What kind of spooking/buck is "normal" lesson horse behavior/ for a new rider

[HeatherArgyll26]

Hello! I started riding 4 years ago (at the age of 50) but it's difficult to find lessons where I live so they have been sporadic. I've taken maybe 20 lessons each year with little riding outside of that. I am comfortable with the basics of dressage like leg yields, working on getting connection, and am happy to canter on horses 15 hands and less.
The last few places I've taken lessons, I've ridden the trainers retired dressage horses. The horse I rode last year started to get more spicey as time went by. One day, he had a huge spook at something that had always been in the arena, then bolted. Somehow, I stayed on and was able to stop him but I have the video and I very nearly came off. Apparently, this wasn't unusual for him when younger so I decided to stay safe at my age, I stopped lessons with him. Fast forward to now - found a place with another retired dressage horse. He's huge to me at 16.5 hands and I didn't want to ride such a large horse because I am not comfortable cantering on these big ones - if I fall, it's a long way down and at a fast pace. He's been pretty good - has a few spooks in the trot but nothing I couldn't sit. I started cantering on him and was feeling quite comfortable. Wouldn't you know, he bucked - everything was fine one second, and before I could even think about what to do, went flying off. While I landed on my back, luckily, I only ended up bruised and with a slightly sprained ankle.
I accept there is the potential to get hurt but I wonder with my limited riding, is this normal? As in, is it common for beginners to ride horses that have big spooks/bucks? I watch kids taking lessons on horses on a few barns in the area that are so chill and wonder if I need to give up on dressage and go to one of these lesson barns where the horses aren't so spicey and the lessons are a bit more basic. I know it's all relative but I wondered if any of you had any thoughts on the matter. Thank you!

 

[tda]

It is a very long time since I rode at a riding school, but no, I would not accept that a horse you were paying to learn to ride on would behave in that way - at any level

 

[gallopingby]

It sounds as if you’re outwith the UK? No horses used for beginners / novice riders shouldn’t be known to Buck or spook although there’s always some risk. It may be the norm in the area you’re in for people to ride big horses rather than ponies or cobs. In the UK you’d probably be riding a 15hh cob type but if the only horses available are 16hh dressage horses that’s what everyone will ride and the retired top level ones will have been well schooled and some, not all, will respond unfavourably to a rider out of balance. Maybe have a look around and see if there are any other barns who focus on other disciplines.

 

[maya2008]

I would go back to the lesson barn with the more basic lessons and safer horses. Horse riding is a sport where balance and fine control of muscles play a huge part, and that requires regular practice over time. A dressage horse, even a retired one, will have been very finely tuned to slight movements from the rider - and will likely have a slightly more energetic temperament (which helps them do well in competition). As a less experienced rider, you’re likely to be giving signals you don’t mean, or otherwise confusing the horse unintentionally.

As an example…my old jumping pony cantered from a slight shift of weight. Always was fun training a new sharer used to lesson horses to keep their weight centred and correct - or she was off, because that is what she thought they wanted!

 

[HeatherArgyll26]

T

It sounds as if you’re outwith the UK? No horses used for beginners / novice riders shouldn’t be known to Buck or spook although there’s always some risk. It may be the norm in the area you’re in for people to ride big horses rather than ponies or cobs. In the UK you’d probably be riding a 15hh cob type but if the only horses available are 16hh dressage horses that’s what everyone will ride and the retired top level ones will have been well schooled and some, not all, will respond unfavourably to a rider out of balance. Maybe have a look around and see if there are any other barns who focus on other disciplines.

Correct-I am outside of the UK but I do ride in the UK when I visit and adore the cobs I've been on - such lovely personalities. Seeing a few responses here, I will move to another barn. Everything else is h/j but I am happy to do pole work!

 

[HeatherArgyll26]

I would go back to the lesson barn with the more basic lessons and safer horses. Horse riding is a sport where balance and fine control of muscles play a huge part, and that requires regular practice over time. A dressage horse, even a retired one, will have been very finely tuned to slight movements from the rider - and will likely have a slightly more energetic temperament (which helps them do well in competition). As a less experienced rider, you’re likely to be giving signals you don’t mean, or otherwise confusing the horse unintentionally.

As an example…my old jumping pony cantered from a slight shift of weight. Always was fun training a new sharer used to lesson horses to keep their weight centred and correct - or she was off, because that is what she thought they wanted!

I think the energetic temperament comment is correct. The instructor said he was feeling frisky hence the buck and shrugged it off. The 3 comments above agreeing that a new barn may be a good idea is all that I needed to hear! Sometimes I think instructors who have been riding for much of their life forget not all of us are ready to ride that kind of horse! Thanks!

 

[Skib]

A RS owner friend invited me to her yard when I was an adult beginner. She knew I couldnt ride a broad horse or a cob. She put me on a grey horse that was over 17 hands and taught me to do a walk trot dressage test on him, mostly in walk. 23 years ago but I still remember the joy of that lesson. That was the day I learned 10 m cirfcles in walk.

 

[[69117]]

i agree with other posters that you should move to another riding school, however, I would like to just clarify one thing.

Bolting is exceptionally dangerous and never to be taken lightly. Far too many riders say that a horse has bolted with them when in fact they have been run off with or the horse scooted away from them and they weren't able to hold it. Bolting is a horse running blind with no self preservation. I have been riding all my life and have ridden professionally, and I have only ridden two horses that bolted. One of which snapped its neck whilst I was on board when he ran into the side of a building, and and the other was put down shortly afterwards as the behaviour was so dangerous.

 

[rhi.torrens]

Hello! I started riding 4 years ago (at the age of 50) but it's difficult to find lessons where I live so they have been sporadic. I've taken maybe 20 lessons each year with little riding outside of that. I am comfortable with the basics of dressage like leg yields, working on getting connection, and am happy to canter on horses 15 hands and less.
The last few places I've taken lessons, I've ridden the trainers retired dressage horses. The horse I rode last year started to get more spicey as time went by. One day, he had a huge spook at something that had always been in the arena, then bolted. Somehow, I stayed on and was able to stop him but I have the video and I very nearly came off. Apparently, this wasn't unusual for him when younger so I decided to stay safe at my age, I stopped lessons with him. Fast forward to now - found a place with another retired dressage horse. He's huge to me at 16.5 hands and I didn't want to ride such a large horse because I am not comfortable cantering on these big ones - if I fall, it's a long way down and at a fast pace. He's been pretty good - has a few spooks in the trot but nothing I couldn't sit. I started cantering on him and was feeling quite comfortable. Wouldn't you know, he bucked - everything was fine one second, and before I could even think about what to do, went flying off. While I landed on my back, luckily, I only ended up bruised and with a slightly sprained ankle.
I accept there is the potential to get hurt but I wonder with my limited riding, is this normal? As in, is it common for beginners to ride horses that have big spooks/bucks? I watch kids taking lessons on horses on a few barns in the area that are so chill and wonder if I need to give up on dressage and go to one of these lesson barns where the horses aren't so spicey and the lessons are a bit more basic. I know it's all relative but I wondered if any of you had any thoughts on the matter. Thank you!

I always think that it’s important to learn to ride on a safe horse. Some have the argument of ‘if your on a horse that bucks or does big spooks then you are forced to get a good seat’, that’s how I learnt anyway, but if your not comfortable and you are just doing it for a bit of fun there is no point putting yourself at risk and you won’t be able to ride properly if your mind is worrying about whether or not the horse will buck. I would say your best to go to a riding school near you as they *should* have horses suitable for the job, likely more expensive though.