Sending away for re-schooling?

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Star&Tiffy

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Hi everyone

I have a 6yr old tb mare, who I haven't had long. I bought her backed but have discovered she really hasn't had much training/schooling. She needs completely re-schooling and I have discovered she can't even lunge. I'm considering sending her away or have someone come to us to be re-schooled, as I'm trying but I just don't have the experience she needs and I think if I can afford she would be better having a professional doing it, to give me a starting point to then work from.

Does anyone think this is a good idea? Does anyone know of anyone in the West Yorkshire area? Has anyone got a rough idea of what this might cost me??

Thanks guys! :):)
 
if you have the time and reasonable facilities, i think i'd look for a good local instructor who would be happy to come to you and work with you, ride her when necessary, and show you how to go along with her. a few sessions a week with the right person would really help. if you send her away you will probably have to spend a lot more tbh.
did she race? it seems strange that at 6 yrs old she hasn't got much idea of how to go on. what sort of things does she do?
 
If you do decide to go down this route check VERY carefully about EXACTLY who will be doing it.Ignre the waffle on their website about the wunderkind they employ, often its one of the stable staff that actually do it, unsupervised.They may be good, they may not.Try and find somewhere local so that you can go and watch and i fpossible have the odd lesson there as well.Ask them what EXACTLY they are planning to do during this reschooling.
 
Hiya, I hadn't thought about getting an instructor in, that's a good idea, we have good facilities so it would be fine for someone to come to us.

No she never raced, I don't know a lot about her history tbh, I bought her from someone who bought her from someone else who got her as a livery debt! From the way she behaves I would say she was bought as a youngster, backed unprofessionally and then used to hack out occasionally off road (she's not good in traffic).

She's lovely natured but anything new freaks her out, she gets very stressy and excited easily, one she's familiar with things she's fine.

Lunging wise I'm trying to teach her (but not very successfully!), but she doesn't even know how to go round on a circle or how to halt, and she freaked out when I showed her a lunge whip the other day for the first time!

Ridden she's ok but gets very excitable, she can't bend in any stretch of the imagination and goes round a corner like a tank!

Hacking she will only go out with another horse and has obviously not done much roadwork as is nervous of everything!

I didn't realise when I bought her just how much work she needed doing (not that I'm complaining), but I just feel a bit out of my depth!
 
i second what eahotson says up there. obviously there are some super yards where good people will do a lovely job on your horse, but there are others which charge a lot to let their inexperienced staff work your horse, not always successfully.
i know it's what a lot of us always say on here, but if you haven't already, i would get a good back person (i swear by McTimoney Chiropractors, they do an excellent job) to check her over - if she can't bend and corners like a tank, she may be sore somewhere and going like that to protect herself (tight muscles etc). is her saddle a good fit (believe her rather than a 'Master Saddler'), have her teeth been done by someone qualified, etc etc.
Once you've ticked all those boxes (if you already have, sorry!) i'd ask on here for recommendations of instructors in your area. Someone experienced and patient, working alongside you and showing you both how to go on, will be very valuable imho.
hope that helps.
 
I echo what Kerilli says. Making sure your horse is fit and free from any problems is of the upmost importance before starting any work. I do live in West Yorkshire, near Leeds. If you are anywhere near me, I'm happy to give you some instructor recommendations or a place to send her to for reschooling if you feel that would be best for her
 
I sent my youngster to Melanie Watson www.instinctivehorsetraining.co.uk and she is really fantastic. Can't speak highly enough of her, expertise, professionalism and the quality of horses she turns out. She also achieves results very quickly (puts in a lot of work). She's in East Yorkshire - just off the end of the M1 (I'm w yorks too).

PM for more info if you want
 
I've sent mine away but I think you would benefit more from having an instructor show you. When they are being reschooled you can miss out as it's not always practical to be there - something that I regret :)
 
The most important thing is to get someone you trust and then and only then decide with them whether to send horse away - or even better keep it at home but only if the right person.

Most good people are very busy so absolutely the best option is to choose someone nearby with a yard, who can do a week or two intensive training, but is near enough to the come to you 2/3 times a week for a few more weeks. However, you would be very lucky if you have an excellent person within that distance.

WARNING!!!! Lots of people talk a good talk, but actually if they have to travel more than 10/15 mins life comes inbetween them and their intentions and you loose out and then think they have really let you down.

My suggestion, take a month and go and visit many yards (ask at local tack shop/feed merchant/yellow pages) and see how they work, (most are really happy for you to watch them deal with a few horses) and really decide who is the most suitable to work with you and the horse before committing.

I post from experience - having used all options over the past 20 years!!!!
 
kerilli said:
i second what eahotson says up there. obviously there are some super yards where good people will do a lovely job on your horse, but there are others which charge a lot to let their inexperienced staff work your horse, not always successfully.
i know it's what a lot of us always say on here, but if you haven't already, i would get a good back person (i swear by McTimoney Chiropractors, they do an excellent job) to check her over - if she can't bend and corners like a tank, she may be sore somewhere and going like that to protect herself (tight muscles etc). is her saddle a good fit (believe her rather than a 'Master Saddler'), have her teeth been done by someone qualified, etc etc.
Once you've ticked all those boxes (if you already have, sorry!) i'd ask on here for recommendations of instructors in your area. Someone experienced and patient, working alongside you and showing you both how to go on, will be very valuable imho.
hope that helps.
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Thanks Kerilli, I've got the dentist coming on Monday and I'm already thinking about getting a saddle fitter out so that will be another box ticked. I'll see how she goes with that and then think about getting her back checked. Her saddle may have something to do with it, but I do think its mainly down to the fact she's just not been schooled at all. I've had her about 6 months and have only just started doing anything with her (my last yard had no facilities so we've moved), so I know she's definitely not done anything except the odd hack for the past year.

I think having someone to work along side me would be an advantage as I think it would benefit me then not just Star and we could carry on working together.

Does anyone know of anyone good in the Huddersfield/Wakefield/Mirfield area?
 
kirstyl said:
I echo what Kerilli says. Making sure your horse is fit and free from any problems is of the upmost importance before starting any work. I do live in West Yorkshire, near Leeds. If you are anywhere near me, I'm happy to give you some instructor recommendations or a place to send her to for reschooling if you feel that would be best for her
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Hi, I'm on the Huddersfield/Mirfield border so if you know anyone close that would be great thanks x
 
Thanks everyone for the replies by the way! :D

I think after reading what everyone has said I'm going to get an instructor in rather than send her away, that way the instructor can help us both and it will be less stressful for Star! :p
 
Sounds like you have had some good advice already. Try a lady called Tori Peters. She's experienced in schooling and has competed at European level. Very well respected.
Good Luck! Giving your horse a great start like this will pay you back many times over!
 
Herts05 said:
Sounds like you have had some good advice already. Try a lady called Tori Peters. She's experienced in schooling and has competed at European level. Very well respected.
Good Luck! Giving your horse a great start like this will pay you back many times over!
Click to expand...

Thanks, do you know if she's anywhere near me?

And that's what I've come to realise, if I want my horse to do me well, maybe I'm not the right person to get her started! I can carry on her training but I've admitted to myself I'm not as experienced as I thought, or not enough to start from scratch with her anyway!
 
Just checked and she is in Rossendale, but I know that she travels. Her number is 07590 718344. Give her a go you never know, she may already have clients near to you. All the best
 
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