Trotting issues with horse

Jasmine2023 said:
I spent a lot of money on him and raided my savings. I don't have the money left to send him away for more schooling or get a professional rider in. So a bit stuck really.
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If you don't have funds to invest in 5 y/o then I would suggest you sell him before other problems / niggles arise. It sounds like you are nervous of him and think it is something you are doing, that can spiral downwards quite quickly.

He will go through the 'Kevin' stage aged 6 ish and be horrible
He'll need 4-6 different saddles between weak unschooled 5 y/o and strong mature 9 y/o
He'll need to be out and about in all sorts of different situations to enable him to get the mileage to be confident and happy in whatever is asked of him.
100's of lessons from all sorts of different instructors - groundwork instructors are invaluable in the early stages.

I'd personally budget to spend £4-5k on life experience / lessons / clinics / saddles / help with whatever problems arise - to transition a green 5 y/o to a quality all rounder aged 9.

It's a bad time of year to sell, so you will have to be prepared to lose some of the money you've spent
 
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yes that spiral is what I would be concerned about. We recently had a 6yo cob on the yard, purchased by not novice but nervous riding style lady owner.

He had learned in a previous home as a 5yo that buggering off worked quite well for him (he was a bit of an anxious sort and I do think he was reacting out of fear) and soon started to repeat that pattern, sent for a couple of months schooling and improved with pro but still not 100% when back. The pro had him on sales livery on the end and I imagine he is much happier with a rider he can take the confidence from he needed.

You need to consider that this new cob may have been dragged out of a field 2 weeks before sale, backed meaning someone with a good seat/experience had sat on him and got him to wtc in a vague way and that being the extent of his previous training. That or he was backed as a 3yo then left in a field until sale.
 
Mrs. Jingle said:
When you ride him out by yourself, does he trot ok then?
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I haven't trotted out on the road.

Thanks for all the advice. It looks like someone gave me the wrong advice re: buying him and I have got myself into another bad situation. The riding school where I am have suggested lots of ground work but that's all. I know that I will not buy another horse so I either try and get it to work with Charlie or I just give up now which is a shame.
 
Oh dear, I hadn't realised the situation. How sad for this lovely new horse and for you OP. Unfortunately I think yet again, you have had terrible advice to buy a youngster given how very inexperienced and nervous you were with the last pony you had.

I know what I want to write but I am trying to be as polite as possible and not add to your distress. Perhaps you are right and it may be the wisest thing to sell this horse before any lasting damage is done, and give up on the idea of woning and perhaps just stick to riding school horses for a year or two?

You are still relatively young and it will still be very feasible and with another couple of years riding experience on many different horses you might be in a far better place, on the right horse of course?

If you do decide to carry on I really would second finding a really good and experienced instructor to help you.
 
Do you have a trusted instructor, who knows you well, who wasn't involved in recommending you buy him.

A couple of £50 lessons to really get an honest opinion would be a drop in the ocean now £ wise - but might help you reach the right decision.

it's impossible for strangers on the internet to really understand what he's doing or how much you can manage on your own.
 
Polos Mum said:
Do you have a trusted instructor, who knows you well, who wasn't involved in recommending you buy him.

A couple of £50 lessons to really get an honest opinion would be a drop in the ocean now £ wise - but might help you reach the right decision.

it's impossible for strangers on the internet to really understand what he's doing or how much you can manage on your own.
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This ! Please spend a little bit of money, get some help and try to get this to work. I’m sure you can do it. 💪
 
It seems like you would be much happier with a nice, older horse. Not necessarily the perfect age range of 10-14, 18 year olds can also be great. A youngster doesn't seem like a very good idea, but I do really think that you could have a good time with a safer horse. If you can have a young horse like now, you can sell it and buy an older companion.
 
Hi Jasmine,

First, we need pics of your new horse!!

How are you at rising trot?
Can you rise to the trot comfortably or is it still a bit wobbly at times?

What do you understand a 5 year old who is backed and ridden away is?

For me it would be a horse that is used to tack, tacking up, a rider mounting and the very basic aids. You then need to be able to teach your horse.

Can you use a half halt?
How did you prepare your horse for sitting trot?

Are you at the same yard?

A neck strap can be an old stirrup leather buckled around loose around the horses neck.

If you'd prefer to message me your answers that is fine.

I really feel for you, because I still dont think you have a good support network with you.

I'd be happy to help you with your new horse but think I am out of your area, however I would be happy to take a look at a video of you riding him, via message, to give some advice.
 
