So shoot me down...

I am not a novice but I would not trot on the road. My horses are competition animals and are kept twice as fit as any purely hacking horse, if you have to ask that question then you obviously have no conception of fitness in the horse.

I applaud anyone who, having lost their confidence, fights to get it back and it is not your place to comment, as, again you probably have no conception of REAL loss of confidence.

I do, however, agree that there are lot of people who scare the pants off me by asking the sort of questions (my horse is lame, can I still ride him springs immediately to mind :eek:) that they should be asking their vet, not some randoms on a forum, I question their knowledge and lack of knowledge/ignorance is bad for the horse. I do not have a problem with novice owners who ask basic riding questions but some of the replies they receive make me wince:eek:
 
Puppy said:
LOL at the number of people taking this personally. :D

I actually think what's more shocking is the amount of posts asking incredibly simple questions. ie. what weight rug their horse ought to be wearing. How on earth is someone responsible for a horse's care when they can't make a simple judgement like that?! :confused:
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*applauds loudly* :D:D:D
 
People ask stupid questions on here because its easier than asking someone on your yard.
I also consider myself a novice, however, i am constantly trying to better my ownership and riding as i go on. Im not stupid, but sometimes there are stupid things to ask, like about rugs. I dont see the harm in asking stupid questions. Would you rather the people not knowing what rugs to put on their horse leave their horse to freeze or melt or stick a post on a forum?

I think it shows brains to come on here and ask, and think its disgusting tht people shoot people down all the time. If novices didnt buy horses, whos going to own the horses in about 50 yrs time when youre all dead? Itll be us youngsters now, with a wealth of knowledge thanks to the delighful people on this forum, and our own experience.

And as for people not riding lame horses, if youve only ever ridden in a riding school, where i must say about 80% of horses arent truely sound, then why would it be any different when its your own? And those riding schools are run by the most knowledgeable horesmen/women i know! Its a learning curve and so long as a horse doesnt get hurt along the way i dont see the problem. What is this world coming to when someone wanting help, picks up the courage to ask people and then gets slammed for asking in the first place. Were all supposed to love horses and riding on this forum, we all do. So why be such cows to each other? I dont get it :/ I could rant about this for days....;)
 
I will yet again show my age . In the 70's I worked as groom and fittened hunters and drag horses. We started walking for two weeks and by the end of two to three months the horse would be doing an hour to hour half road work mainly trotting. This was done all at a regular pace on tarmac roads, they were never lamed by it had rarely had any splints. I would rather trot on tarmac than uneven ground, I had a horse with navicular( had it before I had him) and he would be perfectly sound on roads but uneven on rutted ground.
Concussion on bones increases bone density, that is why skipping is so good for bones and even the elderly are encouraged to exercise, it actually strenghtens the bone.
The caveat is if your horse is not conditioned it will cause injuries, and you have to ride them to gether (its work)and not go hareing about about like some road racer.Also since the 70's not only has the traffic increased but alot of roads are made from this new stuff that's really slippy.
A lot of people I see riding on the road are a danger to themselves and others. Inattentsion, log reins, no idea how to ride a spook and worse not knowing how to control the quarters to stop it, so perhaps we are all safer if they keep to the fields.
 
I trot on roads and always have and never get any problems. I think the fields at the mo ESP where I am is rock hard and no better than the roads to trot on ESP if you get a bit off rutty ground. But each to their own

what I don't understand and I do agree with this is " why people who are very nervous do own a horse when they won't hack,canter in fields etc.... What's the point. A girl on our yard has a ex racer and she is so nervous, if the horse jogs she loses the plot and jumps off. Everybody else takes him for a canter through the fields and to be quite blunt I don't see why she has him.
Yes iv had a few very nasty accidents and broke a few bones and had hospital stays but I got stright back on and never lost my confidence through it.
But on the other day
the ones who have no confidence and feel sick when they get back on bloody good on em for sticking with it because if I felt like that about something I sure as hell wouldn't continue. So hats off to them
 
I personally dont hack on roads, we have lots of lovely fields to use.

