D66
Well-Known Member
To me it means that the horse is capable of some scary behaviour, but usually gives in if the rider insists... or won't leave the yard without a few big pony club kicks.
What does "requires a confident rider" mean to you?
- Thread starter Lintel
- Start date
JFTDWS
+++ Out of Cheese Error +++
This really is very true. Riders who would consider themselves confident tend to fall into 3 categories in my experience - those who are competent and confident in their competence, those who are ignorant of their incompetence, and are therefore confident, and those who think they're confident but are actually just managing their fear by obeying the diktats of their horse and have been very well trained not to push its boundaries.
I'm not overly confident, and I don't really like other people's horses, because I rarely get to ride very nice ones. Therefore I'm quite restrained when I get on them at first, but become confident in time. I have no issue hooning around the countryside, generally with little or no rein contact, running barrels, negotiating obstacles etc, working in a gaggle of horses on a pitch or a crowded warm up, whatever the weather, generally getting out and about doing what needs done. I know my limitations, and I'm more inclined to downplay my competence than overstate it. I would say that all mine require competent riders, not confident ones - if you're competent enough to deal with, at worst, a bit of silly spooking, or a sensitive mouthed horse, you'll probably survive well enough. They're all the type to switch off to a terrified rider, though I wouldn't send them out to hack alone at this time of year!
I would pass that by on an advert for sure - there are plenty of rude, ignorant, and bonkers horses out there and I'm not interested in any of them!
Antw23uk
Well-Known Member
To me and my horses it means I need a confident rider on my mare because she is forward going and strong so perhaps i should think that actually she needs a competent rider although a competent rider with no confidence could scare her (and she would definitely scare them!)
For my gelding he gives people confidence in all low key situations but he steps up when he knows you can handle more BUT sometimes he forgets his manners which could be rather scary for the un confident!
If it was someone elses horse and i was being told it needed a confident rider i would need to know a WHOLE lot more about that horse before i put my foot in the stirrup because im a confident rider but im not stupid, lol!
For my gelding he gives people confidence in all low key situations but he steps up when he knows you can handle more BUT sometimes he forgets his manners which could be rather scary for the un confident!
If it was someone elses horse and i was being told it needed a confident rider i would need to know a WHOLE lot more about that horse before i put my foot in the stirrup because im a confident rider but im not stupid, lol!
Bernster
Well-Known Member
Quite! I focus a bit too much on my lack of confidence, and need to work on my inner voice, but I think a lot of observers would be surprised as they see me out doing xc, events, hunting etc. But I do that very much within the limits of my confidence and ability and only on my own (what I think of as) safe horse. I’m not at all confident on new or sharp horses. I also thump now rather than bounce so I stay well away from anything too racy!
PeterNatt
Well-Known Member
It means that the seller is being honest.
Xanthoria
Well-Known Member
In my experience it means one of several things:
1. Horse has too much confidence (pushes rider around, bucks etc)
2. Horse lacks confidence (spooky)
3. Rider lacks confidence (afraid of horse who may be a normal baby or just need a firm hand)
4. Horse is untrained and rider doesn't know how to train it
5. Horse doesn't get enough turnout
6. Horse gets too much high octane feed
7. Horse is in pain, has ulcers, magnesium deficiency, or other issue making it jittery
Often it's a combination of the above: take an overfed, underexercised baby and a green and nervous rider and... well!
1. Horse has too much confidence (pushes rider around, bucks etc)
2. Horse lacks confidence (spooky)
3. Rider lacks confidence (afraid of horse who may be a normal baby or just need a firm hand)
4. Horse is untrained and rider doesn't know how to train it
5. Horse doesn't get enough turnout
6. Horse gets too much high octane feed
7. Horse is in pain, has ulcers, magnesium deficiency, or other issue making it jittery
Often it's a combination of the above: take an overfed, underexercised baby and a green and nervous rider and... well!
