Should I sell my horse?

S

SilentEcho

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Hi
I don't really post on here as I'm supposed to be working (hehe!) but really need some advice. Ok, so this probably sounds really silly - on paper my mare is everything I could ever want, in fact if I saw her adverised I would probably think she was too good for me and she has been very successful competing with my instructor. But when I ride her, now we just go backwards (not literally) - basically I haven't had a good schooling session for months (and there is nothing physically wrong). It's not that she's particularly difficult - I just cannot get her to work properly and it is soooo disheartening. There's nothing I want more than to be able to go up and enjoy riding my horse but I really can't ride her - today for instance she just took the mick and rammed her head up and that was that - this is a mare that works to medium level - I used to be able to ride her to elementary - simply cannot anymore. What do I do - I have regular lessons etc but on my own I get nothing anymore (and she has had a holiday, regularly hacks, jumps and does canter work so is not bored). Should I sell - just feel I cannot do anything with her and it's breaking my heart.

Thanks.
 
From what you have written I would say sell her. If your having lessons and you are still feeling disheartened it probably is time for her to go. Although I would be tempted to have a lesson of someone else and see if a different perspective might improve how you feel about her.

Good luck
 
Without knowing all the details my advice would be to ask yourself, are you enjoying owning her. From what you have said I think the answer is no.
At the end of the day, horse ownership is a huge commitment of time and expense. You want to enjoy yourself otherwise what is it all for?
 
It seems strange that your instructor can ride her, but can't teach you to ride her. Perhaps she is a better rider than instructor!

I went to a new instructor and was amazed at things he said. I was thinking "Why hasn't anyone told me this before?" It made riding simple, when I did what the new instructor said, the horse did what I wanted. Magic.

Sounds as though you have got into a bit of a rut, but it is very depressing if every schooling session is unproductive, or a bit of a battle, it is tempting to feel like giving up (on the horse).

Rather than just decide to sell, ask around among your friends and see if they can recommend another instructor and sneak off to see if a different one can help you find the key.

If you continue to be unhappy, then yes sell her. Riding is supposed to be fun, why make yourself miserable.
 
Get a new instructor...or go on holiday with your horse where you can have lessons, and hack etc - as a bonding experience.
If you still don't get on with her, then sell her and look for something you 'click' with.
Good luck
S
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I agree with what other people have said, go and have a lesson with another instructor, then decide what you want to do from there. I'm a non owner but there are four different instructors at my RS, and it's amazing the difference between their teaching styles and the different things I can achieve in their lessons on the same horse....
 
Sometimes 'fresh eyes' can see things your present instructor has overlooked. Try someone else but also see if you can ride another horse to prove to yourself that you can still ride well. Once you are disheartened it is the hardest thing to feel positive and confident of your ability again (voice of experience!). Don't give up just yet - good luck!
 
I agree with everyone above - I would say try a different instructor. It may be that now your horse is used to someone else riding her she doesn't respond to the same techniques you used before when working elementary. If she is working at the level you say, there should be no reason you can't learn to communicate with her. Hope it works out - she sounds lovely
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