Nervous about canter etc

[Omarkiam]

Okay I didnt want to post this but really is a cry for help!

I have a new boy, a tb 15.3 ex-racer. He has an amazing jump, and from watching friends ride him I can see he has a lovely floaty canter.

I have agreed this weekend to take my two boys and a friends horse to an indoor riding school, we are going to hire it for an hour, and put 2 small jumps up.

I will be riding Scat the tb, but I am really worried about it.

I previousley had an ish, and she bolted nastily, sent me flying and I couldnt lift my head unaided for a week, and my back is now so painful sometimes I am in agony even if not moving, and it frightened the life out of me.

Ive got a lot of my confidence back from my cob x arab because he has amazing brakes.

I felt ready to take Scat on and was willing to start slowly. I knew he may have his bouncy moments due to his histroy, but didnt realise to what extent!
When jumping him, he can start to try and gallop, and does get very over excited. He does the same in open spaces, and did bolt with a friend, although I blamed her for that as she asked him to canter, whilst I was ahead on my other horse, and given the fact hes an ex-racer, in his mind he must have seen this as a race, and he galloped, on uneven ground and she went flying.

My main problem is, this school is indoors but very open, its a huge school. I am worried that hes going to try and gallop, and I will panic too much to concentrate on controlling him! One rein stop is unsuccessful with him, as he carries on going with his head to one side. I know I have to confront my fears, and other friends have cantered him and hes been fab, but don't want to look the fool in front of them!
Shes only 15 my friend, I am 20,so will feel like a right wimp if I just trot around doing no jumping or cantering!

Anybody else have these fears once upon a time after a nasty accident? And how did you over come it?

 

[TheEquineOak]

Phew!

I don't really know where to start!

We have 3 ex-racers at our yard and they all have their individual querks... you certainly can't ride in canter infront of them

With regards to jumping in an indoor arena - in my opinion, they are in a different environment that will take some getting used to, they are very echoey (I don't think that's even a word) and noises outside can appear to be very spooky.
Your ex-racer obviously rushes fences because that is what he has been taught to do - he doesn't understand the need for collection before a jump.

I'd stick in a load more flat/ground work before thinking about jumping (I'm a bit of a scardy cat when it comes to jumping anyway) your horse isn't ready and neither are you

 

[brighthair]

first thing is don't feel like a wimp - it takes more courage to say no than it does to do something, scare yourself and go ten steps backwards!

Could you do some poles and grid work in trot? Honestly (don't take this the wrong way) but I don't think as you describe, cantering around with 2 jumps will help. My ex racer was similar and grid work slowed him because he had to think where to put his feet rather than hurtle at a jump at full gallop

Best idea would be to go, and do what YOU are happy with. Then hire school again with an instructor/friend and push yourself a bit further

 

[Omarkiam]

Phew!

I don't really know where to start!

We have 3 ex-racers at our yard and they all have their individual querks... you certainly can't ride in canter infront of them

With regards to jumping in an indoor arena - in my opinion, they are in a different environment that will take some getting used to, they are very echoey (I don't think that's even a word) and noises outside can appear to be very spooky.
Your ex-racer obviously rushes fences because that is what he has been taught to do - he doesn't understand the need for collection before a jump.

I'd stick in a load more flat/ground work before thinking about jumping (I'm a bit of a scardy cat when it comes to jumping anyway) your horse isn't ready and neither are you

I do agree with you, but I do feel he is ready, but I am not...
Friends have jumped him and wthey can collect him before the jump nd can calm him, although sometimes he does have his canter moments, even though only asked to trot over the jump.

Thing with me is, I dont do small steps, I prefer to take myself well out of my comfort zone, because once ive done something, I am fine from then onwards, I know if the horse was not ready for this then I wouldnt do it but I do think he is ready, the yard he came from was jumping him, so he must know whats expected of him, its just our school is not big enough to accomodate his cantering away from jumps!

I do need to do more flt ork ith him, I feel safe on him even though he is incredibly spooky, its just the conquering canter, once I have done it, I shall be unstoppable. Just really wondered how to do that!

 

[MinskiKaii]

I would definately get to a level where you are confident controlling him canter before you think about jumping him.

I would do lots of halt/walk/trot transition and school movements, you could work him at one end of the school if its that big and your worried. When you feel he is calm and responsive to down wards transitons, ask him to canter, but bring him back to trot after and few strides. when he comes back to you, give him and pat, you can ask him again and build up the time in canter. If at any stage you feel worried he might not stop, you can bring him back to trot a couple of stride and back into canter. I would canter him in a 20 metre circle to start with so you don't have to worry about the long side.

And don't forget to breath

 

[blitznbobs]

Get your friend to put you on the lunge so taht you can get used to the canter without the fear. Once you're used to that, canter the same circle striking off towards the wall in the first instance (ie as you hit the track at B on your circle so that there is no time for the horse to build up speed before it has to turn...

HTH

BnB

 

[Omarkiam]

I would definately get to a level where you are confident controlling him canter before you think about jumping him.

I would do lots of halt/walk/trot transition and school movements, you could work him at one end of the school if its that big and your worried. When you feel he is calm and responsive to down wards transitons, ask him to canter, but bring him back to trot after and few strides. when he comes back to you, give him and pat, you can ask him again and build up the time in canter. If at any stage you feel worried he might not stop, you can bring him back to trot a couple of stride and back into canter. I would canter him in a 20 metre circle to start with so you don't have to worry about the long side.

And don't forget to breath

Yeah I like the idea of that, and definately should be big enough to work seperately at one end, will start with some basic ground work, maybe some trotting poles to take his mind off bolting!
And thanks, Ill try not to forget to breath, although its true, I do often find mid panic that Im holding my breath in anticipation of a fall!

And yes will possibly start with a lunge canter so I feel I cant dissapear, but he doesn't react great to being ''unable'' to move, i.e if he wants to go and can he may rear, he has done that before! Thanks for all advice everyone.