JanetGeorge
Well-Known Member
Well it's the only thing that could explain it. He was the mare's first foal - he was comatose for 8 days. Every hour I sat him up, pummelled his chest, exercised his legs, forced bottle down his throat and laid him back on the other side - saying: 'You will NOT bloody die - or else.' Day 8 I whacked him on his bum - not expecting anything - and he was on his feet and suckling while his Mum (Surprise) looked amazed, lol. He never put a foot wrong after that Since then, she's produced 4 full siblings and another 2 by 2 different stallions. None have been BAD - but none anywhere near as easy as he was. Of course, that family LOVED screwing vets - Surprise was literally a surprise - I bouht her mum as n.i.f. My old vet always struggled to find a pregnancy - but my current ex-vet surpassed stupidity when she told me last year Surprise had a malformed conceptus with a weak heartbeat - and I should abort (that was 28 days.) I ignored her and we scanned again at 60 days, when he was announced to be a 60 day malformed conceptus with NO heartbeat.
Not bad for a malformed conceptus with no heartbeat, is he? Of course, he HAD to be named Final Saga (Finley for short.) And I'd love your best guess on what colour he'll be.
Mule
Well-Known Member
Comatose for 8 daysWell it's the only thing that could explain it. He was the mare's first foal - he was comatose for 8 days. Every hour I sat him up, pummelled his chest, exercised his legs, forced bottle down his throat and laid him back on the other side - saying: 'You will NOT bloody die - or else.' Day 8 I whacked him on his bum - not expecting anything - and he was on his feet and suckling while his Mum (Surprise) looked amazed, lol. He never put a foot wrong after that Since then, she's produced 4 full siblings and another 2 by 2 different stallions. None have been BAD - but none anywhere near as easy as he was. Of course, that family LOVED screwing vets - Surprise was literally a surprise - I bouht her mum as n.i.f. My old vet always struggled to find a pregnancy - but my current ex-vet surpassed stupidity when she told me last year Surprise had a malformed conceptus with a weak heartbeat - and I should abort (that was 28 days.) I ignored her and we scanned again at 60 days, when he was announced to be a 60 day malformed conceptus with NO heartbeat.
Not bad for a malformed conceptus with no heartbeat, is he? Of course, he HAD to be named Final Saga (Finley for short.) And I'd love your best guess on what colour he'll be.
View attachment 28661
I don't know anything about colour so I can't say what colour the new foal will end up. Lucky you didn't listen to that vet.
PapaverFollis
Well-Known Member
Final Saga is very lovely! Is he going to grey out? Hint of spectacles? Very deep bay colour (did I read somewhere that grey foals have a more deeply coloured foal coat?)
milliepops
Wears headscarf aggressively
this is a really good summary, I think the lovey gung ho lady I watched plop off her naughty horse the other day falls into the second, truly, but fair play to her and I also know she's got pro help on a regular basis so it should all come right!
Confidence really is a funny thing, I think I am naturally braver on other people's horses, weirdly, I don't know how that works. It's so easily lost, I think I would say I have a standard level of confidence that I'd approach a strange horse with and unless proved otherwise, that is fairly stable.
It's so easily lost though, and difficult to win back - I am def more cautious of Salty who was sold as "having a buck" (and she does) than other horses - primarily because I don't want to put either of us in the position that we lose confidence in each other so I am always prepared to hop off to work through something rather than allow it to escalate. Something that other people who consider themselves "confident riders" might consider to be complete anathema but it works for us.
There's also something about getting to the bottom of a horse and knowing what is the worst it will do. I think some people would not enjoy riding Kira but I know her inside out so no amount of front or hind leg waving from her is going to worry me, I know she's balanced enough and I know what triggers it
someone who didn't know her would probably feel differently if they got stuck with her on 2 legs.
KittenInTheTree
Well-Known Member
Grey with two white feet at the back, by the look of his muzzle.
JFTDWS
+++ Out of Cheese Error +++
...primarily because I don't want to put either of us in the position that we lose confidence in each other so I am always prepared to hop off to work through something rather than allow it to escalate. Something that other people who consider themselves "confident riders" might consider to be complete anathema but it works for us.
