To quit or keep going?

[caraxdene]

Okay, so I am new here and took a look through some recent threads but cannot find something that matches exactly so am posting this here.

My horse is pretty much a ‘saint’. Very easy to handle, ride etc. No changes in anything recently and was seen by the vet/backman/dentist all within the last 2 months.

Generally see her 5 days a week and ride 2, and over last two weeks has both shocked me and made me want to quit altogether as i am so embarrassed today.

(I will add here that I may be overreacting - I’ve had some bad news after coming home from the ride and the last 3 months i've been dealing with a lot. Just want some reassurance and maybe advice on what to do.)

It’s hard to describe as I was on her and not watching but basically she’s acting naughty. Not listening. Not listening then winding herself up and acting like a stresshead. ‘Rooting’. Nothing dangerous, but quite unsettling. No bucking etc. Not concentrating. Seeing monsters that werent there… btw all of this is only in the school (the outdoor arena) and no where else but there's no obvious cause for this either

OF course pain could be an issue, but i know her cues, and they weren’t there - and none were there any other. Also, not in season. (obviously if this persists i’ll get it investigated, but for today, i’m just taking it is her taking the piss)

A handful of the women at the yard said horses have bad days/phases, which yes i know. But has anyone else’s horse who is generally chill decided one day to throw a paddy and then go back to normal?

I think what made it worse was that some of the.. nastier liveries saw me struggling and jump off and gave me a quite harsh earful including telling me she’d just do the same next time as she knows now i’ll get off (they’re like this but are terrified on their own Arabs/TBs…) She’s deffo had naughty days in the past (had her 1.5 years after 1 year part loan) but today was the only day I have not been able to handle it. I feel like she's just turned on me.

I’m genuinely scared for monday when I have to ride again. I feel like I can’t trust her and just looking to know if any horses have done the same but then gone back to normal.

Thank you
x


(PS - If it happens over next week i will get someone out - so dw about that xx)

 

[Pinkvboots]

Sounds like a pain response to me get the basics checked, saddle,teeth and back then if no better get a vet out and do a lack of performance work up.

For now just don't ride until you find out what's wrong.

 

[Ambers Echo]

Hi, yes horses can come out and be silly/spooky for no obvious reason and return entirely to normal the next. They are sentient beings with emotions and opinions. And can have good and bad days, just like we can. I would not immediately rush to a vet workup for spookiness. But would if a change in behaviour persisted.

My horse comes out very differently one day to the next and I do a few minutes of ground work before I get on to check in with her and make sure she is 'with me' and listening before I ride. Sometimes that is 30 seconds as she is there straight away. Sometimes it takes a bit longer.

Re getting off, horses don't consciously 'take the piss' but they are pressure-relief/peace seekers, so if a horse spooks and you immediately remove all pressure by getting off they 'learn' that pratting about is effective way to earn an early return to hay/grass and comfort. We train them to be spooky basically (same with napping). So your liveries are right that getting off is not helpful long term, but obviously being abusive/rude is totally unnecessary and unhelpful. And also safety is more important than longer term training goals so if she was about to deck you, getting off is far better than risking that.

I'd give her the benefit of the doubt, take a deep breath and ride again and see how she is. She may be Saintly again and you'll feel better. You can stay in walk and do some schooling patterns, set out poles to weave between and step over, and keep her brain occupied.

Good luck x

 

[Goldie's mum]

Take out the personal stuff (other things going on for you, embarrassment that some nasty people put their oar in) what you're left with is an unusually stressed, spooky horse. Not aimed at you, not "naughty" but distracted and more adrenaline than usual.
If it's just a one-off you may never know the reason & yes it happens that you can have a really bad day at the office & tomorrow all is forgotten.
If you're worried can you ride with a friend on Monday? Or can you go out for a nice relaxed hack, or even a walk in-hand?

As you have said yourself, if it keeps happening (and I'd say especially if it's only when you try to school her) then she needs the vet .

 

[Equi]

Many horses take from their rider. If you are away somewhere else, she will know and she will think well damn I’m the one looking for danger..and everything is danger.

