Please some advice for the livery's horse!

Doormouse

Doormouse

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I'm back with more problems with the new livery's horse, I know you are all probably thinking let her get on with it but she is very persistant bless her and I do feel a bit sorry for her.

We have now established that unless we go on a very gentle hack the mare is very naughty (or frightened, not sure which) so we can only ride with her about 3 times a week and even that is fairly hair raising with the roads and everything.

I gave her a lesson in the school at the weekend and the mare was quite good as long as we kept it very quiet but I think on her own with the horse she struggles to keep it like that.

She is now in despair about what to do because as soon as the mare goes in a field she starts rearing and bucking (not safe at all). I have suggested she does some long-reining round the farm for a few weeks until my old horse comes home and I can nanny her properly on hacks. Is this the best suggestion or is there something else she could do to get this mare to settle?
 
I couldn't ride my horse in the field - it was just too exciting for him.... (if it's any consolation).

Have you sat on this horse at all? Would it be worth doing so? She (he?) sounds like a little hot head, ridden by a novice. However, with a capable rider on it's back it may well be a fab ride.....

May be worth doing just to see - and then go from there.

The other suggestion I would make is if this horse is hot and uneducated she needs to find a really good jockey who will ride it quietly every single day out on the roads, and in the fields etc. Could be money really well spent in turning this horse in to the one she really wants and can handle.

P.S - what a great friend you are turning out to be for her :D:D:D
 
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Thanks amymay. I was very tempted at the weekend to get on it but I didn't want to knock the girls confidence if it went better for me! Not saying I'm great but I have produced alot of youngsters and have a bit of experience with the sharp ones!

You have hit the nail on the head, basically it is a sharp mare who has got away with things with her previous owners and I'm not sure this girl knows enough or is strong enough in her riding to cope with it.

I did also suggest that she sends it to someone for 2 or 3 weeks who can ride it everyday and perhaps teach it that bucking and rearing are not acceptable in any circumstances. Trouble is of course that she can't afford it. If I didn't work full time I would ride it for her but I just don't have the time atm.

One of the things I did notice was that the more you talked and praised the mare the better she went but I didn't seem to be able to get that across to her jockey!
 
When you get your good sensible schoolmaster home would you consider letting her have a few rides/lessonson him? This might give her pause to think about what sort of horse is really suitable for her.I have to say the present set up does not sound fun for anyone but sugesting selling often upsets people so they are best coming to it themselves.Good for you trying so hard to help.
 
eahotson said:
When you get your good sensible schoolmaster home would you consider letting her have a few rides/lessonson him? This might give her pause to think about what sort of horse is really suitable for her.I have to say the present set up does not sound fun for anyone but sugesting selling often upsets people so they are best coming to it themselves.Good for you trying so hard to help.
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That's worth a try, it might get through to her. I think the biggest problem is that she does believe that she rides well and has plenty of experience.

She doesn't own the horse, it has been sort of sent to her to bring on (owners paying livery costs) with a view to buy if she likes it or sell on behalf of the owners!:eek:

I did try gently to point out this morning that there are plenty of nice easy horses out there and that maybe this one was a bit too much trouble in her present circumstances but it didn't go down very well.;)
 
Ditto all of amymay's points :)

GM is the same. Stroke her neck and whisper sweet mornings and she's a lot calmer. Takes a lot of confidence from her rider.

As others have said, a sharp horse; has anything like Nupafeed been tried? I have found it to work quite well, either that or I thought it was working, which made everything better/calmer, either way, it had the desired effect :)
 
I was very tempted at the weekend to get on it but I didn't want to knock the girls confidence if it went better for me!
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She may be relieved to have you sit on it though. Because if it does go well for you it shows that the mare is capable and has the potential to be the horse that she wants - but that she as a rider must step up to the plate and learn. Learning is not just about improving riding though, it's also about recognising when it's better to pass the ride to someone else (even for a short time) to help iron out some of the problems. Then once the horse is better behaved and more settled, she as a novice rider will have a better chance of improving both herself and the horse (does that make sense???).

If she could find the money for the horse to be ridden from the yard say twice a week it could be of real benefit to both of them. It doesn't have to be sent away and it doesn't have to cost a fortune.

We had a brilliant jockey at my last yard who rode the point to pointers. She would exercise my horse during the winter in the week for me which enabled me to keep him fit and happy. It cost me £10 an hour. If she could find someone like that, maybe??
 
MrsMozart said:
Ditto all of amymay's points :)

As others have said, a sharp horse; has anything like Nupafeed been tried? I have found it to work quite well, either that or I thought it was working, which made everything better/calmer, either way, it had the desired effect :)
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Mrs M, that made me giggle. I know what you mean exactly, I feed all sorts of calmers and I'm sure they have more effect on me than the horse!:D
 
amymay said:
She may be relieved to have you sit on it though. Because if it does go well for you it shows that the mare is capable and has the potential to be the horse that she wants - but that she as a rider must step up to the plate and learn. Learning is not just about improving riding though, it's also about recognising when it's better to pass the ride to someone else (even for a short time) to help iron out some of the problems. Then once the horse is better behaved and more settled, she as a novice rider will have a better chance of improving both herself and the horse (does that make sense???).