There's also something about getting to the bottom of a horse and knowing what is the worst it will do. I think some people would not enjoy riding Kira but I know her inside out so no amount of front or hind leg waving from her is going to worry me, I know she's balanced enough and I know what triggers it
I agree with both of those logics too - I think that preserving the "unit" confidence, and the horse confidence is important, and if jumping off helps that, it seems reasonable to me. I've done it out hacking when I've thought the pony needed a bit of reassurance (and being on them isn't helping). Riding through things has its place, but there's more than one way to skin a cat...
I feel similarly about Fergs who likes to wave his front legs if he's very unhappy about something. Mostly we avoid situations where that will happen, but it's what he will do if sufficiently provoked. It doesn't worry me, though I wouldn't be so bold to jump on another confirmed rearer - because I know F's triggers and how to defuse him, and because I know that, at the end of the day, he's just having a tantrum and he knows where the line is!
Ambers Echo
Still wittering on
Good summary. I have a friend who falls off almost every week. She is in an out of hospital with concussions, breaks etc. but she keeps going back for more! And does not have a nervous bone in her body. She is also not that great a rider but just thinks 'I can do that' all the time.
I am never afraid when on a misbehaving horse. I get annoyed more than angry when a horse is rude or spooky and tries to bog off with me or nap or whatever. But I am never very keen to get on again afterwards either.
JanetGeorge
Well-Known Member
Comatose for 8 days
I don't know anything about colour so I can't say what colour the new foal will end up. Lucky you didn't listen to that vet.
I'm pretty good at picking greys - but he will remain a mystery a little longer. Hell, his sire was 6 before I knew he was going to be grey (because a foal out of a chestnut mare WAS grey.) Mind you, I ignored 3 different vets over the Dummy foal - all said he wouldn't make it and should be PTS.
Mule
Well-Known Member
You must have good instincts re; the foal
scats
Well-Known Member
The second description reminds me of someone I used to know. Very novicey and wobbly in the saddle at the time, fell off a lot, but appeared to have absolutely no worries or anxieties and regularly took a sharp ex racehorse out on their own. Fell off numerous times out hacking but always came back unscathed.
JFTDWS
+++ Out of Cheese Error +++
I've known a lot of them over the years - some of them fell off all the time, and bounced back uninjured, some fell off and spent more time in casts than on the horse
and then a few who had very generous horses who managed to keep them on board more by luck than judgement on the riders' parts! In fairness, I think we all go through a stage of it - as kids (or teens) if you're lucky, or as an adult if you don't get near ponies as a kid. The advantage of getting it out of your system early is that generally there's an adult responsible who steps in before you get in too much trouble, plus ponies are smaller and kids tend to bounce more! The trouble is adults who don't have input from a good instructor, a sensible horse, or any ability to get out the other side of the phase!
JanetGeorge
Well-Known Member
No - I'm just a stubborn old cow, lol. The funny thing was when the buyer finally relaxed on him enough to speak, she said: 'tell me, amI ready for a 4yo.' And I said: 'Absolutely NOT - but HE thinks heis a 10 yo.' He's 11 now - and still never put a foot wrong - she's even got brave enough to start jumping.
Mule
Well-Known Member
He sounds like he was worth being stubborn for.
Caol Ila
Well-Known Member
Depends on who wrote the advert. It either means it's a normal horse with an owner who has overhorsed themselves, but with someone competent, it's fine; or it's a euphemism for completely bonkers; or it means, "I can't be bothered with weeding out the complete novices who would not be suitable for my horse so maybe this sentence will put them off." (it won't).
cobgoblin
Bugrit! Millennium hand and shrimp.