A friend of mine, who also happens to be a vet, will never ever trot out hacking on roads due to the damage it can potentially do (although again rare to actually use roads unless we have to) - and her horses manage to compete and complete the goldenhorseshoe rides as well as many other endurance rides, her horses are incredibly fit. Fairly certain walking up lots of hills will do more fittening than trotting on roads...we use gallops and interval training for fitness in our fields and utilise the hills.

ducks for cover now!
 
I'm not sure why OP cares? Yes people have horses they are too scared to ride but really, what harm to you OP? Surely its up to them? Maybe they like the horse,maybe they want to improve and maybe they really should get rid before someone gets hurt, but whatever, surely its better that they ask advice.

Must contact the dressage yard I worked at and ask how they keep their Prix St George level horses fit - never hacked out in their lives!
 
dooble said:
I don't mean to highlight anyone in particular but, Jesus, a) how the hell do you keep your horse/s fit if you don't trot on the road and b) if you're too scared to take it for a hack, why have a horse and again, a) how the hell do you keep your horse/s fit?
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They say; 'a little bit of knowledge is a dangerous thing' so here is an example of how horses can be kept fit without roadwork or hacking. In HK the Racehorses are very fit, but they neither have roads to trot on or land to hack over or turn out on to, they are kept fit by using a balance of horse walkers, swimming pools and track work (race track work).

Road work and hacking is one way of fittening a horse but not the only way.
 
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"...a) how the hell do you keep your horse/s fit if you don't trot on the road and b) if you're too scared to take it for a hack, why have a horse and again, a) how the hell do you keep your horse/s fit..."

I'll freely admit that I am a novice on the riding side of things (15 year break); and I am all for asking questions about everything and anything (and do); but these are the sorts of questions that I used to ask myself BEFORE I transitioned from riding school hacks to a part loan!

Once I was no longer riding pony school ponies, in groups, I VERY quickly realised - as I am sure all riders/owners have done - the potential dangers of riding :eek: , Meaning that:

  • I didn't need to (or want) to trot continuously on the road actually - and really I'd rather not be on them at any speed (but unfortunatly I have to)!
  • Sometimes in correlation with this, how easy it is for for people to lose confidence and how severly an accident, or spooking horse out hacking can affect people's riding habits
.

So perhaps OP is young or naive (sic) or both? Or is in her own horsey armchair...odd questions for a horse owner (novice or not) to ask imo?
 
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Gosh, in one breath people moan about their lack of facilities, in the next they have yards which can accommodate such luxuries as walkers, numerous arenas and swimming pools to keep their horses fit! It may come as a surprise that I'm not stupid enough to realise that 'some' top competition/racing yards don't need to hack their horses out for fitness, as they have the correct facilities, but I'm talking about the average rider.
Although, I have to say, I'm envious of those of you who have acres of land/common land to ride on without going on the roads. If I didn't ride on the roads, I'd struggle to keep mine fit so I simply wondered how other people cope.
Although, I will add, my farrier reckons lots of people he shoes for end up lunging because horse is too fresh for them to ride. The more they lunge, the fitter it becomes and they less inclined they are to get on, so they lunge some more, and so it goes on... ;)
 
"Gosh, in one breath people moan about their lack of facilities, in the next they have yards which can accommodate such luxuries as walkers, numerous arenas and swimming pools to keep their horses fit!"

Who's moaned?
Who cares?
So what?
 
dooble said:
If I didn't ride on the roads, I'd struggle to keep mine fit so I simply wondered how other people cope.
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Well if you don't have regular access to an arena or places to hack, riding on the roads is an option for keeping your horse fit. But its a matter of preference, if i only had roads available to ride on i would no want to own and work a horse under those circumastance.
I cope by riding in my paddocks, subscribing to a farm ride scheme and hiring an arena twice a week, thereby keeping road work to a min because of the risks associated with unforgiving drivers and slippery roads.
 
