Should I send my horse for training? Anyone in North Yorks?

[arwenplusone]

*bit long - sorry!*
Ok so for a while now I have had problems with my mare. She had been going really well & then we had a serious napping incident at a show (serious bucking/rearing) and since then she has done this sporadically. Most of the time I can sit it but to me it seems to be getting worse and more frequent. Today she was doing it at home and she had me off.
Her back/teeth are OK and tack fits. I think she is just being a precocious 5 yr old and trying to take the p. So I have been trying to work through it. Trouble is, it has been wearing away at me and today I realised that I am starting to dislike riding her.

At the moment I am on a busy diy livery yard that is mostly ponies. To be honest the facilities are not up to scratch. We have an arena but it is not harrowed and is built on a slope. Also is right next to a busy main road. I am struggling to get her to concentrate as it is. We are moving in three weeks though to a new yard that should be much better.

Question is - should I send her to someone for training? and should I do it now or wait to see how she settles at the new yard.
Also, any recommendations? I have been recommended Heidi/Ian woodhead - what does anyone else think?

Thanks for your help.

I should add - she is a sweet mare but v clever and very marish. She's currently on NAF Oestress.

 

[JessDoesItBetter]

I personally think that i good trainer would be better as then he/she can tell you what to do, and you can gradually progress together with the support of your trainer. Sending your horse away for schooling can help but it doesn't work miricles, often the horse will slip back into its old ways and back into its old routine, and you could end up wasting a lot of money. i train with caroline moore (www.caroline-moore.com) who is an eventer but has experience in all diciplines. However she may be based a little too far away for you (leics), if so i would recomend a trainer with good facilitys (eg a big arena with a course of jumps, fillers etc) so you can get your horse used to this kind of situation whilst being told what to do to overcome your issues.

if you dont enjoy riding your horse another option is to sell him/her and get another horse, but i would try and work through your probs first and see how rectifyable they are.
good luck xxx

 

[icestationzebra]

Lessons with a good trainer who will get on and feel some of what you are feeling and can suggest ways to cope/rectify it. Always better than sending a horse away for training I think.

 

[arwenplusone]

JessDoesitBetter - I am not thinking of selling her at all and do think this is just a phase. My prob at the moment is my trainer doesn't have her own place and my current facilities are pants.

Think I will wait until I move to new yard though and try and get someone regular for training - I am inclined to agree that unless I work the problem through then it will recurr.

Thanks for the replies tho.

 

[georgiegirl2]

i can vouch for heidi, had various lessons with her throughout pony club days and she really is a confidence giving teacher, although i warn you she is not soft about it! saying that, i sometimes need someone to give me a kick up the bum

i'd go for a lesson with her, explain yuor situation and see what she says re wether your mare needs to go to her for a bit or wether you would benefit from lessons together. i personally feel the latter would be more beneficial.

i would get twig to her for a few sessions but i cant afford it!

my other recommendation would be york and district riding club. they run lessons fortnightly with marogt tiffany an international dressage judge (who is very into eventers) at £11 per session. these would be a lot more expensive if you booked her privately - and its only round the corner from millfield!!!

margot has helped me and twig enormously and tp be honest would recommend her more than heidi, even though i highly rate her!

ETA: they are not big lessons with morgot, only two riders per session! we get them subsidised as she is a great friend of one of the organisers of ydrc

 

[sfward]

[ QUOTE ]
i'd go for a lesson with her, explain yuor situation and see what she says re wether your mare needs to go to her for a bit or wether you would benefit from lessons together.

[/ QUOTE ]

I would echo this having recommended Heidi and Ian in the first place! I'm sure if you did decide to send her to them having Ian ride your mare for a few days would do her the world of good. But I am always for lessons first and see how it goes, it's you that's got to ride her at the end of the day.

My other suggestion would be YRC - I know we've discussed this before, I've had some lessons with Alison Pocklington and really got on with her, I'm going again on the 15th. Obviously further away but perhaps another option to consider? Like Heidi she likes to ride them to get a feel which is always helpful. You may even be able to get Jane or Chris to sit on her?

good luck, I'm having the same dilemma with mine at the mo, though different and admittedly less scary problems

S x