New horse issues

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tubby1

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Well I brought my new horse home yesterday. She has been a dream on the ground hasn't put a hoof wrong.So decided to bite the bullet & get on ( I lost my confidence with my last horse ) this horse was bought as a confidence giver. She was totally different from trial very forward to the point she was tanking off. She didn't feel naughty I just couldn't stop her. I realise this was my first time on & I just need to get used to riding her , she hasn't had turnout for a few days & a long journey yesterday. I'm just a bit gutted coz she isn't the quiet ride I had hoped for. Tommorow s plan is turn out, lunge, get back on . Instructor booked for next week. Has anyone else found there horse totally different from trying them ? Or anyone got any advice :)
 
Erm she hasn't had turn out for a few days, is in a new environment and you are shocked she is not as quiet as you hopped for?????
*bangs head against desk*


Even my laid back appy can be strong and up for it when been in for a few days with out turn out.

Turn her out, lunge be fore you get on and get someone to be around if you are worried but please in future think. I'm not trying to be rude but a girl I know got onto her new horse the next day and he had been in for a few days prior and he reared up and fell over onto her.......all she needed to do was wait till he could be turnt out and lunge him to let him expel the energy. The poor horse had a bad name after that.
 
Let the horse have some time to settle into its new surroundings with its new companions (even if they are at the other side of the fence for a while) and to get used to you and the new routine, while you get used to handling it. Then have someone with you when you get on in an eclosed safe space.
You have bought a living creature not a bike.
 
Hi, I wouldn't say she sounded totally different, probably going forward on a bit of nervous energy.
Think of it through your horse's eyes... No turnout, new home surroundings and then a nervous rider on their back..

Once your horse has turnout, is able to mooch around and let off any steam and get used to their surrounding I'm sure you'll be fine.
:-)
 
Hi give the horse some time to settle the poor thing has just moved home and has a new best friend (you) so don't be to quick to expect perfect behaviour , I would expect silliness for at least 6 months from a new horse .
 
Thanks for your replies , having just read back what I wrote I realise I am expecting a lot of her . She has been amazing to handle on the ground such a sweet girl. I think I am just panicking coz I over horsed myself before & my confidence is really low. I'm sure she will be fine after a bit of down time. I was probably tense & making her go faster as well .
 
tubby1 said:
Thanks for your replies , having just read back what I wrote I realise I am expecting a lot of her . She has been amazing to handle on the ground such a sweet girl. I think I am just panicking coz I over horsed myself before & my confidence is really low. I'm sure she will be fine after a bit of down time. I was probably tense & making her go faster as well .
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Yes, you probably were but you've realised your mistake and fortunately nothing serious happened to upset your confidence. I'm sure you'll both be fine when she settles and you get used to each other.
 
slightlyconfused said:
Erm she hasn't had turn out for a few days, is in a new environment and you are shocked she is not as quiet as you hopped for?????
*bangs head against desk*


Even my laid back appy can be strong and up for it when been in for a few days with out turn out.

Turn her out, lunge be fore you get on and get someone to be around if you are worried but please in future think. I'm not trying to be rude but a girl I know got onto her new horse the next day and he had been in for a few days prior and he reared up and fell over onto her.......all she needed to do was wait till he could be turnt out and lunge him to let him expel the energy. The poor horse had a bad name after that.
Click to expand...

This, again not to be rude but :rolleyes: no turn out for a few days alone could cause the behaviour, that is something you need to be aware of moving forward, not all horses can be picked up and out down without some work (I am a fan of getting straight on a new horse so no quibbles with that particularly)
 
I always get straight on a new horse when we get them home (this will give you a good idea of what they may be like at shows and suchlike), BUT I don't expect them to be the relaxed, comfortable-in-their-surroundings old dobbin that they were when at their old home. Give the poor thing some leeway, and have a friend or instructor on hand for the first few rides. Common sense.
 
I would have given her a week before riding personally, but just slow down a bit, you need to be careful with your confidence as well as your horse!
 
If you're feeling the way you are I would have instructor there for first rides - in my case this was 3 times a week in first few weeks. I'd also lunge first not to tire but to assess mood some days when you ask for trot you will get canter, it's those days you lunge for 10 minutes as opposed to the days you lunge for 5 minutes.

Plus do try ang get turnout ASAP all your horse has seen is the stable block so when you take it into the school it will be anxious.
 
Its doesnt have to be new horses with no turn out my 22 year old cob bucked me of and i know him like the back of my hand. They get full of it. New home new owner new friends. Just remember its like going to a new school the nerves and how scarey it was its the same for your new horse give him time.
 
Thanks again everyone, heading up to turn out just now , then bring in & lunge. She really has been good in every other way. Just oe more question how long till I should hack her out ? I hacked her when I tried her and she was amazing . I have lots of calm nanny horses to go out with
 
You both have years ahead, be patient and put no pressure on the horse for a couple of days. No need to hurry things!
 
Totally disagree with those saying give her a few days to settle before riding.

Personally I always advocate getting straight on with it with a new horse so they know their job and what is expected of them - doesn't have to be hour long hacks or anything.

So I'd definitely say turn her out, then give her a good lunge before you get on and go from there. I'm sure she will be fine! :)
 
You should turn her out as much as possible and lunge her every day to expend some energy. You should then book your instructor for as many times as possible to help you ride her in an arena. If all goes well and you feel more confident book a hacking lesson with your instructor. This will give you more confidence, it will give the mare a chance to start her relationship with you on the right footing and will offer you some help and advice on how to react and ride her (all horses need riding, even the most steady ones).
 
Don't go mad on lunging. Once she's getting the sort of turnout she may well become the horse you tried out. I mean, I don't know if you want to lunge her every day for fun, or as some sort of exercise (quite boring for her), but if she's normally a dependable riding horse that shouldn't be required.
 
Don't be in a rush, she needs to settle into her new home, all this and with no turnout for a while, she's bound to be excited, spend time on the ground getting to know each other, you don't want to dent your confidence anymore with rushing things in the saddle, hopefully when she's more settled you'll be fine, keep us posted. X
 
What conflicting advice! Get on, don't get on...

Let your mare and you relax. Turn her out, enjoy her. Are you sticking to the same feed regime as her last home? How much work and turn out did she get? These will all have a massive impact and changes will result in a tense horse. As you are nervous, I think the idea of an instructor is a good one but keep the basic and absolute mantra of exercise and food = how the horse behaves. My 6 year old is normally a lovely boy to hack out but thanks to yet more freezing weather and frozen ground, his regime went out of the window. Turn out has been reduced as well. I hacked out yesterday on a horse with his back up nearly all the way round, bucked when we started and felt like an unexplored bomb. Hardly his fault when he is used to all day turn out and proper work 5 or 6 times a week!
 
My 33 year old is a nutter after a few days in. Don't panic, turn pony out, lunge before you ride and crack on. Oh and trust pony or she'll be offended! :-)
 
In terms of your own confidence I would spend as much time as you can with her on the ground getting to know her and this will also help her to have confidence in you while she is settling in.
There has been a lot of good advice in this thread about turning her out, lunging and checking the amount of feed you are giving her. If she was ridden every day at her last home and you are giving her the same amount of feed and she hasn't been turned out then she will have a lot of surplus energy!
As you didn't feel in control last time you rode her I would take it steady and probably lunge her first and then do quite a lot of walk and trot so that you feel confident before you go cantering large around the school. Maybe just canter one circle then go back to trot, change the rein and canter a circle on the other rein. If you feel confident with this then you can build up the canter gradually and do plenty of transitions so that you feel in control.
Don't forget that it is all new for her as well!
 
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