Mrs. Jingle said:
You are still relatively young
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Oh god I don't feel it. Seriously though I think at 63 it's too late to be starting over again given the fact that this all messes with my depression it's going to kill me to sell him he's such a lovely gentle boy. I also feel that I am doing these horses a diservice making mistakes then selling on it's not fair on them either. So no there will be no more horses and no more riding lessons that I absolutely know for a fact. I have no one else I can trust to help me in this either. The riding school where we are just seem to think go back to basics with ground work and everything will be fine but I am not so optimistic now.

@moosea I will answer you shortly I am a bit overwhelmed at the moment.
 
Jasmine2023 said:
Oh god I don't feel it. Seriously though I think at 63 it's too late to be starting over again given the fact that this all messes with my depression it's going to kill me to sell him he's such a lovely gentle boy. I also feel that I am doing these horses a diservice making mistakes then selling on it's not fair on them either. So no there will be no more horses and no more riding lessons that I absolutely know for a fact. I have no one else I can trust to help me in this either. The riding school where we are just seem to think go back to basics with ground work and everything will be fine but I am not so optimistic now.

@moosea I will answer you shortly I am a bit overwhelmed at the moment.
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Sometimes we all have a little glass of wine and sometimes a cry too!

Dont be so hard on yourself! You're doing great :)
 
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Do you have any more experienced friends who could lend you a hand? I’m going to go against the grain and say taking things easy with him at his age won’t do any harm - at 5 his skeleton has not finished maturing so groundwork and light riding in walk is hardly the end of the world.

Are you able to ride any other horses while you take things slow with him? It would certainly help to ride as many as possible.

There is a wealth of information available online about training horses (and humans!) for those who look, just don’t get sucked into one particular method and always do your due diligence on the trainer before taking their word as gospel.
 
Amymay Again said:
Out of interest, why didn't you buy a much older, established horse?
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I had a 15 year old horse who was very spooky and hated working in the arena. No real reason why I bought a youngster other than he looked lovely and the videos sent to me on initial enquiry showed a very gentle giant being handled by a young child under 10 with absolute gentlemanly manners. She was the grand daughter of the owner.
 
Nocturnal said:
Do you have any more experienced friends who could lend you a hand? I’m going to go against the grain and say taking things easy with him at his age won’t do any harm - at 5 his skeleton has not finished maturing so groundwork and light riding in walk is hardly the end of the world.

Are you able to ride any other horses while you take things slow with him? It would certainly help to ride as many as possible.

There is a wealth of information available online about training horses (and humans!) for those who look, just don’t get sucked into one particular method and always do your due diligence on the trainer before taking their word as gospel.
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I am a bit of a loner so don't have many friends and certainly none that ride. There is no reason why I can't ride a riding school pony in my lessons it's just not what I wanted I have my own horse so wanted to ride him but I get where your coming from. I have to say thank you though for making a more positive post regarding sticking with him but take it easy. I am not in a rush to loads with him it's just I thought I would try trotting again on him but I don't have to do so again until more work is done for both of us.
 
Have you considered getting a sharer for him? It might be great to have someone else riding him and bringing him on and the money they pay could fund your lessons on a schoolmaster. Having someone else get to know you and him would also give you someone to talk to in real life, other than your instructor who hasn't given you the world's best advice so far. Charlie sounds like a lovely horse and it would be a real shame for you to sell him if you love him, want him and can afford to keep him.
 
kaiserchief said:
Have you considered getting a sharer for him? It might be great to have someone else riding him and bringing him on and the money they pay could fund your lessons on a schoolmaster. Having someone else get to know you and him would also give you someone to talk to in real life, other than your instructor who hasn't given you the world's best advice so far. Charlie sounds like a lovely horse and it would be a real shame for you to sell him if you love him, want him and can afford to keep him.
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Yes I would be interested in a sharer but not sure where to look.

fredflop said:
Ah is this the lady that bought the palamino cob?
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Ozzy, yes that's me. He was a right handful lol. Thankfully now in the best home for him.
 
moosea said:
Hi Jasmine,

First, we need pics of your new horse!!

How are you at rising trot?
Can you rise to the trot comfortably or is it still a bit wobbly at times?

What do you understand a 5 year old who is backed and ridden away is?

For me it would be a horse that is used to tack, tacking up, a rider mounting and the very basic aids. You then need to be able to teach your horse.

Can you use a half halt?
How did you prepare your horse for sitting trot?

Are you at the same yard?

A neck strap can be an old stirrup leather buckled around loose around the horses neck.

If you'd prefer to message me your answers that is fine.

I really feel for you, because I still dont think you have a good support network with you.

