People trying your horse

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LouS

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After something that happened today, I was just wondering if anyone has ever told anyone to get off or stop because you didn't like what they were doing? Or if not what would it take for you to do so?
 
If i didnt like the way someone was riding my horse and i felt it was detromental id tell them what they were doing that i wanted to change. if they didnt id tell them to get off pronto!
 
I assume the person would be trying the horse with a view to buy or loan? In which case if they were riding in a way that I felt the horse wouldn't be happy with then I would ask them to pull up and would explain why I would feel the partnership wouldn't work, or would offer some pointers so that they might amend their riding to a style the horse would be comfortable and familiar with. If they lost their rag or hauled away then I would just drag them off lol!!!
 
Once - and not my horse but a pony at the riding school I used to help at years ago. Teaching a lesson and one girl in a huff properly 'gobbed' her pony - she was promptly told to get off and spend 5 minutes reflecting her actions!!

I've seen plenty where I'd like to do so but it hasn't been my place/call (i.e. random people at shows, etc) and to be honest it wouldn't necessarily have to be that much - but more how the horse was reacting. I.e. v sensitive horse being ridden by something who was a bit 'heavy' with hands and legs resulting in horse shooting forward, then stopping dead, then shooting forward and looking very worried and panicky because she didn't understand what was going on or what she was being asked. Luckily, she was asked to get off by the YO (dealing yard, horse was being ridden by a client!!).

Bolshy gelding getting a few cracks across the backside - this didn't bother me. It was a thug of a horse that had been allowed to get away with murder, pig-headed, ignorant, no discipline, no manners and needed putting back in its box there and then!! However, if you'd behaved like this on the sensitive mare, the mare would have freaked totally and you would have ended up in orbit!!

Horses for courses as people say... However, there are some things that I would always find unacceptable from the rider and would ask them to get off if I could.
 
Had the very same thing happen recently with my horse and won't be in a hurry to let anyone have a go again..sadly I didn't stop it, to my shame, my husband had to walk away. I did suggest to the quite experienced rider that they ride into the contact and lengthen the reins as the horse was over bent needed to be allowed to go forward and clearly getting confused at what was being asked.
 
Had some people look at my 14.2hh pony, I wasn't there, can't remember the reason for it, but my sister (who knew the pony v. well and is a v. good rider) showed the people the pony. It was grandparents buying their 10 yr old something to ride with the younger one in mind too - I have no problem with that- but this pony was hard mouthed and more 15hands than 14.2hh but his passport said 14.2, so we advertised him as big pony/small horse. The girl jumped him and apparently was yanking him in the mouth the entire way round, and when a hard mouthed pony stops dead because he's being yanked so much, you kinda know they aren't going to get on at all. My sister kindly said "If you ride him into a jump with a good contact, and then check slightly, he'll be fine" girl didn't listen so my sister told her to get off.... grandparents weren't happy with that and left promptly.

Another woman trying the same pony wanted him for hacking and hunting (Brilliant!) she had been taught mainly by her husband, a very experienced horseman, who had told her to canter standing up as sitting 'unbalanced her,' and she had been riding for a couple years, having said he wasn't a complete novice ride, but could be a confidence giver for a rider with some experience, her husband agreed that this was her. We offered for her to ride him in the arena first, but they wanted to hack straight away. First thing I noticed when she got on was her toes were pointed to the ground (Should have told her he wasn't the pony for her right there and then, but didn't) I rode my sisters horse to accompany her, we did a route he knew well and we had a small trot and a canter, then turned around and she asked to trot towards home (he never used to get joggy or anything towards home, so I said yes) she then proceeded to get faster and faster and I said, "slow down a little, there's a road at the end of the track" anyway, the pony took advantage of her and did a little canter, then dodged a puddle and she flew off.... He wasn't the pony for them :p
 
Someone tried a friend's pony today, the girl's instructor rode the pony, and spent 5 minutes stood still kicking it and hauling on its mouth "to see what it would do", pony eventually got pissed off and bunny hopped, to which she said its got a rear in it and isn't safe. If it had been my horse she'd have been off it in 30 seconds. Not sure why people let people get away with things like that just because someone's come to try it.
 
I considered part sharing last year, girl came out and couldn't get him to go in a straight line! In trot he just zig zagged the school and within 3 minutes I asked her to get off as they clearly werent compatible! She was more interested in getting pictures for her Facebook page! Never again!
 
We have once. Soon as he scrambled up on him, no hat and without asking...and then proceeded to stand up and drop [and I mean DROP] down on his back 5 times 'to see if he could take his weight'.


