Trotting issues with horse

Red-1 said:
I think a couple of us have recommended Sally Mitchell, she is in West Yorkshire.

I also recommend Joe Midgely (recommended by someone else, although he historically has been more difficult to get to private clients where there isn't a clinic situation. He is the person who rode mine every week for ages when I wasn't at my most resourceful, but he is not as local to you as Sally would be. He was, however local to me, and fitted mine in before and after clinics on his way to or from home. I would have been happy for Sally to have ridden mine if she had been local.

Sally Mitchell Equestrian

Sally Mitchell is a BHSAI qualified horse trainer. She is a BHS Registered Instructor so is fully insured, holds an up to date first aid certificate and is CRB Checked.
sally-mitchell.com

www.joemidgleyhorsemanship.co.uk

Joe Midgley Horsemanship - Achievment through respect and trust

One of the Uk's leading clinicians, demonstrators and teachers in the field of good horsemanship.
www.joemidgleyhorsemanship.co.uk www.joemidgleyhorsemanship.co.uk
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Sally lives near me, she does travel to clients around West Yorkshire fairly regularly. Sorry I don't know costs
 
Amymay Again said:
OP's had some great advice, and some good contacts to investigate.

Can I suggest, at this point, that we now all wish her well and wait for an update in a couple of weeks time.
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I agree - excellent suggestion.

Jasmine absolutely loves her animals and always puts them first. She quickly bonded with Charlie and he does seem like a lovely big lad.
She's also been wonderful about keeping in touch re. Ozzy.
I think that, with the right people around her, this could work out very well.
 
Nancykitt said:
I agree - excellent suggestion.

Jasmine absolutely loves her animals and always puts them first. She quickly bonded with Charlie and he does seem like a lovely big lad.
She's also been wonderful about keeping in touch re. Ozzy.
I think that, with the right people around her, this could work out very well.
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Thank you xx. Ozzy may be gone but he certainly hasn't been forgotten.
 
So sorry to hear your having a crap time Jasmine. There's plenty advice here by knowledgeable people to help you I'm sure.

Take everything slow, there's no need to rush youself or Charlie, take up the kind offer (if you deem them suitable) to ride and assess him. Also, I know you say there are no other yards around BUT thay may not be the case speak to kind rider/ask on local fb groups (they can be a god send, only reason I have FB really). Dosent seem like current yard is for you, even if you like the people. Wpuld you take assisted livery, drop in price to then pay for a freelance rider weekly instead of full livery?

Get all the routine checks done, teeth, chiropractor, farrier, saddlefitter. Space it out if your needing to money wise. Put riding to one side if your suspect of any goings on with those things. Right now Charlie will be happy being looked after, warm and fed. Gives you time to watch you tube, getting some muscle building/ rider ready excersises in. Can't do any harm, some of them are fab!

Also when you mentioned the instructor was going to help you and Charlie with ' groundwork' what did that mean? I'm hoping it's teaching you to lunge, long rein (full lunge kit on, working Charlie from behind too).

Honestly think, with a wee bit of support, given the right contacts, right yard - you could do this.

More important- where a pic of Charlie 😀
 
Peaches24 said:
So sorry to hear your having a crap time Jasmine. There's plenty advice here by knowledgeable people to help you I'm sure.

Take everything slow, there's no need to rush youself or Charlie, take up the kind offer (if you deem them suitable) to ride and assess him. Also, I know you say there are no other yards around BUT thay may not be the case speak to kind rider/ask on local fb groups (they can be a god send, only reason I have FB really). Dosent seem like current yard is for you, even if you like the people. Wpuld you take assisted livery, drop in price to then pay for a freelance rider weekly instead of full livery?

Get all the routine checks done, teeth, chiropractor, farrier, saddlefitter. Space it out if your needing to money wise. Put riding to one side if your suspect of any goings on with those things. Right now Charlie will be happy being looked after, warm and fed. Gives you time to watch you tube, getting some muscle building/ rider ready excersises in. Can't do any harm, some of them are fab!

Also when you mentioned the instructor was going to help you and Charlie with ' groundwork' what did that mean? I'm hoping it's teaching you to lunge, long rein (full lunge kit on, working Charlie from behind too).

Honestly think, with a wee bit of support, given the right contacts, right yard - you could do this.

More important- where a pic of Charlie 😀
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Sadly I can't do any other than full livery, I have a zoo at home that takes up a lot of my time 😅. I also don't have much energy for some of the jobs involved either with my arthritis and associated fatigue.
With the groundwork yes it will be lunging and long reining that's all I know for now.
As for a photo when I get it to work there will be a photo lol.
 
Can Charlie go on 24/7 turnout where you are at all? You don't know really when he was backed, possibly needing turned away. He sounds like a horse with a good head on him so far. Kevin's yet to come but Crack the groundwork first.

