Scary experience yesterday any advise please

I agree with the road work but we dont have alot of it where we are probably around 1/2 hr worth then all fields. There is one hack thats round the block basically all road and lane (quiet) which would be fine but feel he would get bored of the same route! As above the owners will hack him once a week so he still gets to go out and have a good canter.
 
would this quiet road work 4-5 times a week not make him more hyper?! Surely as being a TB he needs to keep his fitness levels up and no matter how much walk and trot you do on roads and up hills is going to do this! Would he not have a crazy canter when we do ask him to after months of walk and trot!? Plus this would not help the fact that he is unbalanced?
 
Personally I wouldn't be doing any fast work with him at all. For my girlie we started off with lunging, then after a couple of weeks we introduced very quiet short hacks, building them up to longer rides including trotting. After a few weeks one day a week was schooling, in a field due to lack of school but it was controlled concentrated work so she had to think and learn. As I said we have now gone onto small jumps after trotting poles. She was a p2p'er so obviously we know she can jump (and boy she can jump!!!) but she needed to learn how to jump while listening to her rider.

We've gone from his first attempt at lunging in a field..

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To this her first jumping lesson in a field..

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This is all been done in just over 2 months work. ;)

Slow, quiet handling is what he needs, no canters, no gallops and no excitement..he needs to get his head into a quiet relaxed place and then reassess. Get the basics sorted and he'll be fine I'm absolutely sure.
 
Thank you finally someone giving me some hope. Yeah we have a jumping field and so hopefully that will help him to listen to me even though lots of grass around. Ground has been too hard to use it yet so if we get some more rain will try it out there. Only little jumps and may even try to do just flat work out there x thank you for your enthusiasm x
 
I think you need to give yourself a break a bit to be honest, you haven't been riding him that long, you don't know him and vice versa. I would certainly maybe avoid riding him in open spaces (or anywhere with hedges!) and concentrate on getting to know what buttons to press to get what reaction.

We took on an ex NH horse when he was 19 - he had been in a normal home and used for hacking and jumping etc so wasn't too bad but you his racing side would come out on occasion when in open fields etc although never out of control. He though does not have any sense of self preservation - he broke down racing, was re-raced when 'fixed', fell and eventually they retired him. He's also run off attached to a 5 bar gate (way before we had him) and shredded his front legs!

You may find out that whoever did hack this horse before (ie the younger girl) could have been a little naughty and jump the hedges between fields as opposed to doing the gates (I used to do this many years ago on my horse - v naughty I know) I did it once on my pony and he sailed over the hedge. However, the next time I took him into the same field he got very excited, threw in a huge plunge, unbalanced me and set off to the hedge - I came off the side as he took off but I hadn't let go of the reins so he ended up coming back down on me (well feet on me, thankfully not his body!).

That taught me a lesson I can tell you!!! Lol

You could try experimenting with some other bits to see if this gives you any more control but in the main I think just getting used to riding him and what his personality's like will help you no end. That or enter him for the National next year! Lol
 
Yes i guess I hadnt looked at it like that! Thanks x He is a dream on the ground and he always says hello and comes to the gate when i go to get him now after only 2 weeks so the bond is growing x think a little time, practice and patience and all will be well x
 
just carried on reading these posts. I would definately agree with hacking out a few times a week, aslong as you vary the direction you do that block in he shouldnt get bored really. Even if you school short session then do a short hack or vice versa depending on fitness. Also I guess you are enjoying jumping quite alot, but as he is struggling with canter leads would it be best to stay away from jumping work on getting correct canter lead hence more balance and then re introduce jumping. You could do pole work in the field i guess or just ride around it so you dont always stay in the arena?
 
yeah think thats best really. Will be good to get him out in the field and actually concentrating on what im asking of him rather than head up ears pricked waiting for a reason to go loopy lol. Once the ground has softened will defo work on that! I took him over trotting poles for the first time the other day and at first he was trying to get away from them sideways then clipping them etc but after a while he soon picked it up. He is a fast learner. I do love jumping but not doing alot of it with him due to the canter lead issue. Only done little cross poles etc. And usually going into them at trot although he loves it and that can be a mission. I honestly think with time, patience and gentleness all will be fine. Plus I wont be able to ride him for a week or so until his cuts have healed anyway so lots of fuss and love for now.
 
Four months is not a very long for an OTTB. They're trained to run into the bridle so I'm guessing that will be the default position whenever he gets panicked.
I don't think anyone is trying to burst your bubble but retraining of racers is not an exact science and I've seen it go badly wrong.
Find someone who specialises in OTTB training and stay safe. You'll have to go into open spaces at some time.
 
Natalielodge said:
sorry he is just being fed alfalfa and sugar beet haylage at night as stabled and out all day! x
Click to expand...

I agree change to unmollassed s/beet you could add oil instead

Alfalfa has the same energy as a low energy course mix but it is released slowly, but still has this energy value, maybe Spillers high fibre cubes instead.

My horse is 32 and still remembers where we used to have a canter and gallop and gets excited, if the girl riding him before you used to gallop him everywhere, this may have been a place she did it in ?? He needs to learn he's not allowed to gallop at every open space, its only 4 months ago he was last raced, they don't forget, it might take a long time, as I said my horse still remembers from 15+ years ago where he used to have a run, doesn't stop him wanting to

Good luck
 
Dont write him off. If your confident enough with schooling and hacking in a safe enviornment then definatly do so! Theres no needs for you not to consider riding him. Just remember to keep everything varied, horses are big massive kids really. Eventually youll have more confidence and control for opeen spaces. Dont be too hard on yourself.
 
Thank You as soon as he is better I will be riding again. Hopefully by sunday his cuts are starting to heal already and he hasnt gone lame not even stiff unlike me haha thanks again its good to get positive feed back x
 
Oh and lunging is helpful. My soon to be tb is an ex racer and she could proberly get me off luckily shes been schooled quite good just needs brinning on. One bad event doesnt mean a lot, otherwise wed never ride anything again.
 
very true! Im not too worried about getting on him again its more just when we go out on a hack again but i think once i get to know him and once he has done a fair bit of training, lunging etc to get him listening to aids, voice and me! we should be ok! Will be sure not to head towards any hedges though x
 
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