Horse in question was a 18hh Irish Sport Horse, Heavyweight show hunter! Weight was never going to be a problem for him.
 
someone told me to get off once!! went to see a 6 yr old tb that apprently was schooling at a novice level and ready to compete, so took my instructor with me, she gave me a quick lesson on him so was telling me ask him for the bridle, ask for inside bend that kinda thing and the next thing i know the woman came storming over, grabbed the horse told me to get off as i was asking him to do movements that was above his level and that perhaps i should be looking at horse working at medium level dr and not novice because her poor baby was confused at what i was asking him to do!!! im not sure to this day what planet she was on, i was only doing what my instructor told me!!! LOL
 
ChristmasSparkles said:
We have once. Soon as he scrambled up on him, no hat and without asking...and then proceeded to stand up and drop [and I mean DROP] down on his back 5 times 'to see if he could take his weight'.


Horse in question was a 18hh Irish Sport Horse, Heavyweight show hunter! Weight was never going to be a problem for him.
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OMG! If he had done that to Kal he'd have been propelled into orbit pronto . . . or I'd have grabbed him by the front of his trousers and pulled him off. I don't spend money maintaining Kal's back to have some numpty play trampoline on it . . .

P
 
When I advertised for a sharer for my boy I had a few people come and try him out. I rode him first then they got on. I found that most of them were pretty nervous but I gave them a short lesson and that helped. There was one girl who seem really confident but couldnt ride for toffee and her trial ride didn't last very long!! I find it hard to watch someone else ride my horse when i don't know them but it is different when my instructor rides my boy, then Im just amazed at how well he goes for her!:rolleyes:
 
PolarSkye said:
OMG! If he had done that to Kal he'd have been propelled into orbit pronto . . . or I'd have grabbed him by the front of his trousers and pulled him off. I don't spend money maintaining Kal's back to have some numpty play trampoline on it . . .

P
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Lol this was pretty much what happened!

This was after he'd gone round on the buckle, kicking for all he was worth to see 'how fast he could trot'.

That horse deserved a medal. He was reknown in the ring for his gallop and engine. And was in an open 15 acre field. Bless his heart, he didn't break from trot or do anything else - despite by all means he should have well and truly 'gone'. I would have if I was him and being subjected to him on my back!

This was also after the wife [Resident 'dressage master' - rubber boots and body protector included] had watched me on him riding him and had aired her 'expert' opinions. Which included some of the following:

1) 'He has stifle lock' > His fetlock clicked as he was bought out the stable.

2) 'I want to dressage. Will he wear a martingale?' > Of course he would! He'd wear western tack if you put it on him.....ignoring the fact that it wouldn't be allowed in dressage darling!

3) 'He doesn't flying change' > He's a HOYS level show hunter and has been since a foal. Flying changes are completely incorrect.

4) 'I bet he doesn't go in an indoor school as we can't try him in one.' > We didn't have even an outdoor school, let alone an indoor one. If you can take him to an indoor one, you're more than welcome to! He's competed at HOYS for the last flipping god knows how many years, and countless other evening performances in his life other than at HOYS. Which are, shockingly, indoors!!!

The husbands first words were 'I want a BIG horse that can take my weight and can go fast. I want a print out of all his winnings so I have something to show to people what my horse is.'


It was a 'No' from the start. Weren't selling him to them! Even when he started talking about vettings and left saying 'You'll be mine'....we locked the gates up that night for sure!!!
 
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I can't stand people who do that - "You'll be mine!" My neighbour's little girl used to come and tell me that her mummy had said that she could have my stepson's pony when he'd outgrown it. I'd rather have shot it! They also used to go round telling everyone that they would be buying some land cheap from us. We still seem to own it ten years on.
 
A couple of years ago i had a young girl come to see my old boy with the view to part loaning him , had a long chat with her dad and was told she had done x/c s/j and dressage :) girl turned up and got on and at that moment it was very clear she could not ride at all :( so i lead her round the school a few times with gritted teeth and was very nice (for me ) :mad:
 
Also the you'll be mine thing happens to us every week we have a 11hh sec a and yes my little girl is getting a little big for her (leg not waight) but she loves her pony to bits and will not think off getting anything bigger (i have asked) but we have a family at our yard who want her and are all the time telling my little one that she's to big and they should buy her :(my girl is only 9 yo and gets a little upset to the point she has been known to shout YOU CAN'T HAVE HER :D
 
I have never been asked to get off a horse but I did have someone stop me and tell me (very politely) how to ride one.

I'd been riding properly (thought I should for once:o) proper contact, and all that, horse was OK but a bit sticky, she said, "oh, ride him on the buckle he's used to that" I heaved a sigh of relief at being able to relapse into my preferred way of riding and so did the horse. Bought him there and then, he turned out to be a cracking little horse - didn't do buckle end out hunting or at parties though ;)! I had him for the rest of his life.
 
This happened to my sisters daughter!!! Hilarious! (I saw this)

- So you have an 11.3 Arab X. The girl who normally rode this pony was on a school trip so the five year old daughter gets on her.

