What should I do?

[Coffeeandcakeandchocolate]

I have a lovely 14.2. 6 year old gelding. He’s easy to do and fairly easy to hack out. The problem is that he bucked me off in the school and now I’m too nervous to ride him. He’s not bucked while we’re out hacking but I’ve lost my confidence. I’m too scared to ride him…

 

[ponynutz]

Get yourself on a schoolmaster if you possibly can.

If not:
- Get yourself an instructor who can help you
- If they will, get them on him first so you can see he won't do it again
- Get on him at walk either being led or on the lunge so you're not the one in control
- Keep just walking in the schooling and focus on hacking, then trot, then canter, then jumping (slowly build up your confidence).

The most important thing is get yourself an instructor who can be there when you ride in the school while you're building your confidence.

Good luck, sorry this happened. Most likely was a fly that got too close and he didn't like it or his girth pinched slightly or he was just a bit fresh. These things happen with horses.

 

[fetlock]

Is this the one you had problems with before or another one?

 

[Christmascinnamoncookie]

Lessons.

 

[Coffeeandcakeandchocolate]

A friend of a friend (with more experience and her own little yard) bought my first pony…they are a great match. My riding instructor helped me find my new pony…he is very lovely and chilled usually. My confidence has really gone and I’m not sure what the best thing to do is to build it up again.

 

[maggiestar]

Has he done this before? Has anything changed? So much depends on the circumstances

 

[Coffeeandcakeandchocolate]

I usually hack him. This was his first time in the school…

 

[ponynutz]

I usually hack him. This was his first time in the school…

First time with you or first time ever?

If it's his first time ever could've been a bad reaction to the new surface under his feet? Or the different setting could have made him more spooky.

 

[Coffeeandcakeandchocolate]

First time in the school at the livery yard. I tried him in the school (and hacking) before I bought him…

 

[Coffeeandcakeandchocolate]

Not sure why I’m having such a big reaction to this. I was a bit achy but not badly injured. He’s never done anything like this whilst hacking but I’ve lost that trust. If this had happened out hacking I would have been injured…

 

[Glitterandrainbows]

don’t worry I’m sure we have all been there at some point ! But the confidence always comes back what can help is getting a really good instructor who will also do ground work lessons and teach you some stuff on the ground to be working on untill you feel in a better position or get a trusted friend to ride him infront of you

 

[Lois Lame]

A friend of a friend (with more experience and her own little yard) bought my first pony…they are a great match. My riding instructor helped me find my new pony…he is very lovely and chilled usually. My confidence has really gone and I’m not sure what the best thing to do is to build it up again.

I'm wondering why he bucked.

What were the circumstances surrounding it?

 

[Lois Lame]

Not sure why I’m having such a big reaction to this. I was a bit achy but not badly injured. He’s never done anything like this whilst hacking but I’ve lost that trust. If this had happened out hacking I would have been injured…

Not necessarily. When I was younger I was bucked off occasionally, and of course fell off at times. Sometimes I even jumped off. My worst ever injury [touches wood] was a sprained ankle.

 

[Coffeeandcakeandchocolate]

I'm wondering why he bucked.

What were the circumstances surrounding it?

Nothing particular happened…just walking around the outside of the school. He felt a bit ‘nervy’ and then suddenly bucked! I would say he was being naughty…I was riding with a friend and her pony (my horse’s field mate)…he’s lunged a couple of times a week in the school

 

[Caol Ila]

If he felt nervy then bucked, I would say he was uncomfortable or worried in the school, then he went over threshold and bucked. Was it one buck, or did he take off and do a number of them? Look up trigger stacking.

You can make sure all of your tack fits and the horse does not have pain anywhere. Rule that out.

At 6, he's a young horse. Young/green horses sometimes do daft things while they are learning to cope with the world. Not daft from their point of view, but from ours. I'm more surprised (and pleased) when my green horses take something in their stride than when they spook/buck/spin. They are surprising me more and more every day. You need a lot of nerve and a velcro butt because part of teaching a green horse to be non-reactive is to be non-reactive yourself. That means staying on and not being afraid. If you are someone who doesn't have those things, then an established older horse will be a lot more fun. I know there are tales of people who have bought youngsters which were bombproof from the womb and never spooked once, but those are the exceptions.

Provided that he bucked due to green-ness and not pain, can you get a trainer to ride him regularly and educate him?