palo1
Well-Known Member
Semi-serious post - I really am beginning to wonder what I actually know (about young horses/training)...I am currently on my 5th young horse (starting from scratch) and I am super happy with her. I have ridden, trained and kept horses for a long time. Of course with young horses it is sometimes 2 steps forward and 1 back but we have travelled considerable distance since Alw arrived a few days before her 3rd birthday, knowing nothing other than how to have a headcollar on. She seems easily as good, as balanced, keen to learn and relaxed as the others, if not more so in some ways. Yet I have been in discussion with a new trainer/instructor and it leaves me feeling rather daft tbh. We had an initial 'lesson' 3 weeks ago where said instrutor felt Alw was quite pottery/shuffly. It was the first time on an arena surface and I do think Alw was probably footsore or something as well as very uncertain about the situation. We called the lesson short. Farrier has been, horse trotted up on hard and softer going, turned, lunged etc etc and she is sound and happy. She is a bit of a lump (rather fat Welsh D!) and is certainly unbalanced, bum high and probably not the best mover. I knew that her movement, though perfectly straight, was not fabulous when I bought her; she is workmanlike rather than flashy or extravagant but has a fantastic walk. She is certainly good enough for me; I hope she will become a lovely hack and hunter with jumping and dressage for fun days out rather than any serious competitive ambitions. I have competed previously and that has all been fine and not hugely stressful
I have arranged a second lesson having had a very straightforward conversation with the trainer who says she is happy enough to continue even if 'the mare looks terrible'...She has also said that I might be able to think about dressage at a low, unaffiliated level in the future. Now I don't really mind one bit about dressage though I did have it on the agenda if I am honest BUT I feel rather sad and confused as to why at such a young age the horse I am just starting with seems to have been somewhat dismissed. I know my little horse is no Valegro (!!) but surely she is far too young to dismiss as not having dreams for? I am pretty uncommitted to dressage dreams but I have competed with BD previously and wouldn't naturally consider not re-joining so that I could have the benefit of good venues and the feedback etc even for just a few prelim tests. I think my mare should manage something at that level tbh! I haven't competed unaffiliated in anything for years but perhaps I am really out of date now.
At the moment my use of the trainer is tactical - she visits very nearby where I can use my neighbour's arena and I am pretty convinced that as soon as we have had 1 more go in that arena it will be time to move on to a different trainer. Yet I like the woman, she knows what she is doing and is clearly sympathetic to the horse, knowledgeable and careful. She is not a conventional BHS trainer nor does she compete herself but that doesn't bother me one bit. Is it just me being ridiculously protective of my young horse/feeling offended or do I know nothing? Really genuinely a bit confused and feeling a bit low about this - now I keep looking at my lovely girl trying to see what it is that is so unpromising about her!! All I see is a lump of a very young horse that should be able to do anything at the level I am considering given time and the right work I think she is lovely and objectively speaking she is well made and moves straight and level. Has anyone else experienced this mis-match of views of a horse? Sorry for rambling on...
I have arranged a second lesson having had a very straightforward conversation with the trainer who says she is happy enough to continue even if 'the mare looks terrible'...She has also said that I might be able to think about dressage at a low, unaffiliated level in the future. Now I don't really mind one bit about dressage though I did have it on the agenda if I am honest BUT I feel rather sad and confused as to why at such a young age the horse I am just starting with seems to have been somewhat dismissed. I know my little horse is no Valegro (!!) but surely she is far too young to dismiss as not having dreams for? I am pretty uncommitted to dressage dreams but I have competed with BD previously and wouldn't naturally consider not re-joining so that I could have the benefit of good venues and the feedback etc even for just a few prelim tests. I think my mare should manage something at that level tbh! I haven't competed unaffiliated in anything for years but perhaps I am really out of date now.
At the moment my use of the trainer is tactical - she visits very nearby where I can use my neighbour's arena and I am pretty convinced that as soon as we have had 1 more go in that arena it will be time to move on to a different trainer. Yet I like the woman, she knows what she is doing and is clearly sympathetic to the horse, knowledgeable and careful. She is not a conventional BHS trainer nor does she compete herself but that doesn't bother me one bit. Is it just me being ridiculously protective of my young horse/feeling offended or do I know nothing? Really genuinely a bit confused and feeling a bit low about this - now I keep looking at my lovely girl trying to see what it is that is so unpromising about her!! All I see is a lump of a very young horse that should be able to do anything at the level I am considering given time and the right work I think she is lovely and objectively speaking she is well made and moves straight and level. Has anyone else experienced this mis-match of views of a horse? Sorry for rambling on...