Trying horses - very nervous in the school

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Bramblebear

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I have started the search for a new horse. I would class myself as an experienced horse owner and generally a confident rider. For years I have been a happy hacker (generally with quirky horses) and am now looking for something easy to get me schooling again and maybe do a bit of showing/low-level dressage. I have made this clear to the people whose horses I plan to go and see, but I am crippled by nerves. The idea of riding a new horse in the school with people watching me fills me with dread. I know that my riding position is not great, especially going from trot to canter. I am not even sure when I last sat to a canter! I am really worried that they are going to think I am a complete idiot! I have no fear about hacking any horse out, it is just the idea of being in a school.

Has anyone else been like this trying new horses? Does it get easier the more you try? How long did you normally ride the horse in the school before asking to take it for a little hack?

Thanks
 
Im the same, i think i ride like a bag of spanners in the school { which i do not enjoy anyway} i rode my last horse that i bought for 1 minute in the school before i took him out for a hack { the previous owner give him a workout in the school before me}
 
I hate riding in front of people so totally understand how you are feeling.

Do you have someone you trust who would go with you and ride 'for' you?
 
Can you take an instructor with you? It helps to have someone telling you what to do, and sellers won't be phased by it :D
 
ameeyal said:
Im the same, i think i ride like a bag of spanners in the school { which i do not enjoy anyway} i rode my last horse that i bought for 1 minute in the school before i took him out for a hack { the previous owner give him a workout in the school before me}
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I did exactly the same. If you don't want to ride in the school in front of them, then don't. And if they won't let you hack it, maybe there is something they don't want you to know.
 
Could you afford a few lessons at a decent riding school while you look? It would get you confident with riding different horses and would help you to improve your position so you're not so worried about it. It may also help you to realise the seller is probably as nervous as you, desperately hoping the horse is going to behave so that you will want him!
 
I don't really have an instructor at the moment. I am taking an experienced friend with me, who used to be an instructor and who I trust. He won't be able to ride for me though because he has a broken arm. I am definitely a little bit reassured that he is coming, but I am even a bit nervous of him seeing me ride in the school!

I did recently have a riding lesson at a riding school as a practise exercise, but their horses are all complete kick alongs that I didn't feel I gained much. I might give a couple of other local riding schools a call though and explain my situation and see if they can help.
 
I hate riding strange horses in front of people but I wouldn't hack out unless I had ridden it in the school. I took my instructor most of the time and she rode the ones I liked after me. If it looked dangerous I wouldn't have got on. I only ask to hack out if I am seriously interested. If I could see I didn't like the horse and I would politely decline to ride at all and say he's not for me to save everyone's time. You can always find something nice to say so people don't think you are being rude. Have fun! And good luck
 
Try not to over think the situation, I sell a few and most people are nervous/ ride at their worst/ say stupid things etc. if they are really concerned about being watched I usually offer to go out of sight and leave the buyer and friends to get on with it, I tend to pop my head round the corner just to ensure they are not totally hopeless but generally if the horse is right most people quickly relax, start riding more confidently and end up chatting away asking loads of questions.
Make sure you see the horse ridden, if it seems wrong for you in any way or shows something that makes you feel worried about riding it then do not even get on, better to walk away and be labeled a timewaster than get on and have an incident that puts your confidence back.
If the horse seems suitable get on and take as long as you like, no need to canter if you don't want to, if everything feels good then ask to go for a short hack, ideally somewhere you can try a short canter. At any point you can stop, no one will really mind if the horse is not for you just say so, no need to make any real excuses just a simple "not for me" should suffice, if it is the one then going back for a proper hack should be arranged ASAP so you can have a really good idea of what the horse is like when you get on and go straight out.
 
Everyone hates trying strange horses in front of an audience, unless of course it is something they do every day. I wouldn't worry, anyone who has anything to do with horses knows what it's like! Just refuse any iffy ones before trying them.

Everyone on here always says take an instructor, I never understand that unless the person is a friend first, who just happens to be an instructor. The only time I took my instructor I bought a horse that he didn't like and he had an almighty grump about it! Time proved that I was right and I had that horse to the end of his days. The horse is for you, not an instructor, and I would value a good horsey friend's opinion more any day. Besides which, when you see a horse you like - you won't be nearly so nervous as you think.
 
cobgoblin said:
Everyone hates trying strange horses in front of an audience, unless of course it is something they do every day. I wouldn't worry, anyone who has anything to do with horses knows what it's like! Just refuse any iffy ones before trying them.

Everyone on here always says take an instructor, I never understand that unless the person is a friend first, who just happens to be an instructor. The only time I took my instructor I bought a horse that he didn't like and he had an almighty grump about it! Time proved that I was right and I had that horse to the end of his days. The horse is for you, not an instructor, and I would value a good horsey friend's opinion more any day. Besides which, when you see a horse you like - you won't be nearly so nervous as you think.
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This is a very good point. When I'm in your position, I plan on taking two friends with me. One has an amazing eye for a horse and has never bought a bad one (for her daughter, she barely rides any more!). The other will be my test pilot, a far better rider than me and happy to get on anything. Neither is an instructor but both know me better than any instructor and will tell me straight if they think a horse is for me or not.
 
Although very nice and interesting to see it's different paces demonstrated in an arena by it's current rider I also want to see it ridden by it's rider on a busy main road with lots of heavy traffic and spooky things.
It is at that point that I will hop on and take it for a spin.
 
OWLIE185 said:
Although very nice and interesting to see it's different paces demonstrated in an arena by it's current rider I also want to see it ridden by it's rider on a busy main road with lots of heavy traffic and spooky things.
It is at that point that I will hop on and take it for a spin.
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That isn't really the question though.
Most sellers will want to make sure a buyer is safe on their horse before letting them loose on a hack.

OP - the vast majority of people get anxious trying a new horse under the gaze of the seller. In your shoes I would ask your friend to stay with the buyer and watch you for the first 5 mins, if all okay, give them the nod and get them to suggest to seller they go off out of sight and leave you to it.
 
If there are a lot of 'extra' folk hanging around just say to seller you'd rather try the horse without an audience. I hate when people stand to watch buyers trying out a new horse. Just pure nosiness! What are they hoping to see?

Obviously the seller will want to watch but any extra bodies hanging around would be getting told to mind their own business.
 
Oh OP, you are most def not alone in feeling like this! Horse shopping is fab in theory but yes, very nerve wracking in reality. When I was in this situation I just kept telling myself that I was not the one being 'tested', its the horse that is being tried out! If, after watching the horse being ridden you like the look of it just explain to the seller you're nervous, and no you prob wont work the horse as well as you would under normal circumstances, but you are really just seeing how it feels/if it is suitable for what you want on a very basic level (but if it goes fabulously then so much the better)! I would hope most people selling a horse have been in the buyers situation at some point too so should understand and will almost certainly be watching the horse more than you and praying it doesnt misbehave! Also another tip - when I went horse shopping I took my OH with me and he can talk the hind leg off a donkey which helped distract the seller from watching me quite so much!
PS Very good luck in your search - please keep us posted x
 
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Thank you everyone for your comments and suggestions. I am feeling a little bit better about the fact that I am not the only one that gets nervous about this. First viewings are on Thursday ... eeeekkk!
 
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