I always advocate for people being in the right mind to ride. For the horse and for yourself. It is as if not more important than being physically fit to ride. You’ve been dealing with a lot so you need to help your own mind and not transfer that to the horse.. before you ride on Monday YouTube a meditation and attempt to get yourself into the right frame of mind and have a plan.

I know at the start of my ownership my horse was very clingy to the instructor and would try and take control of the ride. I had to be on him 100% of the time and dictate every single stride. If I didn’t he would spin, nap, rush and unbalance himself. Over the years he has got To the point we can just pootle about if I want but some days I can tell he needs me to be switched on and that’s when I flip into thinking about every stride again.

 

[Upthecreek]

Does the horse only get ridden twice a week in total, both rides in the arena?

 

[Pearlsasinger]

You said yourself that you weren't watching, if you don't concentrate on what you and the horse are doing, you can't expect the horse to do so. You certainly can't expect her to do it for you. A few horses will look after the rider under all circumstances, they are very difficult to find and often extremely expensive to buy. Most horses need to work in partnership with the rider. Can you work out if your attitude to riding changes when you go into the arena, or if the horse maybe objecting to the going/surface in there?

 

[Ambers Echo]

I assumed OP meant it was hard to read the horse as she was not on the ground watching? IOP, if you mean you were basically inattentive then yes, you need to be mentally tuned in to your horse. If I tune out, Lottie then feels she needs to evaluate risk herself! And we really don't want that.

 

[cauda equina]

Has anything changed in her management that might account for this - different feed, a different field or field companions?
My usually sensible gelding was a bit unpredictable yesterday, I think the horseflies were tormenting him

Does she get plenty of turnout, or do you need to ride her to exercise her?
If not you could turn up on Monday and go in the arena with the intention of just getting on, and getting off again
Or walk a lap of the school if you feel comfortable, then get off
And yes you do need to pay attention!
As Mark Rashid says - They know when you're there, and they know when you're not there.
And when you're not there mentally they will make their own arrangements.

Have you got an instructor you trust?
Some eyes on the ground, and someone else taking charge of the situation, might be all you need
Good luck!

 

[sbloom]

Those ARE all potentially cues. If you have some groundwork tools up your sleeve then getting off is no issue whatsoever, as you're changing tactics to work on her focus and connection with you. Just as getting off on a hack to lead the horse past the obstacle is a good plan if safe to do so.

Lots of good questions above which will help you work through it.

 

[caraxdene]

Sounds like a pain response to me get the basics checked, saddle,teeth and back then if no better get a vet out and do a lack of performance work up.

more adrenaline than usual.

My mother said pain response too - but everything was checked so recently so that why I'm surprised (even saddle was fitted about 3 weeks ago)


That's how i felt: it was like she was pumped with adrenaline and very agitated

Re getting off, horses don't consciously 'take the piss' but they are pressure-relief/peace seekers, so if a horse spooks and you immediately remove all pressure by getting off they 'learn' that pratting about is effective way to earn an early return to hay/grass and comfort. We train them to be spooky basically (same with napping). So your liveries are right that getting off is not helpful long term, but obviously being abusive/rude is totally unnecessary and unhelpful. And also safety is more important than longer term training goals so if she was about to deck you, getting off is far better than risking that.

I'd give her the benefit of the doubt, take a deep breath and ride again and see how she is. She may be Saintly again and you'll feel better. You can stay in walk and do some schooling patterns, set out poles to weave between and step over, and keep her brain occupied.

I know in the long term it can teach them - but a one off/once in a blue moon thing. but yes you are right about giving her the benefit of the doubt!!

Does the horse only get ridden twice a week in total, both rides in the arena?

Yes, generally. but hacks in the spring/summer/autumn though

I assumed OP meant it was hard to read the horse as she was not on the ground watching?

yes this is what I meant. Of course I was paying attention, it's just I wasn't watching as a bystander so I couldnt read her facially (her eyes are a dead give away) or myself and try an identify the root cause like that. generally, my brother

Has anything changed in her management that might account for this - different feed, a different field or field companions?
My usually sensible gelding was a bit unpredictable yesterday, I think the horseflies were tormenting him

Does she get plenty of turnout, or do you need to ride her to exercise her?

plenty of turnout, nothing has changed. Horseflies were horrendous yesterday though, could it have purely been that?

