What a day (Long)

[jenbleep]

It's been like

and like

Well it all started when i went to the yard to get Frankie ready for our (group) lesson which is at a yard about a mile down the road from where he is kept. I went there for a lesson about 5/6 weeks ago, and I have to hack along quite a busy road to get there. The first time we went he was a star, no spooks and the traffic wasn't too busy and pretty much everyone that passed slowed down

so i thought today we would go that way.

Hacked up the road and again he was star, I was quite surprised as I hadn't been out of the yard with him since before Christmas

then we got to a bit of the road that's quite wide, with a golf course on one side and a garden centre and a field with ponies in on the right side. At one point I was on the grass verge but there were loads of telegraph poles and lights coming up so I thought I'd go on the road. Then the ponies in the field on the opposite side of the road started galloping about and up the fence so Frankie decided to canter down the road with his head up in the air

there was a motorbike behind me and literally about 10 cars in front and behind me waiting for me to gain control of the crazed beast

which was soooooooooo embarrassing because I know all those people must have been like 'what is she doing can't she control her horse?' err no

So I got him together and let all the cars pass, he was still shaking (as was I! It shook me up a little bit

) but then I dropped my whip so had to get off anyway *rolls eyes*

Anywhoo managed to get to the lesson in one piece (just!) and he was much better behaved than the last time we went there. (He was a tad excited, and kept trying to canter off with me

) apart from one time in the warm up where he got a bit exuberant

I manged to calm him down and actually got some really nice work out of him. Plus it was a polework lesson and apart from one time towards the end where he tried to jump 4 poles in the corner of the school (

) he was really good.

Then I decided to loosed his girth and just walk him back seeing as he had worked so hard (and I didn't fancy cantering down the road again thank you very much

) and again, he was an idiot and kept jogging, trying to jump on me and generally being an excited son of a ******

There were cars everywhere, and I swear I nearly let go off him a few times when he decided to have a party with the ponies in the field opposite

A kind lady even got out and gave me some help, I was on one side of Frankie and she was on the other

I felt like a right twat I mean I can't even control my own horse!!

The lady left me too it (thanks woman in a red car and black hair, your help was much appreciated!)

Then a huge articulated (is that the word????) lorry drove past and Frankie, again, decided to swing his bum round and push me in a hedge

I really don't know if it was better or worse that I was on the ground.

Anyway after I got past that piece of road we were safe again, and Frankie had calmed down somewhat but I was really upset

I don't care if he is like that in the school, or even on a country road or a field (I rather he wasn't spooky, but there are worse things he could do) but it scares the crap out of me when there are cars everywhere. It's not so much what he doing, but all I can think about is 'what if..........?' like what if he cantered down the road into a car or what if i had let go of him and he had an accident.

We got home safe but his owner didn't ask why my face and eyes were red, I don't think she is comfortable with emotion

Sorry for the really long post - I haven't had a chance to calm down much from this afternoons events

and my housemate isn't interested

What can i do about my confidence?? I have got so much more confidence in the school thank I used to, but i want to get over this 'What if..........?' crap thats in my head

And we had a really good lesson as well,

, just getting there and back was a nightmare. And I must have hurt his mouth as well when he was swinging himself all over the place and I was hanging on for dear life

And............relax

 

[katie_southwest]

Oh dear, i feel for you on the road subject! I had a brisk canter downhill on a main road the other day..a massive lorry braked coming the other way and the brakes made such a loud noise we just span and legged it..if a car had been behind us we would of been in trouble! In the end the whole main road had to stop so we could go past...so scary!

 

[0ldmare]

Poor you, horses do just seem to go out of their way to make you embarassed dont they! I have overtaken a car on the road when my horse legged it from a scary monster in the hedge (not one of my current horses, but my old show hack) the drivers face was a picture and he looked so shocked it made me start laughing (all at the gallop). He then thought I was taking the p**s out him and started shouting at me and tooted his horn, which startled my horse even more and made her redouble her efforts. Thank goodness I finally got back control!

 

[jenbleep]

I know i was stood at the side of the road (on the way back) with a horse doing circles around me on the end of a pair of reins nearly crying in front of about 30 cars

they must of all thought i was a complete idiot. On the way there and on the way back! *sigh* oh Frankie what do you do to me

 

[vinnie]

awww its ok. just remember, there is always a next time where he can improve. Think of how much better you will be able to control him when he only plays up a little bit now that he has been probably the worst he could be. it will all seem easy now!
Im not much better at the confidence thing either, but i always try to think "who cares what those people think of me." So even though its embarrasing you can still try and focus on the horse.

gosh these horses love making fools out of us!!!!!!!

Good luck for next time. let us know!

 

[jenbleep]

thanks!

i will be going back to that yard for lessons as when he is there he is really good and we both enjoy ourselves - its just getting there!

meh i just have to think 'tomorrow is another day'

No horse has ever made me cry as much as Frankie - some days I think 'maybe I should just go and ride a plod' but I have learnt so much riding him and I don't think I'd ever or ever will learn as much on a plod.

Shame I haven't learnt how to stop him from spooking or having parties with loose horses hey???