If she could find the money for the horse to be ridden from the yard say twice a week it could be of real benefit to both of them. It doesn't have to be sent away and it doesn't have to cost a fortune.

We had a brilliant jockey at my last yard who rode the point to pointers. She would exercise my horse during the winter in the week for me which enabled me to keep him fit and happy. It cost me £10 an hour. If she could find someone like that, maybe??
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Yes that does make sense, perhaps I will offer to sit on it this weekend. Our yard is made up of 2 sections and the other section to us is a breaking and schooling yard. I might suggest she asks them if someone from their yard could ride it for her everyday for a bit.
 
Weird situation! Sounds like the girl and the mare are not a good fit at all and things are going from bad to worse (I don't meant to disparage all your efforts to help her out, sounds like you are doing a great job but there is only so much you can do if the two of them don't communicate!). Where is the owner in all of this? He/she should really come see how things are going and take charge of the situation because from what you say the mare will be quite difficult to sell if things continue in this way.
 
the other section to us is a breaking and schooling yard.
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Dooremouse - the solution is on her doorstep. If she's actually not paying to keep this horse, she can afford the help.

Sorry, but under the conditions of her loan I would actually walk away from this - despite your wanting to help.
 
I'm sorry but if that was my horse I would'nt be very happy at what is going on, and, why should you risk injury you have a full time job and your horses to look after. You sound a very thoughtful helpful person, dont be taken advantage of.
 
Not read all the replies but would not be long reining it - long reining can be extremely dangerous, especially for a novice person (which it sounds like she is) coupled with a hot headed horse is a recipe for disaster. What is the horse being fed? Sorry if thats been gone over previously. Does the horse live out? If not i would turn it out 24/7 and give it just hay, cut out all feed. That should help it to relax a lot more. Then start off by lunging every time before the owner gets on, for at least 20mins - trot and canter all the time 10mins on each rein to get the horse listening to the owner. By then horse (and owner) should be more relaxed and would stick to riding in the school whilst owner gets up confidence, i wouldnt even dream of hacking out.

Suggest to owner that someone confident hacks the horse out until it is safe and sane and then she can start hacking it out again.

ETA - I cant believe shes been given the horse to sell on for an owner????? Is she normally a confident rider then? I would be giving the horse straight back to the owner i am afraid.
 
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Part of me feels that maybe she is the sort of person who takes advantage if given a chance, the rest of the yard are all getting very cross with her about alot of things like ringing at 5.30pm and asking the YO to bring in (if you want this service you must ring before 4.30pm) and not remembering to book the school before using it, refusing to buy her own fencer so the mare keeps escaping etc.

Possibly I am in danger of being taken advantage of as well. As you say amymay, if she is not paying livery for her horse surely she can afford to pay someone to ride the mare for her few a couple of weeks.

Think I'd better be a bit tougher and keep out of it!
 
Think I'd better be a bit tougher and keep out of it!
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Now you've told us more about her situation I'd actually say you would do well to stay out of it. Sounds like it could all end in tears......
 
Doormouse said:
Part of me feels that maybe she is the sort of person who takes advantage if given a chance, the rest of the yard are all getting very cross with her about alot of things like ringing at 5.30pm and asking the YO to bring in (if you want this service you must ring before 4.30pm) and not remembering to book the school before using it, refusing to buy her own fencer so the mare keeps escaping etc.

Possibly I am in danger of being taken advantage of as well. As you say amymay, if she is not paying livery for her horse surely she can afford to pay someone to ride the mare for her few a couple of weeks.

Think I'd better be a bit tougher and keep out of it!
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Oh Doormouse, back off this thing, it's a bit like helping out with relationship problems you know, if it works out she will claim victory, if not it will be your fault, I've seen it before.
The other liveries have got the right idea, please just enjoy your own horses, if she does not like it she will either move away or not speak, either way you will be better off.

We can all see she is getting to you, life is hard enough dealing with your own issues, never mind someone elses.

Sorry if I sound hard, but have been there, no win situation.
 
Although I can see you are trying to help but the biggest help you can give this woman by the sounds of things now, is just telling her, not actually doing things for her, so she wakes up and smells the coffee so to speak, otherwise she needs to dig deep in her pockets and start paying for professional help, be if from you or else where.

If something doesn't effect you, don't involve yourself. :)
 
I agree with the person who said to turn it out, reduce feed to hay only and lunge before riding. Does the horse act up when not ridden? Could you lead it from your horse round the fields at a smart trot and make it do some proper work? She has the schooling yard to call on for regular exercising if only she can be persuaded to pay. TBH it sounds as though she doesn't want to admit to the horses owner that she's not up to the job.
 
Thanks guys, you're quite right, the situation has the potential to get messy and I don't want to be on the end of it!

I will just try to 'smile and nod' when she keeps asking me what to do and suggest she goes and sees the people in the other yard.
 
Doormouse said:
Thanks guys, you're quite right, the situation has the potential to get messy and I don't want to be on the end of it!

I will just try to 'smile and nod' when she keeps asking me what to do and suggest she goes and sees the people in the other yard.
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Just smile and nod or you will be blamed by the person you point her to, i am so pleased you are going to walk away from this.

Best of luck, enjoy your loved pastime X
 
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