My sister was very confused why the pony was apparently only ridden in a school but still had a daisy rein :confused:. So she asks why and she was told that when it went out for a hack it sometimes tried to eat the grass and therefore got rather troublesome for a young rider.

So finally after 3,000,000 different insurance documents/health certificates are wafted under our noses we actually get the thing into the school. I do think she was rather fresh as seemed to be cantering at the speed of a walk into the school.

Also at the time there wasa small amount of shooting happening. This yard only had one school and it was a big indoor. The gates on the school closed all the way therefore letting absolutely no light in at all. There were no lights or roof lights at all so very dark. The school was very deep and rather daunting as well, - not right for my stressy cob who must not be exercised outside of fear of her going loopy!

We get in there and the other girl who is to ride it does not want to get on the damn thing so throws a tantrum and tells her mum that she does not want to ride today. The mother forces her on the pony and then the girl announces that she would rather die than trot on the pony.

As soon as the mother let's go of the pony the daughter looses control and the pony goes on a broncking fit and the girl falls of hits her head on the side of the school meanwhile the mother is not worried about the hole that her girls head had made through the side of the school wall than the actual girl herself.

Ok... To the punch line... My sisters daughter gets on the horse and is dragged off the horse literally!!! My the YM for safety reasons as she does not have proper insurance!!! Did make me chuckle...

sorry for the long post....
 
LouS said:
After something that happened today, I was just wondering if anyone has ever told anyone to get off or stop because you didn't like what they were doing? Or if not what would it take for you to do so?
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Yep... I have a TB I don't ride due to confidence really so I suppose it might sound a bit rich telling someone they can't ride well enough - but not being confident in the saddle doesn't mean I can't judge good/bad riding when I see it...

A lass had come to visit with a view to exercising him regularly - he was only just four, very green, needing to build up after neglect at his prior home and is a totally honest and responsive lad that I've no interest in rushing... She was heavy handed and bumped in the saddle and when she yanked at his mouth to pull him back after having given him a belter of a kick so he went off like an exocet missile, I shouted "D Stop!" which he promptly did and told her to hop off... She got her head right up her backside ranting at me that I didn't know a good rider if I saw them, and she'd won this that and the other, blah blah but tough - he needed/needs someone who's firm but quiet with their aides... A student from the local university came to see him and clicked really nicely with him so all worked out in the end...

Apparently first girl's ranting continued for weeks to the world and their dog about what a stupid woman I was... :rolleyes: :D
 
Many years ago, I had a teenage pony clubber try my young Warmblood with a view to leasing him. She grabbed hold of his head and tried to reef it in. When I said stop, she said that she was trying to collect him. I said you push a horse from the from the back to the front, you don't just drag their heads in. Her mother complained that her daughter had won masses of prizes at pony club. I said that I don't care how many prizes you have won, it doesn't mean you can ride. Daughter lasted two minutes on my horse. I told her to get off and then I threatened to drag her off by the leg if she didn't get off. Her riding was awful. Beats me how she won anything. She got off. She become thoughtful. She admitted that she couldn't ride. I said that now you know that, you actually have a chance to learn how to ride. They left.

Some years later I read about this incident in a horse magazine, which was much to my surprise. She was writing about her riding career and she said that I had saved her riding career and that the most important thing I said was how I said know that you know you can't ride, you now have a chance to learn how. I had a major impact on the life of this young woman. Which is quite odd.

You might wonder how I knew it was me she was talking about. The description of what happened that day was too precise and the quotes too precise for it to have been any other occasion. She went to wonder what happened to my horse and me.
 
Yes I have had this happen, I advertised one of mine for sale a 17.1 WB with a personality. A man rang me and asked if his 16yo daughter could come and try him. Apparently she had done a bit of everything and with great success.

They came to try him and I was a little suspicious from the word go as the stories about how great she was and what she had done came thick and fast.

As soon as she got on I knew she wasn't much good, very heavy with her hands and drew her legs right up into jockey position and kicked away but those little ineffective kicks that you see beginners do. He went into trot and she stayed sitting whilst pulling on his mouth and kicking away. He was getting more and more agitated and I could see he was about to explode so I stepped in to give her a lesson, she improved a lot but as soon as I went out again she slipped back into her old style. I shouted for her to stop and walk him off and she moaned that she hadn't got to jump him yet, I politely explained that I didn't think it was the best match and she promptly announced 'no I want him, I'm buying him' my reply went something like 'no your really not' as I took him from her.

The father did his absolute best to talk me into it, even offered me almost double what he was advertised for. When I still wouldn't sell the girl stamped her feet and huffed off to the car with the father trailing behind shouting that he would call me to arrange vetting!! Needless to say I never answered his calls. And I never did sell that horse, he's still with me now and I'm so glad
 
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