What do you do when you realise you're not suited?

[Dumbo]

Sorry, this will be long...!
I've always known deep down that my lack of experience was no match for a poorly educated ex racer.
I bought him when I was 16. I had had a break for a year but had always previously been at a riding school. He had been sat in a field for 9 years since racing as a 4yo. I think somewhere down the line someone tried schooling him but didn't do a great job.
I shared him for 4 months and he was fab. I pottered around the paddock not bothered with schooling him properly.

So I brought him and spent a 18 months at a yard with poor facilities so we only really did hacking (which he loved, as did I).

Then in January I moved to a yard with fab facilities with the intention to school him and have lessons with a dressage trainer.
I've been lunging and riding, using various training aids, having lessons etc and not really getting anywhere. He hates schooling and I'm starting to lose enthusiasm to ride him. It's hard work!

Anyway, this afternoon I was allowed a ride on a 17hh warmblood mare that was bred by my YO then sold and now is back as a 8yo to sell as owner has a baby. Wow! She was so responsive, forward and comfortable. I was grinning and didn't want to get off! YO then told me she suits me so much more than my boy does and I had to agree. She implied I moved on from my tb and had this mare or something similar.

Well, I could never sell my boy. He owes me too much and I'd be petrified as to where he'd end up. It's got me thinking that perhaps I could give up this schooling malarkey and kept him purely for happy hacking, fun rides and the odd clear round. Then maybe look for something ready to go, schoolmaster type.

What would you do in this situation?
All a bit pointless but feeling rather down.

 

[MerrySherryRider]

You love him. He's healthy and straight forward ? He's worth the financial investment that you would put into buying another horse.

I would..Have a professional rider with a good reputation for working well with green horses to try him and give you a realistic appraisal. Unless you are planning to be a serious competitor, you could probably have fun going to local competitions with him.
You could then send him for a few weeks training and have lessons yourself on him and a school master to give you two the best start.

The money you spend would be less than buying and keeping a second horse. Plus, maybe your boy deserves a chance to show you what he can do.

 

[mightymammoth]

could you not get a sharer for him? or loan but to stay at your yard? if not and you can afford two then I would do as you said, keep him for hacking then get another to do the other things you want to do.

 

[Meowy Catkin]

If you can afford two, it sounds like the perfect solution.

 

[FfionWinnie]

Sell him as a happy hacker or loan him, and get something you like. Just done exactly that with one of mine. Win win all round.

 

[Luck of the devil]

Have you tried schooling while hacking? If he has never schooled properly before he will find it hard until the right muscles develop. I'd second the opinion of getting a pro/more experienced rider to sit on him and see what they think as per ability to work with. And as for not selling what about a loan? If he jumps he may suit a PC kid or simply as a happy hacker?

 

[Sugar_and_Spice]

If you like his personality and don't want to sell him then I would make the best of the situation.

Carry on the schooling but do it differently. Make it fun for both of you. Well schooled horses make better hacks. I would school whilst hacking by making sure he has the correct bend where necessary, takes the canter lead you ask for, is obedient to transitions, can lengthen and shorten the stride. Have one formal schooling session per week of about 45min where you have a clear structure in your head of a warm up, some work (maybe learning something new or practicing something you're not good at), then a cool down.

Your horse doesn't need to learn anything at a high level to have fun. As long as you can walk/trot/canter a straight line and a circle on both reins, and jump about 2'3", you can have a go at local shows and fun rides. With practice your horse will become well schooled in the basics and if you're not interested in going beyond that, its fine. It's not supposed to be all work and no play.

If its your riding that needs to improve then either have some lessons with the focus on that or buy a good book and get studying before having a friend lunge you so you can practice.

If you want to carry on schooling your horse trying to aim higher then get another instructor if the techniques your current instructor uses aren't working.