When training youngsters do bad riders make bad horses - discuss?

[Sunny08]

I am interested really, reflecting on a couple of posts from yesterday and today, and my own experience. My 4 1/2 year old was broken by me last summer, turned away and now back in work. I take it very slowly but I am very confident with her and don't let her get away with anything - i.e. nappiness etc. I am also confident that though I don't have the talent to produce a top competition horse I will produce a nice all rounder. My mare is well bred and can be highly strung but we have never had a huge battle as I have taken her slowly building confidence and she knows what is expected. I can't work out if I am just very lucky, or taking her slowly has paid off - I am certainly not the worlds best trainer or rider but have by some miracle to date got a very nice 4yr old.

My question is do people think if you make mistakes at this point do you make a bad horse for life, or are there just some 'bad' horses... I ask as I just watched a video posted below of a 4 year old going mental and my first thought that is a horse who has been badly trained from the start and battles like that shouldn't need to happen. I am not saying I am right just interested in others views....

 

[Izzwizz]

I do think that taking things slowly is a key factory in the end result being a good horse like you have done. I dont believe that horses are born bad and their education is largely based on their experiences with us humans. They dont, in my experience, forget bad things, like being beaten. I do believe in being fair but firm, this has paid off with my 10yr old as she was when I got her and is now coming up to 15. People are too much in a rush these days, just like when horses are recovering from injury. We live in a society of fast pace and wanting things to happen yesterday. It does take time and patience with horses and it usually pays off. People do tend to forget that horses are animals and their training cannot be rushed and best results are achieved by repetition and routine, reward and above all kindness.

Thats what I think anyway!!

 

[kerilli]

i've produced quite a few, one of the first i did was as easy as pie, she was a chestnut mare and so sweet and willing, went a long way, never really put a foot wrong. bucked me off once on concrete when i mounted but perhaps the girth pinched her, she never ever did it again. then i did a few more, and a lot of competitive riding in between, these youngsters had their moments occasionally but were very trainable. then had another homebred, did her just like the others, if anything took her slower because she was small and i was waiting for her to grow. sweet mare to handle, but bright. she started off resistant and lazy, i patiently got her through that, then she was okay for a bit, then she started being very odd, freezing and fixating on things a mile away out hacking and utterly refusing to go further, resistant and horrible (and athletic, in the wrong way!) to school (and i never pressurised her). i had much more experience by this point than i'd had with the others, but she just did not want to play ball. i tried patience (waiting her out), i tried encouragement, i tried strictness (eventually), nothing worked... did all the usual checks etc etc, nothing.
i gave her every chance and i'm better than your average muppet.
i didn't pass the problem on, put it that way...

so, i'd say there are some with great trainability and willingness that almost anyone could get going nicely, some that need the right input at the right time, and the odd one that's going to be impossible almost no matter what...

 

[milliepops]

I don't think there are many 'bad' horses really. For the most part, I think those with bad behavour have suffered mistreatment or poor training at some point. Sadly, it can then be difficult to re-educate them

 

[phoebeast]

i believe what you put in is what you get out. i've seen some poorly schooled horses go lovely and some brilliantly schooled horses go terribly due to the rider. as long as you're patient and take care with a youngster then you should see that reflected.

 

[flossy_123]

well i no for a fact horses NEVER forget!! my horse was broken in by someone who said she could do allsorts with horses but turns out i could have done a better job myself!!! i will never ever trust anyone else with my horses, apart from my riding instructor, no matter what c**p they come out with!! theres only one person that i will let ride him and that is my riding instructor that has help a bit with him and she great!! (no offence) but iv done nealy all the work myself now and am loving it! i am taking it very slowly with him only because i dnt want to put him off again like she did!

 

[NoCollection]

Impatient riders certainly make bad horses. You sound like you are doing all the right things with your youngster - taking it slowly and insisting on manners.

If you were buying a nice 5 year old, would you rather have a low-mileage one who is sensible, balanced and well-mannered, or a stressed baby who has been to a dozen or more competitions. maybe won a class or two but has learned lots of bad habits?

 

[lachlanandmarcus]

Oddly tho Im a nervous rider I found bringing on my young horse liberating (tho I did get my very patient & Monty Roberts trainer instructor to do the initial stages). Because I didnt expect my young mare to be brave and knew from the start that I would have to be brave for both of us, and that she would take signals from me, it made me calmer and braver than with more finished horses. I also knew she had no hidden bad habits cos we had her from the start and took it very slowly. Odd but it worked for me! So even tho Im not a good rider in my own eyes, I know I am a better rider on her than I am on any other horse....

 

[eggs]

I agree with Kerilli.

I used to think that some horses had been badly messed up by whoever had backed them (and I am sure there are some who are) but having bred and backed a number of youngsters myself I do think their basic nature has a huge amount to do with how they turn out.

We currently have four homebred 5 year olds who were all handled the same way but two are naturally more nervous and uptight whereas the other two are very bold and are able to progress much faster.

I guess a lot of it comes down to being able to adapt to each individual horses's character.