I'd be happy to help you with your new horse but think I am out of your area, however I would be happy to take a look at a video of you riding him, via message, to give some advice.
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Sometimes my rising trot is good, sometimes a little wobbly it's a work in progress.
I thought a 5 year old ridden and backed would be fairly good to go. He can be backed okay, stands to me mounted but is eager to get moving lol but once going he is very more whoa than go which is good for me.
Not sure what a half halt is?
I have been at this yard/riding school for about 2 months now.
 
Jasmine2023 said:
Yes I would be interested in a sharer but not sure where to look.
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local university riding club is where I would look. Lots of people who have had to leave their horse at home.
Jasmine2023 said:
Sometimes my rising trot is good, sometimes a little wobbly it's a work in progress.
I thought a 5 year old ridden and backed would be fairly good to go. He can be backed okay, stands to me mounted but is eager to get moving lol but once going he is very more whoa than go which is good for me.
Not sure what a half halt is?
I have been at this yard/riding school for about 2 months now.
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Give me a message when you feel up to it please.
 
HopOnTrot said:
Both of you need some further education and then you’ll be grand together.

Source a regular (paid) rider to further his education.

Continue your education to improve your balance.

Invest in both of you so you can build a partnership.
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I really do want to keep him and am willing to put in the work I just don't know how much I can afford when it comes to money as I am retired now.
 
why would you think a 'backed' horse would be good to go? I find that a bit confusing tbh. If people use backed in an advert that often means just about sat on (hence my previous comments asking if he was ridden away or just backed)

I'd be unlikely to buy anything with less than a year under saddle for myself as I'm not sure I'd want the responsibility of doing all the 'firsts' myself.
 
Oh no , I had hoped you’d found an older experienced one, your instructor was very foolish to think a 5 year old would be good for you, he’s still a baby.

What area are you ? Is there a local equine Facebook group you could ask about local freelance riders?

Do you have the money to get someone experienced to ride him a couple of times a week?
 
A neck strap can be fashioned out of a stirrup leather. The trick is to sit it where your hands will sit when you are holding the reins. You could start by rising while your pony is just walking and see where you go from there. Once your in a rhythm you could gently ( maybe with just the voice) ask for trot and rise for a few strides of trot.
I agree with your yard people suggesting lots of ground work I think that will help you build a relationship with your pony and help you understand each other.

I definitely think help from a pro will help and I would even goes as far as to suggest moving to a professional schooling yard where you can get all the support and hand holding you will need.
 
Jasmine2023 said:
Yes I would be interested in a sharer but not sure where to look.
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As Moosea suggested, if you have a local university, it could be good to ask there. You could also scope out who the more experienced/confident/balanced riders are at your riding school and see if any of them would like some extra saddle time. They would probably be very flattered to be asked.

Alternatively, Facebook can work if you carefully weed through applicants and look for someone you click with and who you think you can offer a mutually beneficial arrangement to. Ideally you want someone more experienced than you but who either lacks the time to have their own horse or has had to leave their horse at home while they are studying/working. Someone who will love bringing Charlie on and treating him as their own on their days, enjoying his lovely personality and willingly paying for the privilege.
 
It’s funny because although I’m an experienced rider, I often put myself down. Anyway , I have a very forward hot chestnut mare. I ride with my leg on ALL THE TIME and keep a slow rising trot and have her in a balanced collected outline. Easy to ride. A friend who is not a novice, rode her out with me on a ride. It was a disaster , she checked her girth, my mare trotted off, very sensitive to any leg movement, and literally couldn’t stop her. She disappeared into the distance with my mare going faster and faster along the road in trot. So, what I’m trying to say is that if you cannot stop her and have come off in trot , then I don’t think your riding correctly or asking or giving the right aids. And need a good instructor. I’d work on a 20m circle going from a collected walk to collected trot for literally ten strides. Half halt. Outside rein. Sit tall and back to walk. And keep repeating.
 
exracehorse said:
It’s funny because although I’m an experienced rider, I often put myself down. Anyway , I have a very forward hot chestnut mare. I ride with my leg on ALL THE TIME and keep a slow rising trot and have her in a balanced collected outline. Easy to ride. A friend who is not a novice, rode her out with me on a ride. It was a disaster , she checked her girth, my mare trotted off, very sensitive to any leg movement, and literally couldn’t stop her. She disappeared into the distance with my mare going faster and faster along the road in trot. So, what I’m trying to say is that if you cannot stop her and have come off in trot , then I don’t think your riding correctly or asking or giving the right aids. And need a good instructor. I’d work on a 20m circle going from a collected walk to collected trot for literally ten strides. Half halt. Outside rein. Sit tall and back to walk. And keep repeating.
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I asked the RI did I do something wrong and the answer was no. They said he appeared to not know what to do and the term 'tucked his bum up underneath' was mentioned I think that's what she said. Does that mean anything to anyone?
 
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