 

[cauda equina]

It's impossible to say without seeing if it was purely down to flies but I am sure they wouldn't have helped

 

[Chianti]

I hate to say it but 'taking the piss' with my saint of a pony turned out to be ulcers.

 

[Jacksie]

Not sure where about you are, or if this is relevant to you but I’ve got one who routinely gets spooky/sharp/silly for a day or two after it rains and the grass flushes.

 

[Pinkvboots]

It's impossible to say without seeing if it was purely down to flies but I am sure they wouldn't have helped

Arabi hates horseflies if we are hacking he will start to jog leap and then attempt to run home

 

[Goldenstar]

If I rode my horse twice a week he would be appalling .

 

[Upthecreek]

If I rode my horse twice a week he would be appalling .

Mine would be bored senseless being exercised twice a week in the arena and would make up their own entertainment, which would not be fun for either of us. They don’t need riding every day, but twice a week is not enough to keep them engaged.

I would be worried that the horse is not fit enough to spend all exercise time being schooled, which could explain the behaviour. Whatever the cause, the horse was giving very obvious cues that she wasn’t happy during that particular session.

 

[Ratface]

Old Horse, who is retired, makes up his own excercise. He jumps fences (loved showjumping) then careers round the fifty-acre farm, flat out. Shrieks menaces at dog walkers on the PROW. Never goes anywhere near to them, though. When he's exhausted all this merry-making, he comes back to the yard and demands a carrot for his guard duty. Which, of course, he gets.

 

[SEL]

Grass flush?

My saint of a little cob was on fire over the weekend. She doesn't spook but we do end up with brake failure where she just seems to want to run it out of herself. I know her well enough to know that she's had too much grass. Arenas are a waste of time when she's like that - she needs a field margin and allowed to run. Once she's had a good ride like that you can put a baby on her.

 

[caraxdene]

Not sure where about you are, or if this is relevant to you but I’ve got one who routinely gets spooky/sharp/silly for a day or two after it rains and the grass flushes.

what are grass flushes??

Arabi hates horseflies if we are hacking he will start to jog leap and then attempt to run home

hmmm, starting to think flies were certainly an aggravating factor

Grass flush?

My saint of a little cob was on fire over the weekend. She doesn't spook but we do end up with brake failure where she just seems to want to run it out of herself. I know her well enough to know that she's had too much grass. Arenas are a waste of time when she's like that - she needs a field margin and allowed to run. Once she's had a good ride like that you can put a baby on her.

yes, my mare was actually ridden by a 4 year old a while ago because their pony was throwing her off...

+++ Update:

was back to normal today. as though nothing ever happened, despite the fact i was very tense at first. I'm stumped...

 

[Caski]

What happened before arenas?

Did horses have fewer issues in their basic ridden work? I mostly associate spooktastic days with a bit of overfeeding / too much good grass /time off or the hounds had been past home!

Not meant seriously really but I do ponder...

 

[Jacksie]

I suspect my mares hind gut is affected when the grass flushes after a period of it being dry and warm. When it rains, the grass has a growth spurt. Being a greedy sort, she gorges and the increased fructans in the grass causes her gut to get acidic which makes her uncomfortable, crabby and spooky for a day or two.

I try to keep an eye on the weather and take reduce her turnout by a few hours a day after it rains which seems to helps her.

 

[Oldernewbie]

OP honestly horses aren’t really cognitively able to be naughty, so discount that and ignore what other liveries say.
It sounds very much like something was bothering your Mare today, she clearly had mental and physical tension. My bet would also be pain
(back saddle mouth etc are good basic checks but sadly often there will be pain elsewhere and it can be hard to identify). Maybe just step back and do ground work for a while to reconnect without pressure and allow any niggling physical issues to settle.
Lastly at my yard our trainer is a great believer in reading the horse you have before you and giving yourself permission not to even get on if that horse seems unsettled or anxious. Leave it and next time will likely be fine!! It takes the stress out and in my opinion is a much safer approach.