x

 

[Maesto's Girl]

I am beginning to see I need to go back and start again, I assumed too much regarding his early education, the trust is not strong enough and his brain has no where to go other than adrenaline fuelled panic, thank you for your comment x

That's ok. I lost so much of my confidence I would be in tears a lot of the time. It just was not fun any more. Got an instructor that works with the relationship between you and the horse first and the skill later and 12 months later, I can quite happily ride with no reins

Good luck with it all. It may be a long journey but, in my opinion, one that is more than worth it

 

[irishdraft]

I had a horse who also would randomly take off in the school bolt at the fence and spin .After he went thru the gate with me I sent to an old fashioned nags man who had him for 6 weeks and still couldn't stop him doing it . We concluded he had been very badly backed in Ireland he was a 4 yo when I had him just over. So after 3 years I sold him as a hack because he was fine out and about and would pop a small jump with no problem.

 

[poiuytrewq]

Can you, obviously after ruling all the above suggestions out, try schooling him on a hack. If he’s happy hacking when your in a suitable area (big open field) pop him on a circle and just really low key, so he barely realises he is doing anything different. Build it up over time if he go’s well, if not just carry on the hack, keep him happy and try again at another point/another day?
I had an ex-racer who totally lost the plot being in a proper school environment. He was fab to hack though so I did this and it did work.

 

[laura_nash]

No horse should be acting the way described above by GTRjazz.

TBF I believe GTRjazz has mentioned some interesting management techniques on other threads (turnout once a week anyone..) so the behaviour described may not have much to do with anything but that. I would just like to add here that IME horses over here in Galway, Ireland don't generally go nuts when turned in front of jumps, require company at all times or need their whip held in a special way, whether they have been hunted over our stone walls or not (people do a fair bit of show-jumping round this way, even if I don't).

 

[cundlegreen]

I've recently had exactly this behaviour with my young ISH. Hacked out ok when restarted after a break, but very wobbly on the corners in the school, and even had her rider off after an explosion. As she was also tucked up which is not her at all, and given that i had seen her take a heavy fall in the field 2 months before restarting, I sent her for investigation. Back scans showed several tears in her SSL, and a piece of bone had been pulled off the spinous process. She had also been seen by a good chiro who could find nothing wrong. For the cost of a scan, get your horse checked out. They are so good at suffering in relative silence.

 

[JFTDWS]

TBF I believe GTRjazz has mentioned some interesting management techniques on other threads (turnout once a week anyone..) so the behaviour described may not have much to do with anything but that. I would just like to add here that IME horses over here in Galway, Ireland don't generally go nuts when turned in front of jumps, require company at all times or need their whip held in a special way, whether they have been hunted over our stone walls or not (people do a fair bit of show-jumping round this way, even if I don't).

One should also remember the rider dimension of the equation too - and people who have the same, similar (and sometimes, dissimilar, but equally negative) issues with their horses should consider their own skill set - or lack thereof.

I have no idea if that applies to the OP, by the way - though it's always worth considering.

 

[jhoward]

Get a vet, for a proper work up. Second opinions on saddle and teeth. Get a good professional to look at him, and work out what's going on.

Failing that, try a priest?

Or going back to school 😂😂😂

 

[GTRJazz]

TBF I believe GTRjazz has mentioned some interesting management techniques on other threads (turnout once a week anyone..) so the behaviour described may not have much to do with anything but that. I would just like to add here that IME horses over here in Galway, Ireland don't generally go nuts when turned in front of jumps, require company at all times or need their whip held in a special way, whether they have been hunted over our stone walls or not (people do a fair bit of show-jumping round this way, even if I don't).

The early days spring summer when he was out all of the time, the people before first had the issue it is the market wanting what is really too much for young horses not where they are from.
What can you really expect from a 4 year old questions like does he strike off on the right leg no most dont, will he fall in riding a 20 mtr circle in canter most will, does he hunt yes with a strong bit and whip any horse would.

 

[JFTDWS]

And again, the answers to these questions SHOULD be "Yes, no (if he's that unbalanced he shouldn't be doing them to fall in), and whips and bits do NOT make mannerly hunters".

 

[GTRJazz]

And again, the answers to these questions SHOULD be "Yes, no (if he's that unbalanced he shouldn't be doing them to fall in), and whips and bits do NOT make mannerly hunters".

Exactly the Market wants an young ID to have hunted that is the problem, when I first got my horse the vet said he has scars in his mouth from heavy hands and strong bits.

 

[JFTDWS]

No - the problem is people who think you can (and worse, those who think you should) "force" a horse to hunt with whips and strong bits...

 

[GTRJazz]

No - the problem is people who think you can (and worse, those who think you should) "force" a horse to hunt with whips and strong bits...

That is what I just pointed out

 

[JFTDWS]

No - it really, really isn't. If you think it is, you need to reassess your statement:

does he hunt yes with a strong bit and whip any horse would.

 

[GTRJazz]

No - it really, really isn't. If you think it is, you need to reassess your statement:

No reads fine to me

 

[JFTDWS]

Nothing I can do about your lack of comprehension skills then.

 

[GTRJazz]

Pop your glasses on and have another read, quote me he has scars in his mouth from heavy hands and strong bits
Now thats not a good thing is it.

 

[JFTDWS]

I think you'll find that it was your assertion that it is possible to force a horse to hunt with strong bits and whips that I was disputing. It's you who's having trouble understanding posts, not me.

 

[tristar]

have not read the other posts, but i f difficult in the school i would take the step right back approach, and i mean step right back.