Dooble your great, all very true and the same with " free horses" how they will end up in a bad home because every one does don't they, but the next day in a thread some people sell through the sales which is in my mind is worse.
 
OP don't go back to lurking, I think that might be a shame. I agree with your first post, in my opinion it coincides with an influx of "NH" type people on here, of which there used to be few!

And to people who say "what does it matter?" I think it matters a lot. It's people who ride badly, give a horse issues, don't get professional help (and putting up a thread on this forum does not constitute that in my opinion, despite the constant claims of "lots of knowledgeable people on here") and then pass it God knows where who should be shot. It's not just the Jamie Grays of this world who are to blame, to me it's the owners and breeders who let them end up there.
 
Live and let live is all i have to say to the OP....... it does not affect you if folk do not trot on the roads, or have confidence issues so why the need for this thread?


Oh and if you have been here SOooooooooo long, why the join date of Aug 2010?
 
Well, I just don't get the point of this rather negative and provoking post. Why does it matter to you how other people do or do not get their horses fit, how often they ride (or indeed whether they ride), whether they do or do not trot on the roads, etc.?

FWIW, I'm moving Kali to a new yard in a couple of weeks in part so that we don't have to hack on the roads any more - I don't particularly relish falling off on tarmac when he decides to spin and rear and I'm not sure the concussion associated with trotting on the roads will do his club foot much good. But that's just my story . . . everyone has their own . . .

P
 
LaurenM said:
D) what has it got to do with you why people have horses? Aslong as they are looked after and fed its no ones business.
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well said lauren - what everybody does with their horses is nothing to do with anyone else as long as the horse is well looked after! Lets hope this op never loses her confidence and needs our support eh!:rolleyes:
 
blakesmum said:
a) and never critise a man until you have walked a mile in their shoes.
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Then you're a mile away from them and you have their shoes .:P
sorry, couldnt resist :D


Anyway, I lost a bit of nerve hacking and on roads after my horse spooked and cantered down the road.But im working on it with my fabby YM and her bombproof horse. I dont like hacking - but I wont let it beat me, I know i can do it.But I would never go out alone in case that happenedd and we hurt ourselves, in some cutoff field with no connection :L
 
Now see what you have done OP

Inspired by this post I decided that one of my field ornaments needed some work. My daughters little 21 year old cob (middle one in my signature)

Now I might have sat on her 10 years ago, maybe, not exactly sure. Since my daughter moved onwards and upwards she hasn't done much, a few people on the yard borrow her occasionally, but I would never part with her.

So I arrive at the yard full of good intentions. Couldn't actually find her tack, its probably in the loft.

Not deterred, see what this post did to me, I found a Parelli headcollar. Not sure I fitted it right but never mind.

Found something on the yard high enough so I could slide down onto her back, my old joints protest at anything else.

I then completely chickened out of going for a hack round the large field which had been my original intention. Does anyone know if those Parelli things actually give you any brakes.

So I rode her round and round the yard, managed a trot, not actually on tarmac but it was concrete. Does that count.

I think all the competition riders on the yard now think I have moved over to the dark side. Does anyone have any other NH ideas to wind them up further.

Oh and I dont recommend bareback on a barrel shaped cob, although I admit it was comfy, you cant wrap your legs around at all.

So my attempt to reform was quite pathetic, I didn't trot on tarmac and I daren't go for a hack.

I must spend this evening writing out ads for my 3, I'm obviously not fit to be an owner.
 
rockysmum said:
Now see what you have done OP

Inspired by this post I decided that one of my field ornaments needed some work. My daughters little 21 year old cob (middle one in my signature)

Now I might have sat on her 10 years ago, maybe, not exactly sure. Since my daughter moved onwards and upwards she hasn't done much, a few people on the yard borrow her occasionally, but I would never part with her.

So I arrive at the yard full of good intentions. Couldn't actually find her tack, its probably in the loft.

