Thinking of giving it all up..

[mightymammoth]

I have a sharer, I guess I'm not struggling financially it's more a case of ploughing money into something I'm not enjoying.

Why don't I enjoy them? Because I don't feel as a rider I have the talent to enjoy them. I don't know how to work them in an outline or school correctly and no matter how many books I read or how many lessons I have I always seem to feel the same.

I basically reckon I'm just crap and unless I have a horse that knows its job (which I don't) then I kid myself into thinking I actually have a clue!

I am the same when people talk about working in outlines being on the right leg etc I dont have a clue what they mean they may as well be talking french but I am happy just to be a happy hack luckily.

 

[darkhorse123]

It sounds as though you have not found the right instructor. I often find that the way the BHS teach does little for teaching people 'true feel'. It all seems to be about shortening your reins and pushing the horse into the contact. If you are being taught this way then you will never know how to ride a horse in an outline and to school correctly. Find an instructor who will spend time getting to know your horse by actually riding it. I do not believe anyone can teach effectively until they have ridden the horse they are teaching their client on.

wow you rnot an instructor and near leeds are you?

I stopped lessons last yr because i got sick of them - actuallly dreaded them. I now rely on friends (very experienced) to give me tips and advice out hacking and feel i have learnt so much more.

 

[EquestrianFairy]

The one I own I have had for 3 years and could never sell as he is worth more than any horse fund. He is capable of jumping unaff classes up to 3'3 but he is a smidge over 14.3hh and needs a smaller rider (hence my sharer)
Loan horse is on LWVTB she is bigger but a blank canvas mainly and would need to be taught your supposed to jump the jump not try to run through it etc.

 

[Pearlsasinger]

I stopped lessons last yr because i got sick of them - actuallly dreaded them. I now rely on friends (very experienced) to give me tips and advice out hacking and feel i have learnt so much more.

Very wise!

Although I know where Wagtail is coming from, when she says the instructor needs to ride the horse in order to know how to ride it, I actually think that the ability to teach is more important than the ability to ride.
As far as I can tell BHS exams, particularly the lower levels, are more about the RI's ability to ride.
IMO, what an instructor needs is the experience to be able to look at a horse & rider combination and tell what they need. They then need to be able to impart that to the rider in a manner which builds, rather than destroys their confidence.
Very few people actually need to be told to fiddle about with the reins until their horse brings its head in!

 

[EquestrianFairy]

Very wise!

Although I know where Wagtail is coming from, when she says the instructor needs to ride the horse in order to know how to ride it, I actually think that the ability to teach is more important than the ability to ride.
As far as I can tell BHS exams, particularly the lower levels, are more about the RI's ability to ride.
IMO, what an instructor needs is the experience to be able to look at a horse & rider combination and tell what they need. They then need to be able to impart that to the rider in a manner which builds, rather than destroys their confidence.
Very few people actually need to be told to fiddle about with the reins until their horse brings its head in!

The instructor i wanted to use is like this ^^^ she rode my other horse and helped me out then, its just a pain not being able to use her.

 

[Fantasy_World]

The one I own I have had for 3 years and could never sell as he is worth more than any horse fund. He is capable of jumping unaff classes up to 3'3 but he is a smidge over 14.3hh and needs a smaller rider (hence my sharer)
Loan horse is on LWVTB she is bigger but a blank canvas mainly and would need to be taught your supposed to jump the jump not try to run through it etc.

In that case then I would still consider moving yards if you do seriously want to keep both of them. Find a yard that is not necessarily a competition yard but has a school and jumps, or where you can easily get access to one that does. For instance in Cheshire we have Somerford, Cheshire View, and other venues that have rides with jumps or else schools to hire with or without jumps. Do you have any of those options near you?
If you ask on here I am sure some of the folks on here will happily recommend you some good intructors that will help with the blank canvas horse. I think that is better than staying put and being undermined by your yard owners as that is what I believe they are doing
I don't know how well you ride, your experience, or indeed that of your horses and it is not my place to judge. That is up to the instructor that you choose to help who will see your strengths and weaknesses and that of your horse and give you both the help that you may need.
I have been happy on yards but for one reason or another have had to move. That said I am happy about moving and I think once you have done it you won't look back. I think many people fear the unknown and change. I don't know if you are that sort of person, but if you are remember everything happens for a reason and there are silver linings.
Having a blank canvas is perhaps better because you can in fact learn together and as a result will have a better bond with each other, which for jumping I would imagine would be a bonus.
You could maybe ask your sharer if she wanted to loan your other horse which may give you a little more time to spend with the mare?
Depending on what your sharer wants to do eventually and if you have transport then it may be a workable situation if you both wanted to do any competitions as you could go halves on any fuel costs?
I would take the time to have a long good sit down and think about it.
Maybe do a list of what you want from the horses, what you have managed to do so far and what you haven't.
Any postives and negatives from having the horses.
Postives and negatives about the yard you are on.
Have a look around in your area, go to visit a few and see what is out there.
Then sit back and make some decisions, as to whether you wish to keep them or move on to pastures new with them both and take your future forward.
Good luck in whatever you decide x