Opinions please

fair said:
i would love to hunt him! but he's not got the right brain for it at all and tbh hes too valuable to risk an injury whilst out hunting.
If you have any other suggestions on how to make it more fun for him i will welcome them, but that is half the problem i have, he is a VERY excitable horse and does struggle to contain himself
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I wouldn't hunt mine either. In terms of 'fun' - what you do is plenty varied enough IMO. The other thing to think is that all the talent in the world is utterly useless if they don't have the trainability - does your horse really want to event? Does he enjoy it? I think it's pretty easy to tell when they love it, and for an eventer to do well, they have to love it!
 
SpottedCat said:
I wouldn't hunt mine either. In terms of 'fun' - what you do is plenty varied enough IMO. The other thing to think is that all the talent in the world is utterly useless if they don't have the trainability - does your horse really want to event? Does he enjoy it? I think it's pretty easy to tell when they love it, and for an eventer to do well, they have to love it!
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Trainability is what he lacks!
He has all the ability for dressage but not the mind to use it, he is a good sj but would be a great one if his dressage was more established, but he LOVES xc, you literally wont find a better xc horse than him, if anything he likes it too much and cant contain himself before it so warming up we only have 3 speeds of canter ;)

Someone is coming tommorow to assess him for their clients, think im going to have to see how that goes that decide what to do after that
 
See what happens tomorrow - but if they decide not to have him, is there any way you could go for some intensive dressage training somewhere which has schoolmasters? So you can have lessons on him and lessons on another horse. I was always frustrated by my horse's lack of results in the DR, and the schoolmaster lessons really have made a huge difference. Gone from 37-45 in the dr to consistently late 20s early 30s. It was my riding that was the problem.

I don't know where you are, but can recommend this place: http://www.dovecote-stables.co.uk
 
SpottedCat said:
See what happens tomorrow - but if they decide not to have him, is there any way you could go for some intensive dressage training somewhere which has schoolmasters? So you can have lessons on him and lessons on another horse. I was always frustrated by my horse's lack of results in the DR, and the schoolmaster lessons really have made a huge difference. Gone from 37-45 in the dr to consistently late 20s early 30s. It was my riding that was the problem.

I don't know where you are, but can recommend this place: http://www.dovecote-stables.co.uk
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thankyou they are a fair way from us but there is a similair place local to us and it is defienetly something id look into. A local dealer is also looking for a grrom/rider which i might go for as then ill get to ride a load of different things and should be able to decide on where i want to go from there!

Thankyou for your advice!
 
I'm going through a tough patch with mine so will be interested in any advice you get :)
Some people have been very quick to criticise you even though you've admitted that you think you're the problem...
 
i think the pair of you are waiting for the lightbulb moment. it will come at some point. your results are ok, and at least you finish!! i would suggest you give your horse 2 weeks off, and turn him out in the field 24/7 if you can., and give yourself 2 weeks off, he wont lose much fitness in 2 weeks. then start again. talk to all your trainers, let them read the dresage tests, work on a couple of things per lesson and go from there. Best of luck it will all come together soon.
 
Also, forgot to say, if you can get someone to video you at the event itself it's invaluable :)

I find it hard to watch myself (super critical) but it is so useful to see what is happening and also to show my trainer so she can give me advise even if she hasn't been there
 
When I bought my horse I went through the same emotions. I struggled with his schooling and found him tense and excitable, but he sometimes can't contain himself. The thought crossed my mind as to whether to sell him but I definitely can't. I understand you compete, where as I don't so slightly easier for me to reach my choice.
Try having lessons with a good, productive instructor or getting someone to help school him. I found this helped us massively as I was able to have someone on the ground telling me were I was going wrong and ultimately we clicked during the lesson and I understood I was at fault.

I think you should try as many different options available to you (if you haven't already done so!) and see how you get on... At least that way if it doesn't work out then you know you tried and he isn't the right horse for you.

There'd be nothing worse then selling him and regretting it or rushing into a decision.

But then sometimes some horses aren't suited to some owners! It's obvious you care for him so good luck :)
 
Hey there, Do you have sky ? On channel 280, Chris Cox has just been sorting out a loopy dressage horse. It was really interesting. Possibly you could consider some western lessons ? I'm not a western rider myself, but have found the groundwork really useful. I had a couple of lessons & it was heeps of fun. I know this is flinging something most british riders would class as almost "new age" into the equasion, but if you could see what this guy achieved with the horse without cruelty, making the horse work it out for himself (i know you said your chap has a wee brain ! ). It's not like Parelli. Not as airy fairy & no BS. ;);)
 
hi hun

I really feel for you as I have been where you are/ A lovely talented horse, very sweet natured but just didn't want to learn.

It is such such hard work and heart breaking when you try so hard and nothing seems to make much difference

I carried on trying for 8 years then horse had to retire through and injury

I got a new horse, and boy is he different!!! loves learning, a lovely character, does what it says in the book. I absolutely love riding him!!


I would NEVER EVER EVER keep a horse like the first one again, it was just too much hard work and unrewarding for both of us.

Doesn't really matter what the reason is if it is not working sell him and find a nice horse that you click with. It is supposed to be enjoyable not a chore!!!!
 
He sounds like a typical trakehner, so I know exactly what you're going through. They are such Marmite horses - I absolutely love them, but am fully aware that what I love about them is exactly what others hate! They're quirky, sharp and enormously tricky to find the key too.
For what it's worth, I tried everything with mine, who had only ever been dressaged - he'd never even hacked or been out in the field at 9 yrs old. I tried really hard to do stuff to help him chill out, but he got worse and worse. Hacking flipped his lid, going out in the field resulted in 11 stitches in his head as he brought himself straight back in (through a tree!) and jumping him resulted in temper tantrums so extreme that I even left him lying down in the school one day - he had such a paddy that he fell over, and then wouldn't get up again!
After a an awful lot of head scratching - we decided to give him one last chance, before he was PTS, and just asked question after question of him in dressage. The more we challenged him, the more he loved it - and the easier and happier he was in himself. Competing was out of the question as he wouldn't load, but he learnt all the GP movements, and was the best "play" horse ever. I worshipped him, he was absolutely my horse of a lifetime - but my God was he a PITA!
Just my experience of the breed, but may spark a few thoughts!
 
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