Please don't take this young horse on the road yourself though xx
 
Lilly-Mayspookatbags said:
You’ve mentioned cost - it’s worth doing the maths on what you pay for Full livery + Lessons !

Schooling livery starts at 200pw round us in North Yorkshire

That can include lessons on the horse instead of them riding depending on the person.
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Agree I think this is what OP needs to be looking for - even long term rather than moving pony back to the riding school.
 
What a flood of answers! If I haven't missed it though, you haven't got any specific tips on how to stay in balance in the rising trot?

To stay in balance the following three joints should form a vertical line in a neutral position: ankles, hips, shoulders. First, on the standing horse, you align your pelvis in the saddle so that your lower back is straight (not rounded, not arched). This gives you full 3dimensional flexibility of the hips and pelvis when the horse is moving. Then you check whether your ankles and shoulders are in line with the hips. If this feels already natural - great! If not, practice in walk first.

The rising trot is often explained poorly. If you were told to "stand up" (like me), it gives you the totally wrong idea and inadvertantly you use the wrong muscles, i. e. the thigh muscles. If you do this you push the hips and pelvis up and forward in an arched line, so they're not in line with your ankles anymore and that exactly makes you lose your balance. An experienced horse will balance this out, but it puts unnecessary weight on the forehand and long-term it's really unhealthy for the horse.

What you have to do instead to rise is to let your pelvis rotate around the hips while they stay in line with the ankles and shoulders. You can practice this off the horse, preferably in front of a mirror. Assume rider's position (straight lower back!) and then "tuck the tail" between your legs while maintaining the ankle-hip-shoulder line to rise and then rotate back to neutral to sit down. This movement is all you need, the horse does the rest for you.

I recommend you practice on a schoolhorse first. Once you get the knack of it, it'll become really easy and effortless.

Good luck and all the best for you and Charlie!
 
A quick update. With the riding school instructor we did some lunging and he walked trotted and cantered fine. He was really good. I had a little go with the lunge myself too for the first time. I then got on him for 10 mins and walked but stood up and down as we we walked and he certainly wasn't bothered by me moving up and down. I have a lady coming to check his saddle on Thursday afternoon. Baby steps but I am working on it.
 
Jasmine2023 said:
A quick update. With the riding school instructor we did some lunging and he walked trotted and cantered fine. He was really good. I had a little go with the lunge myself too for the first time. I then got on him for 10 mins and walked but stood up and down as we we walked and he certainly wasn't bothered by me moving up and down. I have a lady coming to check his saddle on Thursday afternoon. Baby steps but I am working on it.
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Sounds very positive, well done.
 
Jasmine2023 said:
A quick update. With the riding school instructor we did some lunging and he walked trotted and cantered fine. He was really good. I had a little go with the lunge myself too for the first time. I then got on him for 10 mins and walked but stood up and down as we we walked and he certainly wasn't bothered by me moving up and down. I have a lady coming to check his saddle on Thursday afternoon. Baby steps but I am working on it.
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positive update - you may feel like a child learning to ride, but this is how we get the babies (horses) used to the feel of a rising trot and movement in the saddle when we are backing them.
 
dorsetladette said:
positive update - you may feel like a child learning to ride, but this is how we get the babies (horses) used to the feel of a rising trot and movement in the saddle when we are backing them.
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It doesn't bother me if it feels like I am having to do basic things again I am quite happy to do what's needed. Feeling more confident about things now. He was such a good boy yesterday even when this numpty was trying to lunge him for the first time 😂.
 
misst said:
You are obviously putting Charlie first and thinking all this through and listening to experienced people on here. You are certainly giving both of you the best shot.xx
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I most definitely am 😁.

I had someone come out to ride him today and trot him and he was perfect. So it's just me not him. She did say he is very bouncy which I knew so this may have contributed to the issue with me trotting him. So I need to work on getting used to that and when I feel ready I will try trotting him again but probably on the lunge. He was such a good boy, nice and calm for her. Feeling so much more positive now.
 
Jasmine2023 said:
I most definitely am 😁.

I had someone come out to ride him today and trot him and he was perfect. So it's just me not him. She did say he is very bouncy which I knew so this may have contributed to the issue with me trotting him. So I need to work on getting used to that and when I feel ready I will try trotting him again but probably on the lunge. He was such a good boy, nice and calm for her. Feeling so much more positive now.
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This is such fantastic news! Charlie is a real gem - sweet-natured cobs are worth their weight in gold!
With time and work/support, he will become the sort of horse that will really look after you out on rides.

It's been a positive day for Ozzy too - he allowed me to trim his beard with the clippers! And this was with him standing in the field on the other side of the gate, no headcollar...he was happy for me to use the clippers and didn't bat an eyelid. Now if he would let us do the same thing with his legs....!

It's a great feeling when we make progress with our horses. I know things are a bit up and down with Ozzy, and possibly with Charlie too, but when something clicks there's nothing quite like it.
 
