Well it appears Hovis isn't as bomb proof as first thought.......

Hovis_and_SidsMum

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Oh dear........
My friend came down to the yard this weekend to see us and had asked to have a brief ride on the Destroyer.
I had said yes as she rides quite a bit and by all accounts is much better than me.
I asked her if she wanted me to get on Hovis first and she said no and all was fine for a couple of minutes. Then he just tanked off on her in the menage!
I've never ever seen him react the way he did. His ears went straight back and he went flat out at the fence. For a split second I thought he was going to go over it then he swerved and parked her over his shoulder. She was ok so I went and fetched my hat and got on him for 10 minutes to see what was the matter. Whilst he was obviously wound up he behaved himself as normal for me so I'm at an utter loss as to what happened.
She rode him again yesterday to get her nerve back and whilst his ears were flat back the entire time he did behave.
Anyone else had a horse react so completely out of character like that?
 
I know I shouldn't laugh but I did have a little giggle at the vision of Hovis doing that! My old TB mare reacted like that when a friend of mine rode her, no reason to my eye why she did it but she obviously just didn't like her!
 
is she heavier than you by any chance? If yes than that would imply that there is a problem with the saddle or his back and the extra weight was either causing the saddle to dig in or a bad back to be aggravated.

If not then it may be she rides differently - far more leg and seat and Hovis just doesn't like to be ridden like that
 
She weighs less than me so I don't think it was that.
The only thing I could think was she was heavier with her hands than me and he objected? But hubby rides him and he's heavier in his hands than me (I'm very soft in my hands - probably too much so) and Hovis has never done that.
It was so odd - and very embarassing
 
Maybe he just took a dislike to her and wasn't afraid to show it?

Must have been embarrassing for you though
ooo.gif
 
I asked a girl to ride my pony in the field for me when I was on hols once. R obviously took an instant disklike to her and reared her straight off (never did that with me). Apparently she tried 2 or 3 times, and got ditched like this every time, which was quite funny as she thought she was a superstar jockey who could ride anything!!
Sorry if this sounds a bit unsympathetic but my old mare proved to have been a very good judge of character in this instance!!
 
What we need H&SM, is you to let Hovis put his own post on here, giving his take on the whole thing! Tell him I'll send him a Tesco's multi pack of polos if he does!!!!
 
I ended up on the receiving end of something like this when I was about thirteen. I hadn't been riding long by then (imagine the worst child-rider ever - flappy legs, weak hands, totally uncoordinated
frown.gif
) so when my friend offered to let me walk her Fell mare around the school I was over the moon. Friend had been cooling her off on a long rein, so I got on imagining I'd do the same, and I'd barely sat in the saddle when the mare took off. I hauled away with my little spaghetti arms, making no impact whatsoever. The mare decided she would handstand-halt at the gate, nearly dumping me over it, and I slithered off with my life flashing before my eyes. Friend said she'd never seen her do anything like it.
 
some horses really hate heavy hands and bossy riding, however experienced the rider! my friends pony had a hackamore on and he flipped when a much more experienced rider got on him she went for contact straight away and he just isnt used to it - when she relaxed and droped the reins he started to chill, but wasnt convinced by her the whole ride.
 
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