Novice Riders Again.....RANT, RANT, RANT!!!

J

JAK

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A few weeks ago, I asked peoples' opinions on how good your riding needed to be before getting a horse. Opinions were very mixed but many thought it was fine for a beginner/novice to buy a horse, as long as they had help & advice available; well there's a proviso here though.......don't hack it out unless you are in complete control, or at least some real control!

MD, who has spent a number of weeks getting the Baggage to 'walk' & 'trot' on hacks, rather than jog, sweat, lash out at anything that takes her fancy etc. is not a happy bunny!
She went for a hack last night with Hedgehog Child & Hedgehog Child's Mother (on Ugly Bug Pony). She has been out before with HC, who although pretty hopeless has been fairly easily controlled by MD pointing her stick & barking 'Get in/back/behind NOW!'
Not so the mother, who had no control of her 'plod from hell' whatsoever but seemed determined (as the only 'adult'?) to be in charge!

They spent the entire time with HC & HC'sM taking it in turns to overtake, charge on ahead & at one point, BB almost had her head kicked in when UBP stopped dead & then ran backwards at her! Yay! (Not!)
Hedgehog Child sat flapping her reins & squeaking that her pony was getting stroppy & needed to be at the front, so kicked him on past BB & off they all flew again!
Bearing in mind we loaned HC's pony for two YEARS & my eldest rode him in a french-link snaffle, as opposed to the Dutch gag, second ring he's in now & he NEVER barged past anybody & in fact, would happily go first or last & was yard 'nanny' for the silly, spooky ones!

HC & HC'sM came back grinning their heads off & laughing that they had all been 'racing each other', MD came back with a face like thunder & was bl**dy fuming!
(She is going back round the same hack tonight on her own & I have assured her that all her hard work will not have been in vain, providing she doesn't repeat the experience too often!)

They seemed to have no idea that they were on a road & that it could be highly dangerous & had absolutely no thought for anyone else!
BB was snatching at the bit, chucking her head about & MD had her work cut out holding her, total nightmare!
If anything had happened, they would have been in real trouble but I have frequently told MD that in a dodgy situation, she is to save herself & her pony first!
Utter blatant stupidity caused by total ignorance & with no thought for the possible consequences!

Rant over! The End!
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Arghh, seriously, she just shouldn't ride with them again. What they are doing sounds dangerous, especially as it seems like the mother won't listen to her at all. And if you're brave enough, i think you should tell them exactly why.
 
Echo Pixie. You have said enough in the past about this family to convince me that MD should steer clear, but this episode confirms it for me. What idiots.
 
I know, I know, it just makes me feel better writing it all down!
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Being 'normal' myself, I keep hoping they will start acting 'normally' too but sadly, apparently not!
They are really nice people, just no common sense! A horse/pony is not like a car, it is capable of doing something unexpected or against your wishes if it becomes over-excited or frightened - I really can't see why they can't grasp this simple basic fact?

MD (though young) has been to taught that riding out is like a game of chess - you need to prepare & anticipate to be safe, try & think ahead & to react quickly to an impending situation, not wait until you're in real difficulty & then try & retrieve the situation!
Surely that's just logical? Don't they want to enjoy their rides......or just live?
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Argh! I don't think its the fact that there novices you should worry about, I think its the fact there SUICIDAL IDIOTS!

I wouldnt want them in charge of a hamster.

Echo Pixie steer well clear in the future if you can.
 
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on a road! my gosh, it doesnt bare thinking about what could have happened. i wouldnt dream of riding with them again
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I really think you need to put a stop to MD riding out with these people, for her own safety. Is there absolutely no-one else around that she can ride out with, if you are worried about her hacking alone?

If these people are so stupid that they will race on a road and think its funny, then it is getting dangerous for MD to be riding out with them. Perhaps its time to take all your courage into both hands and tell HC's mother that you do not want HC riding out with MD again. It will probably cause a scene, and a nasty atmosphere for a while, but better that than MD (or indeed, the Baggage) getting hurt because she feels somehow beholden to these people.
 
Now I know I was at the forefront of the last post expressing my opinion that new and novice riders should be given a bit of a break. This isn't it! This is obviously why more experienced riders are intolerant of any new owner if people behave like f***wits when out hacking (or for that matter in charge of a horse).

Sadly these people do nothing for the little peeps like me who want to learn how to ride and manage horses properly. Oh dear. I think you should tell these people how irresponsible their behaviour was and that you won't be joining them out ever again.
 
There is never any excuse for intentionally dangerous riding and these are the sort of people that anger drivers putting other riders in danger. I don't know your situation but is it possible to talk to the yard manager about having a quiet word with the mother about safety? I would definatly not ride with these people again but wouldn't make a big issue of it, just when tacking up to go out and they say can we come to say that you have soemthing to do first or that you are going to school so that they leave without you. However much you want to rant and rave, avoid it if you can as it is unlikely to lead to any postive outcome.
 
No, you're all right & I obviously need to take a very firm stance on this, for safety's sake. I am just very disappointed at the monstrous levels of their lack of self-preservation if nothing else & of not considering the consequences of such selfish & poor riding!

minkymoo - I know all novice riders aren't like this, most do actually have a brain!
I have always stressed to my kids they must never forget just how vulnerable you are on a horse/pony, not just because of their unpredictability (being a living creature!) but because of the minimal protection you both have in the event of a fall or an accident!

