*Numpty alert* Any ideas on where I'm going wrong?

PinkFairy

PinkFairy

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To (try to) sum up, I was riding a horse a while ago that seemed to walk on tip-toes when I rode, I kept getting the feeling that he would bomb off at any second, he pulled like a train and he would b*gger off with me when asked for trot.
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He slipped in a couple of bucks for good measure and pulled his nose to the ground quite a lot, which made me tip forwards on to his neck.

However, when another rider got on him, he behaved impeccably.
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He worked at a steady pace, was on the bit, listening to the rider and didn't take any opportunity to tank off or pull her arms out of her sockets.

Please excuse my numptiness, but what did I do wrong?

When I asked the girl who rode him what the difference was, she said I wasn't holding his head tight enough.
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I explained that when I tried to shorten my reins, he fought and pulled and shook his head despite me trying to just ride through it.

Any thoughts?

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were you nervous or tense? i think the key to a horse that does that (if i'm sure it is in good health firstly) is to ride through it as though it's not happening.
 
QR

I wasn't nervous, I was surprisingly calm.
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Shysmum - I thought that too, but it wasn't the first time I had been on him and the other rider was new.

Just to clarify - I am asking for advice purely for future reference as I do not ride at the moment, but am looking to start again soon and would like to know how to deal with this kind of situation if it ever arose again.
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Could it be that you were using too much hand and not enough leg to get him moving forward? My instructor says for every bit of hand you use you need at least twice as much leg. Were you holding him rigid without any give and take on the rein? If so he perhaps fought for his head as he was uncomfortable?
 
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Kaz007 - I barely had to use my leg as he was so responsive. I kept my hands light so that he could have the use of his head, but I didn't allow my reins to dangle through my fingers. My elbows were at my waist, if that helps.
 
Horses are incredibly good at picking up on body language. even if you thought you were calm and relaxed, if you were thinking about what he might do you would be phsycologically preparing for it and maybe tensing up. What i used to do when i rode horses like this is really push them on in the paces so that they were using their energy to work other than messing around.

Good luck!

CxLBx
 
[ QUOTE ]
Horses are incredibly good at picking up on body language. even if you thought you were calm and relaxed, if you were thinking about what he might do you would be phsycologically preparing for it and maybe tensing up. What i used to do when i rode horses like this is really push them on in the paces so that they were using their energy to work other than messing around.

Good luck!

CxLBx

[/ QUOTE ]

You're probably right.

How can I make myself more confident?

I'm not nervous to the point of trembling, but I seem to anticipate the worst happening.
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[ QUOTE ]
QR

Kaz007 - I barely had to use my leg as he was so responsive. I kept my hands light so that he could have the use of his head, but I didn't allow my reins to dangle through my fingers. My elbows were at my waist, if that helps.

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A lot of riders make the mistake of thinking that they do not need to use much leg as the horse is responsive. I am not suggesting that you keep giving big kicks but you do need to keep the horse working up to the bridle.

A lot of horses that are labelled as strong are actually on their forehand and not in balance.

It is also fairly common for a rider to have a very tense forearm/wrist without realising it.

Finally some riders just seem to have an 'elecric bum' which jazzes horses up!
 
I agree with eggs....... for example my mare has been described as "stong" but that is because she does tend to fall onto her forehand, and dispite her being forward going I do have to keep my leg on to push her into the bridle and to keep the hindquarters engaged. As for tense forarm, yep me all over (well actually I am worse on my right - I am right handed btw) leading my girl to pull at the reins to reach down, and also pulling me forward...... always a timely reminder to relax
 
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A lot of horses that are labelled as strong are actually on their forehand and not in balance.

[/ QUOTE ]

That's Scooby! Some people (including me, when I first saw him ridden) are scared to ride him because he pulls the reins out of your hands and feels like he's tanking off, but actually he's just really unbalanced. I find that he goes better in a lighter contact because he can't lean on my hands then, and use lots of leg to keep his head up... but the only reason I know to do that is because my instructor told me to, so I'm really not knowledgable enough to suggest anything for you.
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