laura_nash
Well-Known Member
Hi
I got my new horse last Monday. He's been in a field getting fat for the last year, but I rode him in the field when I tried him (he wasn't shod) and he was very sensible if rather unfit.
Since he arrived he's been quite difficult to handle, bargy (especially in his stable) and a bit opinionated and easily frustrated (banging the door and scraping the floor). I think it's partly just all the other horses going in / out / on rides and not helped by the fact that he's getting less to eat than he's been used to and has to be stabled part-time (out at night, in during the day). On Tuesday he made a very determined effort to barge out of his stable and when stopped (with body language only) reared up and banged his nose on the top of the door frame giving himself some nasty grazes
Anyway, I've been concentrating on groundwork and general handling and yesterday he seemed much better (he suddenly realised he could go backwards when asked!). So now I'm wondering, at what point do I get on? I have access to an outside menage. I'm not the most confident rider at the moment as I've had about 8 years of just RS / occasional hacks on friends horses, and his tendency to respond to situations he doesn't like by rearing has worried me slightly.
On the plus side, the possibility of biting and kicking doesn't seem to ever occur to him, he's happy to be touched on any part of his body, and his reaction to scary things is mostly to stand very, very still and then snort (he hasn't shied once). He just likes to throw his (considerable) weight around. I don't want to ask for trouble by riding him before he's really settled, but I know putting it off just makes it seem more of an issue.
He's 8 but I don't really know how much he's done in the past. His previous owner bought him as a hack, rode him for about 3 months and then stuck him out in the field with another horse bought as her husbands hack at the same time. She said because she ran out of time, but I'm beginning to think she let him scare her as he seems genuinely surprised about being asked to stand still, not barge about, not bash people with his head etc.
Anyway, sorry for the mammoth posting!
Advice??
I got my new horse last Monday. He's been in a field getting fat for the last year, but I rode him in the field when I tried him (he wasn't shod) and he was very sensible if rather unfit.
Since he arrived he's been quite difficult to handle, bargy (especially in his stable) and a bit opinionated and easily frustrated (banging the door and scraping the floor). I think it's partly just all the other horses going in / out / on rides and not helped by the fact that he's getting less to eat than he's been used to and has to be stabled part-time (out at night, in during the day). On Tuesday he made a very determined effort to barge out of his stable and when stopped (with body language only) reared up and banged his nose on the top of the door frame giving himself some nasty grazes
Anyway, I've been concentrating on groundwork and general handling and yesterday he seemed much better (he suddenly realised he could go backwards when asked!). So now I'm wondering, at what point do I get on? I have access to an outside menage. I'm not the most confident rider at the moment as I've had about 8 years of just RS / occasional hacks on friends horses, and his tendency to respond to situations he doesn't like by rearing has worried me slightly.
On the plus side, the possibility of biting and kicking doesn't seem to ever occur to him, he's happy to be touched on any part of his body, and his reaction to scary things is mostly to stand very, very still and then snort (he hasn't shied once). He just likes to throw his (considerable) weight around. I don't want to ask for trouble by riding him before he's really settled, but I know putting it off just makes it seem more of an issue.
He's 8 but I don't really know how much he's done in the past. His previous owner bought him as a hack, rode him for about 3 months and then stuck him out in the field with another horse bought as her husbands hack at the same time. She said because she ran out of time, but I'm beginning to think she let him scare her as he seems genuinely surprised about being asked to stand still, not barge about, not bash people with his head etc.
Anyway, sorry for the mammoth posting!
Advice??
