What to do now :(

Queenbee

Queenbee

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For those of you who don't already know him, meet Ben:


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He will be three in June and it has been my intention to give him some really good ground work over the winter, riding and leading, Small bouts of loose schooling, bomb proofing and long reining plus introduce the saddle, culminating with leaning over and sitting on him just before June. What was then supposed to happen was that he was going to go away to be bought on, for a month by a person who has got a good reputation down here and is also competes in dressage, I wanted him to have a really good start and be primed for his flatwork skills.

I then hear that a horse left her yard with dammaged hocks due to a quod bike being ordered to drive up behind the horse because it wasn't going forward, I also hear that it was on this persons orders.

I feel like I can't send him to this person now, I would just worry, what upsets me is that I have heard so many good things, ok the person is a bit abrupt but never a bad word, now this, just before I pack ben off there. I am at a complete loss! I was originally going to bring him on myself, but with such an almighty buck as he has, and me having to work I would rather not risk the time off if I hurt myself, I also recognised that I am not as good as this person, and that it would be the best start and foundation for ben. Now I need some direction... again!

What should I do?! I have the following options:

1 contact this person and explain what I have heard, ask if they will discuss it with me so I am reassured that it will not happen to ben, It may just be a vicious and twisted rumor. (but even then I would probably worry about him being there now)

2 Go back to my initial option and back him myself (which I am more than capable of, it would just take me more time), and then send him to someone different early the following spring for a few weeks when he is rising 4 for some schooling.

3 Send him away to someone else to be backed and bought on for a month.

If I go for either of the options 2 or 3 then who do I use? I want someone really good with an excellent reputation and who specialises in flatwork/schooling/dressage. I do have one other option, who is based down here but I really need some suggestions of other people and also some suggestions about which option I should go for I am willing to travel him to anywhere in the cornwall or devon area to have the right person work with him! Arrgh! why did it get sooooo hard all of a sudden?!

Please help!
 
If you are capable, and able, DIY every time! At least that way you know he has been backed kindly and brought on at a sensible pace......quad bike indeed! Certainly wouldn't be sending him there!
Then get someone to come to you and school him a couple of times a week if you think he needs it.
 
The horsey world can be terrible for gossip and rumours, call up the person and chat to them. You must have thought alot of them to consider sending your boy there in the first place? Give them a chance to clear it up? Can you be 110% sure that the story is perfectly true?
 
Oh DIY anyday - never trust anybody who doesn't have a vested interest in your horse's long term success :D
 
I'd say go with option 1 to start off with. See how you feel when you've spoken to this person. If they are reputable and this is a rumour then you'll be doing them a favour by alerting them to it. If you feel you still have doubts then pursue options2/3. He looks like a lovely chap btw :)
 
Do it yourself with the help of a really good competent friend or an instructor.

Who did you get the information off, re the quad bike??
 
how about sending him to an RA (intelligent horsemanship person) to do the initial backing, then get lessons to help you bring him on? or im sure they do schooling as well, then you will know he has been backed fairly and thoroughly and in a kind way
 
amymay said:
Do it yourself with the help of a really good competent friend or an instructor.

Who did you get the information off, re the quad bike??
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There are 2 very very good instructors who I completely respect who have produced a few horses in their days, Lets call them person A and B, I rang up person A to ask her advice when I decided to consider sending him away, I have seen Person A in action, she has handled my idiot boy with skill and expertise when he was being a git to load, she was so kind and gentle... kept saying he's just a baby, lets take it slowly and what do you know he loaded :D I have known her for years and am friends with people who are at her yard, I have a lot of respect and time for this woman. She told me she used to send them to lucy wiegersma until she moved, then she started to uses this other woman (who I had previously had lessons from). Then Person B told my friend what had recently happened re the Quod bike, apparently the woman is being taken to court, she asked my friend to let me know, person B has a great reputation too and I have also had lessons off her, and respect her ability and approach, but she has had to give up horses due to ill health. She is not a gossip, and would not present anything other than the facts.

hendrabonnie said:
Where abouts in cornwall are u? I can put some names forward to u but I am Bodmin area!
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I am in Helston, I was considering Fiona Jones (I have used her before) but I really want someone who comes from a schooling/dressage background.

caroline23 said:
how about sending him to an RA (intelligent horsemanship person) to do the initial backing, then get lessons to help you bring him on? or im sure they do schooling as well, then you will know he has been backed fairly and thoroughly and in a kind way
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I'm sorry but that is not an option, I see nothing wrong with the traditional method which, if done properly is just as fair, thorough and kind. Ben will have everything done here at home (if he goes) before hand to set him up for being properly backed and brought on, so I will know that it is done properly and fairly and in a kind way, but I also don't want someone who is too gently gently (if that makes sense) he is a bolshy little boy sometimes and needs a firm hand and growl:D I really don't want him to be confused by 2 totally different approaches... thats not fair or kind.


