What would you think if a school horse did this?

[LittleBlueBird]

My lesson today I had a new horse, I was told he’s angry he’s grumpy. Asked if he was safe was told oh he’s fine under saddle.

The instructor said they’d check the girth as he bites, I had hold of him they checked his girth and as she did he lunged forward and tried to bite me, I wasn’t fazed so that’s not my issue. He then whipped his head around ears pinned and tried biting the instructor followed by a cow kick. At this point I wasn’t sure if I should get on him but I did.

under saddle he felt unbalanced, lost his footing a few times in walk and trot felt so awful I declined the rest of my lesson.

I know what I think but I’d like others opinions before I mention it to the riding school.

 

[Wheresthehoofpick]

I would say that was an unhappy horse. Pain related? But not suitable for your lesson as you felt you needed to cut it short.

I would contact the school calmly stating that you were unable to have the lesson you paid for and ask them what they would like to do to rectify the situation.

 

[nagblagger]

That horse is in PAIN and can't shout it any louder.
Poor animal.

 

[LittleBlueBird]

That horse is in PAIN and can't shout it any louder.
Poor animal.

Yes this is what I thought, I don’t care I missed part of my lesson I care that he wasn’t right and the school owner doesn’t seem to care infact he’s cross tied in his stable because he’s hard to tack up.

I’m not riding at a school that cares so little for their horses and rather address the issues cross ties him to make their life easier.

 

[McGrools]

Disgusting behaviour from the riding school. The poor poor horse x

 

[Pearlsacarolsinger]

Yes this is what I thought, I don’t care I missed part of my lesson I care that he wasn’t right and the school owner doesn’t seem to care infact he’s cross tied in his stable because he’s hard to tack up.

I’m not riding at a school that cares so little for their horses and rather address the issues cross ties him to make their life easier.

I would contact the licensing authority to express your concerns and, if the RS is BHS approved, I would let them know too.

 

[Regandal]

That screams ulcers to me. Awful.

 

[ycbm]

I declined the rest of my lesson.

Well done, that takes guts.
.

 

[Puzzled]

Ulcers! Well done for getting off him.

 

[LittleBlueBird]

I wasn’t allowed to put him back in his stable due to his ‘angry behaviour’ I got in my car and cried. The more of the horse world I see the more I witness people who say they care completely ignoring their horse and labelling them things like angry, rude, moody, naughty.
I thought it was well known that horses are emotional creatures, that there’s always a reason behind behaviour.

I’m so sad to have entered a world where ignoring an animal because it doesn’t benefit the owner is commonplace.

I want to learn but I can’t learn like this. Ending my lesson was the easiest thing, I could not continue knowing he was potentially in pain.

 

[Polos Mum]

I would look for another riding school. The owner will know (if they were honest with themselves) and won't react well to you pointing out there was an issue.

I would imagine the number of times people say "sorry I want to stop the lesson early because the horse isn't right" would happen so infrequently you have already made a big point.

There are nice schools out there who do put their horses first - perhaps ask on here for recommendations in your area

 

[LittleBlueBird]

I would look for another riding school. The owner will know (if they were honest with themselves) and won't react well to you pointing out there was an issue.

I would imagine the number of times people say "sorry I want to stop the lesson early because the horse isn't right" would happen so infrequently you have already made a big point.

There are nice schools out there who do put their horses first - perhaps ask on here for recommendations in your area

I don’t expect her to react well but that’s not my responsibility, I’m going to say something but be nice about it. The more people who aren’t afraid to say something surely the better schools have to do? This school has a good reputation but I think I’m done with riding schools.

 

[Gallop_Away]

Ulcers!!!! That horse needs a vet. Poor thing is trying to scream it in every possible way ?

 

[teapot]

I don’t expect her to react well but that’s not my responsibility, I’m going to say something but be nice about it. The more people who aren’t afraid to say something surely the better schools have to do? This school has a good reputation but I think I’m done with riding schools.

Please do not write them all off because of one experience.

 

[LittleBlueBird]

Please do not write them all off because of one experience.

I’ll ask for recommendations in my local forum.

 

[Barton Bounty]

Good for you for declining the rest but I would also be saying that you should be getting a replacement lesson in place of it ?

 

[eahotson]

Well done, that takes guts.
.

well said.

 

[babymare]

I’m another saying well done for ending your lesson. You were putting the horse first over money spent on lesson. I agree with all above that the horse is screaming pain. The RS definitely needs reporting in my eyes. They are meant to be the experienced ones her.

 

[Glitter's fun]

I’m so sad to have entered a world where ignoring an animal because it doesn’t benefit the owner is commonplace.

I want to learn but I can’t learn like this.

What happened to you was traumatic but thankfully it was unusual. Horse people are as different from each other as any other profession. Don't go away with the idea that most riding instructors are cruel mercenaries. You did the right thing & have already told them what you think by walking away but please don't give up altogether, the horse world needs people like you & you can have a completely different experience somewhere else.