Luckily, MD & the Baggage are confident (& happier!) hacking out on their own & I think she will have to stick to this from now on!
The stupid thing is, if either their ponies or the Baggage had really lost the plot, they would have been terrified & unable to cope but apparently, they're just incapable of thinking that far ahead!
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What a pair of morons. To ride like that normally is bad enough, but to do it in company, especially when the other horse is still learning to hack out nicely is just downright rude and thoughtless. I used to ride out with a woman who wanted to canter at every opportunity and it was a nightmare, because my horse was just like the Baggage. I stopped going out with her in the end, it just wasn't worth the hassle.
 
Your view is MD's view Prilly!

MD is now worried that the Baggage will be back to jogging sideways down the road, foaming & sweating & being a complete c*w!
I said no, she wouldn't, not after just one bad hack - it's OK to make mistakes now & then, just don't repeat them or they will start behaving undesirably!

Bit worrying though, as the Baggage was (mildly!) hit by a car before we had her & if she gets panicky, starts lashing out at passing traffic, which is obviously incredibly dangerous!
She trusts MD & has been as good as gold up until now, so I can see why MD is a bit worried!
(These people knew this about her too but gave it or her no consideration whatsoever!)
 
They are completely ridiculous and dangerous, don't think MD should hack out with them ever again! Tell them to ditch the horses and take up knitting!
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My goodness, I think this would cause me to have a rare moment of 'flipping out' at the mother, children out of earshot. I would be in HCM's face, asking her HOW DARE SHE endanger MD's life by playing silly ******* on the roads, and HOW DARE SHE think it is any way amusing to be out of control in what could amount to a life threatening situation.

It takes a lot for me to raise my voice, but in the past I did lose it with a group of teenagers who should have known better who found it amusing to swop from their horses to a couple of children's ponies - and letting the young, inexperienced children ride their 16hh TBX in an open field. Thank goodness nothing happened, but what could have happened to the children and the horses in that situation caused be to strike the fear of god into those teenagers. I cannot abide people who don't take half a ton of horse seriously.
 
Dear JAK

Please move to Essex - I would love to hack out with MD - I am very calm and sensible and would never gallop off. Actually mummy would like MD to hack me while she takes out Daddy Cairo - she is a bit of a fat dumpling and I would prefer a nice small teenager to start longer hacks. Mummy Dumpling only rides me for 15 mins at the moment.

I promise to be very good and would also like to meet a new friend to have fun with who will be nice to me.

Chancer

PS: Mummy says don't let MD hack out with those people any more - life is too short! Find nice people like us.
 
Dearest Chancer,

If only we did live near you, Mr.C & Mummy Dumpling - what fun we would have!
The Baggage loves hacking but get a bit uppity sometimes & poor MD has worked very hard on this with her, as she doesn't like having her brains jiggled about jogging down the road & unlike many teenagers, does not think it is 'cool' to bring her pony back from a hack, looking like it's just been in a headlong cavalry charge, followed by a fierce battle!
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She will be hacking out alone from now on, sadly, what a shame!

JAK xx
 
Dear JAK

Maybe one day you will come for a vist, Daddy C and I would love to meet you all. Shame you are not closer, Daddy C and I would be wonderful hacking companions for Baggage - we are very calm and steady and Mummy Dumpling likes to mince along with us rather than flat out everywhere. Says she is too old for that, unless Daddy C is in one of his fun moods.
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Lots of Love
Chancer
x
 
I personally wouldn't let MD hack out with them again, and especially not if BBs had hacking issues too.

People like that will unfortunately only learn when something happens and happens badly - makes me mad
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Nightmare!.

Don`t let her go out with them and tell your woman what a brainless fool she is.

I take it they are too stupid to get insurance.
 
I think they do have insurance, they just can't ride......but think they can!

I don't think the mother is teaching Hedgehog Child the right attitude at all! I have always told MD to ride defensively on the roads/lanes at all times & that danger often comes when you least expect it!

I can't have made her too paranoid, as she is quite confident about hacking out alone but takes the view (as most motorcycle riders do! lol) that everyone is out to get you, so be prepared for anything & above all.....stay sharp & keep your eyes & ears open!
That's all you can do really, apart from school the pony to behave & go well!
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I would definitely not let MD hack out with them again. There are a couple of people round here that my daughter refuses to hack out with for the very same reasons, galloping along bridle paths racing all the time etc. Yet there is another younger girl whose company she really enjoys cos said girl is sensible and does as she is told.
 

Don't Let MD hack with these people again, eventually it will undo all the hard work she's put into BB and at worse they may cause her to have an accident.
Hacking out sensibly and safely is as necessity to me, theres a few people at the yard I'm at who trot everywhere (I mean no walking from the moment they mount) and canter and gallop every where possible no matter what the ground conditions are. Their favourite past time is trespassing, they race off (literally) without warning are constantly overtaking each other, smoke, listen to Ipods, chat on mobiles etc They think that getting their horses lathered from head to foot shows they are excercising them properly but are the first ones to moan when said horses runs off as soon as it hits a patch of grass whilst they are on the phone
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It really irritates me and makes it hard to get along with local drivers, walkers land owners as they think we are all them same.
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lol jak still laughing from the first post you put on here that your still calling her hedgehog lolol and now she has a hedgehog mum !!!! i remember commenting on that last time pmsl !!!!!
sorry on a seriuos note i think it is disgusting that hh mum is equally as childish as her child,at least hhc listened to md last time !!!
ditto everyone else dont let md go out with hedgehog child as you know what happens to hedgehogs !!! THEY GET SQUASHED !!!!!
 
[ QUOTE ]
Whats with the hedgehog bit.

[/ QUOTE ]
Hedgehog Child is so named because she has all the road sense of a hedgehog!
Actually, that's a little unfair.......on hedgehogs!
 
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