Jasmine2023 said:
I most definitely am 😁.

I had someone come out to ride him today and trot him and he was perfect. So it's just me not him. She did say he is very bouncy which I knew so this may have contributed to the issue with me trotting him. So I need to work on getting used to that and when I feel ready I will try trotting him again but probably on the lunge. He was such a good boy, nice and calm for her. Feeling so much more positive now.
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I've got one with a different trot, he's half Spanish, its a staccato slightly choppy trot, makes you concentrate to ride it well
 
Nancykitt said:
This is such fantastic news! Charlie is a real gem - sweet-natured cobs are worth their weight in gold!
With time and work/support, he will become the sort of horse that will really look after you out on rides.

It's been a positive day for Ozzy too - he allowed me to trim his beard with the clippers! And this was with him standing in the field on the other side of the gate, no headcollar...he was happy for me to use the clippers and didn't bat an eyelid. Now if he would let us do the same thing with his legs....!

It's a great feeling when we make progress with our horses. I know things are a bit up and down with Ozzy, and possibly with Charlie too, but when something clicks there's nothing quite like it.
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I really am not having the problems you have had with Ozzy though. I think Charlie is just a bit green but his general temperament is brilliant, you can do pretty much everything with him and he doesn't care. He's not keen on having his face brushed but he just turns his face away there is no nastiness or anything with it. Some of the issues with the trotting are obviously with me I can't blame him at all as he trots on the lunge and with an experienced rider.

I am glad you had a win with Ozzy. It really does make you feel it's all worthwhile doesn't it.
 
Jasmine2023 said:
I really am not having the problems you have had with Ozzy though. I think Charlie is just a bit green but his general temperament is brilliant, you can do pretty much everything with him and he doesn't care. He's not keen on having his face brushed but he just turns his face away there is no nastiness or anything with it. Some of the issues with the trotting are obviously with me I can't blame him at all as he trots on the lunge and with an experienced rider.

I am glad you had a win with Ozzy. It really does make you feel it's all worthwhile doesn't it.
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Absolutely - Charlie is obviously a lovely temperament and I don't think the trotting issue is anything major - it can certainly be sorted.

Ozzy is learning to be more trusting but I honestly think he was so traumatised by the whole auction thing and especially what happened with the dealer, he was just incredibly wary of people.
We don't expect a lot of quick wins, but that's OK, there's no rush with Ozzy.
I'm sure that you will make lots of progress with Charlie now!
 
Nancykitt said:
Ozzy is learning to be more trusting but I honestly think he was so traumatised by the whole auction thing and especially what happened with the dealer, he was just incredibly wary of people
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I am not surprised. He has been let down by a lot of people in a short space of time. I wish I hadn't been one of those people. I don't think his previous owners did him any favours sending him off to the auction.

Nancykitt said:
I'm sure that you will make lots of progress with Charlie now!
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I am sure we will. I mainly want to hack out but with a little learning too and I know he can do all 3 paces. I may not bother with the canter it looks a little too fast for me lol.
 
misst said:
Jasmine you didnt let Ozzie down. He was, in many way lucky enough to land with someone who was able to admit that they were out of their depth and not too proud to allow someone else to take over the reins. Plenty out there would not have had the humility to do that.
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I was just about to say the same thing! There is no way that Ozzy was let down by Jasmine - she put him first, just like she does with all her animals.
By the time he arrived at Jasmine's yard, the damage had already been done. Ozzy led a very sheltered life for 8 years and then had a few very bad experiences, which affected him before he got to Jasmine. And she 100% did the right thing - we do love him (even though he drives us to distraction at times!)
 
misst said:
Jasmine you didnt let Ozzie down. He was, in many way lucky enough to land with someone who was able to admit that they were out of their depth and not too proud to allow someone else to take over the reins. Plenty out there would not have had the humility to do that.
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Thank you. I have never been one to over horse themselves and I am quite happy to be honest about my riding abilities. What's the point you soon get caught out.

Nancykitt said:
I was just about to say the same thing! There is no way that Ozzy was let down by Jasmine - she put him first, just like she does with all her animals.
By the time he arrived at Jasmine's yard, the damage had already been done. Ozzy led a very sheltered life for 8 years and then had a few very bad experiences, which affected him before he got to Jasmine. And she 100% did the right thing - we do love him (even though he drives us to distraction at times!)
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Thank you for your kind words. I would indeed go without if needed so my pets get everything they need.

I am glad you are happy with Ozzy despite him being a bit of hard work at times 😂.
 
Another quick update. Charlie had his saddle checked today. His saddle is good for the moment but was slightly out of balance and not sitting on his back as it should so she adjusted the flock at the head. He was slightly tighter and reactive on the thoracolumbar right side (her words not mine lol) and she has done a little manipulation with it. Needs checking in 3 months as he is growing. She made me aware that he may need another saddle eventually. So that's his saddle for now it's fine and he seems good.
 
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