 

[Annagain]

Poor horse and poor you to be put in that position. Well done for speaking up.

 

[Jenko109]

You rock. Seriously. What you did is literally unheard of.

 

[LittleBlueBird]

What happened to you was traumatic but thankfully it was unusual. Horse people are as different from each other as any other profession. Don't go away with the idea that most riding instructors are cruel mercenaries. You did the right thing & have already told them what you think by walking away but please don't give up altogether, the horse world needs people like you & you can have a completely different experience somewhere else.

My instructor is fab she’s really brilliant it’s the school owner who I now find out seems to think because he doesn’t do it with her and seems ok under saddle that he’s fine just grumpy.

 

[LittleBlueBird]

You rock. Seriously. What you did is literally unheard of.

Is it?? That makes me more sad!

 

[Pippity]

Whereabouts are you, OP? Somebody may be able to recommend a riding school that takes better care of its horses.

 

[LittleBlueBird]

Whereabouts are you, OP? Somebody may be able to recommend a riding school that takes better care of its horses.

I’ve asked in my local area on here, fingers crossed!

 

[MagicMelon]

I wasn’t allowed to put him back in his stable due to his ‘angry behaviour’ I got in my car and cried. The more of the horse world I see the more I witness people who say they care completely ignoring their horse and labelling them things like angry, rude, moody, naughty.
I thought it was well known that horses are emotional creatures, that there’s always a reason behind behaviour..

Sadly yes you have entered a world where quite a lot of people really dont care about their horses. I see it frequently on the competition circuit, Im sure everyone here does but just turns a blind eye to it as its so common place. You just have to try your best to NOT be like them! Riding schools I find are generally pretty dreadful, my son went to one a few times and it was literally what I imagined - the helpers/leaders were literally young teenage girls, they'd drag the ponies around by their bitted mouths, slap them on their bums to get them to trot, even giving total novices whips and encouraging them to smack ponies to get them moving. Many lame ponies or just generally unhappy ones. Genuinely I was shocked. My kid no longer has lessons, they're being led about by me on my 16.2hh instead! I would email them with your concerns but sadly I doubt they'll care. If they dont care enough to listen to their horses which are screaming at them how unhappy they are then I doubt they'll listen to you either.

 

[Starzaan]

Firstly I agree with previous posters that this horse sounds like it’s in real pain, and is screaming ‘I have ulcers!’. Well done you for cutting your lesson short.
I can assure you, there are a lot of riding schools that treasure their horses and treat them beautifully, there are some awful ones, but this isn’t the norm. Something you can do is call and report them to the council. As a riding school they have to have a licence, and EVERY horse must be on that licence. I used to manage an equestrian centre with 300 horses total, 106 of which were riding school horses. If we bought a new one part way through the year, we couldn’t use them in lessons until the council representative and their vet had come out and assessed, photographed and recorded the horse. If this horse is in pain, and not getting the proper care, a report of this behaviour to the council will be the most effective way of getting it dealt with. Feel free to PM me if you’d like some more info or to know any more about it all.

 

[Shilasdair]

My instructor is fab she’s really brilliant it’s the school owner who I now find out seems to think because he doesn’t do it with her and seems ok under saddle that he’s fine just grumpy.

He doesn't do it with the riding school owner? Doesn't sound pain-related then or he'd be doing it with everyone.

 

[teapot]

Firstly I agree with previous posters that this horse sounds like it’s in real pain, and is screaming ‘I have ulcers!’. Well done you for cutting your lesson short.
I can assure you, there are a lot of riding schools that treasure their horses and treat them beautifully, there are some awful ones, but this isn’t the norm. Something you can do is call and report them to the council. As a riding school they have to have a licence, and EVERY horse must be on that licence. I used to manage an equestrian centre with 300 horses total, 106 of which were riding school horses. If we bought a new one part way through the year, we couldn’t use them in lessons until the council representative and their vet had come out and assessed, photographed and recorded the horse. If this horse is in pain, and not getting the proper care, a report of this behaviour to the council will be the most effective way of getting it dealt with. Feel free to PM me if you’d like some more info or to know any more about it all.

While I agree with all this in theory, the actual adding of horses to licenses can vary between councils.

For my local council, all we had to do was email off the vet report from the yard’s own vet and pay the £20. The council never came out to view the horse until the next inspection, which could be up to 11 months after the horse was first used…

 

[Starzaan]

While I agree with all this in theory, the actual adding of horses to licenses can vary between councils.

For my local council, all we had to do was email off the vet report from the yard’s own vet and pay the £20. The council never came out to view the horse until the next inspection, which could be up to 11 months after the horse was first used…

Oh that’s not good! I guess we were lucky in Hampshire that they were so strict! They used to come out and insist on signing horses off even after a period of box rest, and if a horse had too many accident forms to its name there was an investigation. It was very intense but meant that the horses always came first.