Stupid Horses

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BFG

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I have put my mare on part loan and she is a nice stead hack. Not a plod along but very safe my friend’s husband can hack her out and he has only sat on a horse 3 times in his life.

Anyway, last night was my new ladies first night on her own (without me) so she took my mare for a little hack on her own (she is good if not better on her own). Anyway i get a text this morning saying she wants to give her up and that she took her on a hack last night and she was spooking at everything stopped and refused to move then when she turned her round she pranced home, this horse has never pranced in the 17 years I have owned her (it is too much like hard work). She got back onto the road near the yard and she started bucking in the middle of the road they then turned down the track to the yard and she settled.

I wouldn’t have let anyone take her out if i thought she would be dangerous and i have been hacking her out myself all week and she has been brilliant.

How can i persuade someone who doesn’t know either of us that this is not normal and that i really wouldn’t have let her out if there was a chance she would do that.

I must add that before she committed to her she took her on a 2.5hour hack with me and my mare never put a foot wrong.

What can i do?????
 
I would be willing to bet this lady is very nervous hacking out on her own and this transferred to your horse. I don't think there is a lot you can do (without putting in a lot of time building confidence in her) and it would probably be better for your horse if you find someone else.
 
I had the same problem, I had a girl shareing my pony.
In the 5yrs Ive had him hes never put a foot wrong for me or my mum and is the boobproofiest pony ive ever had.

The 1st few weeks were ok then things just got worse he was doing things ihad NEVER seen him do before. I was gobsmacked and couldn't believe he was behaving like it.

needless to say i stop the share and now have a different girl and hes the same old pony ive always known!

I know it sounds stupid but I really don't think he liked this girl (don't know why)

To be honest if shes not right for your horse it will be best all round if you find someone else, from experience its really not worth trying to persist with it as its you that ends up with the problem
 
Your both right.

She was so good with her on the long hack and in the school. I am so shocked that this has happened that i want to get to the bottom of it, but i will let her walk away from it.

My mare was testing her i think and unfortunately won.

I am gutted.

Oh well back to the drawing board.
 
I learned to ride (and fall off!) a pony who specialized in decking anyone who thought they knew what they were doing, but could be trusted 200% with little children. I suspect your mare is aware that your husband is a total novice, but decided to test the mettle of the loaner, who more than likely took a strong contact and was perhaps a bit too dominant. She was probably on edge being out on her own with a horse she doesn't know very well yet, and that transmitted to your mare. Perhaps she even sat in an uncomfortable way. You can't boss a mare, they always have the last word on the matter!

Perhaps you could let the lady ride again with you following some way behind so that you could see for yourself?
 
Fatpiggy (love the user name BTW) I have texted her (we are both at work) and asked her to meet me at the yard tonight and i will walk on foot with her to see what is happening but she hasn’t got back to me so i think that is a no.

You are right about asking a mare but she rode so well the 3 other times she rode her.

Oh well never mind, my problem is I am too stubborn and I would want to ride again and sort out the problem but not everyone is the same.
 
[ QUOTE ]
Sounds like the rider's nerves are messing up your horse. Get her back before there is any permanent damage!

[/ QUOTE ]

I am going to take her out on her own this afternoon to make sure she doesn’t think that a strop 5 mins away from home means you can come back to your tea.

I think a lesson has been learnt, you don’t have to be the best rider in the world to get a tune out of my mare just have a little bit of bottle.
 
Would also ad that your horse isn't, I assume, given how long you've had her, that used to being ridden by strangers. She will need time to learn to trust sharer.

My share horse is *much* calmer with me now and spends a long time grooming me but spooked at most movements I made to start off with. I'm watching him go through the same thing getting used to our new sharer now, which is interesting becasue she is a /way/ calmer, more experienced rider than me.

Sounds like perhaps both sets of nerves came into play here!
 
Update - I asked a girl that has only just moved on to take her round the block (she had hacked out with me on her so knew she was safe). I knew that she would be brilliant if i took her out but thought that i would get a better idea if a stranger took her out for me.

Anyway, the horses behaved brilliantly as i thought she would and the only thing the girl said was that she was walking really slow off the yard so she insisted that she walk quicker and that was it.

I now know that she needs a firm rider. I will make sure the next person to try her is more confident.

Thanks for all your posts.
 
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