Well it's the only thing that could explain it. He was the mare's first foal - he was comatose for 8 days. Every hour I sat him up, pummelled his chest, exercised his legs, forced bottle down his throat and laid him back on the other side - saying: 'You will NOT bloody die - or else.' Day 8 I whacked him on his bum - not expecting anything - and he was on his feet and suckling while his Mum (Surprise) looked amazed, lol. He never put a foot wrong after that Since then, she's produced 4 full siblings and another 2 by 2 different stallions. None have been BAD - but none anywhere near as easy as he was. Of course, that family LOVED screwing vets - Surprise was literally a surprise - I bouht her mum as n.i.f. My old vet always struggled to find a pregnancy - but my current ex-vet surpassed stupidity when she told me last year Surprise had a malformed conceptus with a weak heartbeat - and I should abort (that was 28 days.) I ignored her and we scanned again at 60 days, when he was announced to be a 60 day malformed conceptus with NO heartbeat.
Not bad for a malformed conceptus with no heartbeat, is he? Of course, he HAD to be named Final Saga (Finley for short.) And I'd love your best guess on what colour he'll be.
View attachment 28661
Have you ever tried the Madigan foal squeeze on a dummy foal?
ycbm
Overwhelmed
Who cares, he is such a cracker!
...
JanetGeorge
Well-Known Member
No - it was too new for that one - and he had never stood up so it would have been unsuitable. And he is the only one I've had, thank goodness. One out of 150 foals is lucky, according to the statistics. But it was SO bad - in 7 days he didn't even respond to painful stimuli. I'd sit him up, and his head would flop to the ground. It was a nightmare trying to get fluid into him - sometimes it was two teaspoons max. - and he'd start choking. Other times he'd suck a bit - maybe 100 mls max. Only had the vets in to tube/IV him to give a bit of a boost- they had no other useful suggestions!
JanetGeorge
Well-Known Member
lol, you have to get it right on the passport. Previous vet INSISTED on putting Surprise down as Bay roan (she was slow to grey.) I have current vet well trained. Finley is down as Dark bay/grey and Revolution is down as Chestnut/grey. This is Revel - and STILL no sign of greying (chestnuts DO tend to grey out quicker.)
GTRJazz
Well-Known Member
I tried a horse advertised as can be hot under the saddle, it bronked until I fell off when I asked for trot
MrsMozart
Just passing through...
Either the horse is at Grand Prix level and I couldn't ride once side of him without causing chaos; or, it's a fruitloop and requires more stickability than my ageing body can cope with.
Or, it could of course be a wuss and takes its confidence from the rider, in which case we'd probably not be a good match anyway as I'm at the stage where I need a solid rocking horse with a heart.
Or, it could of course be a wuss and takes its confidence from the rider, in which case we'd probably not be a good match anyway as I'm at the stage where I need a solid rocking horse with a heart.
MrsMozart
Just passing through...
Probably this
I'd suggest, in a generalist sort of way, that the response can be an age thing. All my horses have required a confident rider, and preferably one with a sticky bum, which, whilst at times I was scared stupid inside, I managed most of the time. Now though, although I'm rusty I'd still be reasonably competent, but the thought of potentially "a few party tricks" would be enough to make me pass the advert by, quite possibly with a slight shiver.
pansymouse
Well-Known Member
To me the meaning very much depends on the advertiser and goes right across the spectrum from will try to kill you every time you get on to perfectly schooled horse that likes a rider of equal ability.
My mare prefers a confident rider but will accommodate a more fearful one with good grace.
My mare prefers a confident rider but will accommodate a more fearful one with good grace.
Silverglen
Member
Probably means it's not suitable for me. 
But then if I were to advertise my horse I would put the same down because he does need a confident rider. He needs to be told what to do or he just takes the piss. He's not bad, but my bad riding has trained him very well to pretend something is spooky and then just stop working altogether. Doesn't even run now, he just stops and pretends to be scared.
I really should give up riding, but despite being scared I do enjoy it and I am improving slowly. Just not fast enough for him really.
But then if I were to advertise my horse I would put the same down because he does need a confident rider. He needs to be told what to do or he just takes the piss. He's not bad, but my bad riding has trained him very well to pretend something is spooky and then just stop working altogether. Doesn't even run now, he just stops and pretends to be scared.
I really should give up riding, but despite being scared I do enjoy it and I am improving slowly. Just not fast enough for him really.