To the others that posted, I know I can produce a wonderful horse myself, I am just not a pro, and I have seen his buck when he is excited, I haven't sat something like that in donkeys years and I know that it would be a disaster if I did, because I don't have the experience with bucking horses to enable me to ride him through it in the early stages... and I just KNOW he will buck in hi jinx, he is that type!

I am tempted to go back to person A and discuss what I have heard (not mentioning person B) and see if she knows anything before I ring the woman, if I ring her. Its such a shame, as I was so excited about sending him there, I thought it was all mapped out :(
 
joeanne said:
If you are capable, and able, DIY every time! At least that way you know he has been backed kindly and brought on at a sensible pace......quad bike indeed! Certainly wouldn't be sending him there!
Then get someone to come to you and school him a couple of times a week if you think he needs it.
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Totally agree with this, he knows & trusts YOU. My mare would have been traumatised if i'd sent her away, instead i did it slowly with no problems at all.

Also please don't think that he'll definitely be a bucker..mine loves to buck and fart about in the field but has never ever tried it with a rider.

The best thing is that you'll have all those lovely summer evenings to work him in his home enviroment :)

You can do it!
 
DIY every time! There is nothing like being the first person to sit on your own horse (and he is lovely btw) If you are capable and confident then there is no reason why you shouldn't also school him yourself, unless possibly you intend to sell him on or compete to a high standard and need a professional.

ETA our mare bucks like a rodeo horse in the field, and sometimes on the lunge. However she has never done it ridden. Not once.
 
I think what I may do is bite the bullet and diy, ride through the winter and early spring and then have intensive lessons on him at home during the late spring of 2013.
 
DIY everytime, or you ask them to come to you, I was lucky my friend Thersea was on hand just to back me up when I needed her, like getting on his back etc:- and as he's a nervous pony sending him away would have destroyed him mentally.
 
Ground work over winter. Lightly back early Spring. Turn away rest of Spring. Bring back into work Summer.

:D

Gives him time to grow and develop :D. Save the intense stuff for when he's more developed and mature :D

Just my musings :D

Oh, and DIY if you're able and willing :D
 
MrsMozartletoe said:
Ground work over winter. Lightly back early Spring. Turn away rest of Spring. Bring back into work Summer.

:D

Gives him time to grow and develop :D. Save the intense stuff for when he's more developed and mature :D

Just my musings :D

Oh, and DIY if you're able and willing :D
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Hi Mrs M, I think the plan as it stands at the moment (although its open to change LOL) is the following:

Continue with weekend groudwork, long lining, bombproofing all winter, introduce the saddle early spring (bridle already been introduced and he is also mouthed) and up the ground work. June begins the backing, he will have just turned 3 then, and from there on we will do some light hacking through the rest of the summer and throughout winter, I will probably not turn him away, I hope to keep him going with weekend hacks through the dark days, if he turns out to not be mature enough to cope with this, he will be roughed off for the winter though, although I am pretty sure he'll be ok. I will then begin to get him used to ridden work in the school and getting him ready for taking part in a couple of shows that year, we are going to be aiming for a show that is held in may so I will begin having lessons in april or maybe even march to help us polish up ready for that show. It is a nice little event and just down the lane from the yard so I intend to hack there, do one or 2 classes if he is calm enough and then bale :D
 
cassie summers said:
totally agree if your more than capable and have the time after all he uis still very young
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gawd yes, he is still young, and TBH initially he was going to be backed at 4 not 3 but he is a big lad and more mature than I Imagined he would be already, I don't hothouse horses but I do belive that everything can be viewed as their education, Ben has been learning since the day he arrived with me at 6 months, and because of this approach, everything I have done with him has been well accepted by him. Having spent the time thinking about it I am almost more relaxed with the idea of diy and just gentle hacking and work until the following spring when I will buy in services for schooling and polishing :D I am more than capable of doing it myself but you are never too old to have lessons, and what may take me 10 days to achieve by myself may take me 10 mins when directed by someone else :D As it draws closer to the time when I will get someone to come and teach me on him I will begin to introduce schooling on hacks and in the sandschool so that he is ready for his lessons to begin.
 
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