Not deterred, see what this post did to me, I found a Parelli headcollar. Not sure I fitted it right but never mind
Found something on the yard high enough so I could slide down onto her back, my old joints protest at anything else.
I then completely chickened out of going for a hack round the large field which had been my original intention. Does anyone know if those Parelli things
actually give you any brakes.
So I rode her round and round the yard, managed a trot, not actually on
tarmac but it was concrete. Does that count.
I think all the competition riders on the yard now think I have moved over to
the dark side. Does anyone have any other NH ideas to wind them up further.
Oh and I dont recommend bareback on a barrel shaped cob, although I admit
it was comfy, you cant wrap your legs around at all.
So my attempt to reform was quite pathetic, I didn't trot on tarmac and I
daren't go for a hack.
I must spend this evening writing out ads for my 3, I'm obviously not fit to be
an owner.
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Lmao ...... Sell the lot of them !!!! :D
 
dooble said:
So, if you're really really really terrified, why bother putting yourself through it? Just asking...
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because once I get going, I enjoy it :D

I am not scared around horses, or of handling any, just riding. But I have gone from being a quivering wreck, to a quivering wreck who has started competing.
I don't really hack, I pootle down the lane, but there is no suitable hacking. I would much rather get off road and do my trotting on paths - not because I believe it's bad for horses legs, but because of lunatic drivers
 
I lost my confidence after being landed on XC when I was quite young, will never jump anything that doesn't fall down ever again :D Even out hunting I give anything too sturdy looking a miss!

I don't understand the no hacking thing though!! If I was a pet horse (which the majority are) and I was kept only in the arena, I think I would die of boredom! Same if I was stabled 24/7!
 
QR
Oh no! My lad doesn't hack out, he can't possibly be fit :eek: Well actually now he is getting older, we have wound down a bit and he keeps himself fit, you should see the star jumps and push ups he does :eek::p:D

He does not trot on concrete because he has worked hard all his life( high level competition driving horse) and whilst not showing any sign of arthritis I don't want to put any more pressure on his joints than necessary. Ditto he doesn't really do much in the way of lunging. Free schooling or ridden schooling occasionally. We don't hack him out because he is extremely nappy, rearing and spinning and can be dangerous if hacked out alone, is much better in company but hates it. Do I get rid of him 'cos he doesn't hack? Do I force him into something he hates and which stresses him beyond belief? Nope, he was not bought as a hack but as a dressage horse. Shall I sell him now? Am I a bad owner?


However, my lad is incredibly easy to get back fully fit. Please don't judge, every horse is different. Also remember schooling can be MUCH harder and can be better for getting a horse fitter than hacking, depending on how either is done.

FDC
 
DragonSlayer said:
Hahaha!

a) Many DO trot on the road, including me.

b) After a scare or a fall, confidence is VERY difficult to get back, anyone thinking otherwise is delusional.

c) My horses ARE kept fit thanks.

That answer it for you?
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Ditto this,only thing to add to b) illness.

Your answer????
 
yes i have field ordament as she is going blind - would i ride at my yard every agian ??? nope due to bitchy nasty comments like OP - I have lost my confidence to ride in front of people over years plus a back i cant afford to damage again so i struggle to relax and ride - but i stopped riding the big lad 2 years ago at yard as ppl gather and talk and watch and im sorry i struggled with that( i want to ride and enjoy) and after 42 yrs i decided wasnt fun anymore. But tonight i rode out with my beautiful caring supportive daughter on her little murph ( the most fun fun pony who spooks at everything bar heavy traffic) and her on big bas- mmmmmmmmm big sigh - may sound silly given have evented show jumped and hunted in past - we trotted tonight ( riden little murph out 4 times but will never ride him in school at her yard)down a green lane and I felt amazing - do not ever knock ppl who know thier boundaries maybe like me they need that special person to get thier confidence back - and remember one day it maybe you who loses it :)
 
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