Why do so many people overhorse themselves?

SadKen said:
I don't know the answer to this, but have just bought a 15hh Arab and have been very worried about people saying he is too small for me. As I'm only 5'4" that's unlikely but I have noticed a trend for these big monsters since I started riding again! To each his own, but I like my horses like I like my cars. Nippy and manoeuvreable! I rode a friend's 16.3 ISH and canter made me feel like I was going back in time.
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i totally know what you mean! after outgrowing my 13hh pony i decided to look for a horse that was just like him (just a bit bigger :D ) but my horsey aunt was determined to get me a 16.2hh or over, powerfully, all singing all dancing horse :rolleyes: but i am only 5'3 and at the time i was only 14 and plus i have never been comfortable around big horses ( don't ask me why i have no idea why :rolleyes: ) finally i agreed to loan a friend of hers horse. 17hh young thoroughbred mare. it started out ok but the first time i took her out she reared and bucked and completely terrified me :( i tried to get along with her for the next two months but in the end i had to give her back ( = grumpy aunt who said i hadn't tried hard enough :mad:) i now have my lovely 15hh conemara X gelding (= very grumpy aunt who says he's too small :rolleyes: ) who has been a dream :D plus he can turn much sharper than any 16.2 in a jump off :D

old pony and my new horse :)

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Yep see it all the time, folk want to compete so they get a competition horse thats just well outside what they can cope with.

I have seen people sold the worng horses, and I have seen horses not being what is says on the tin, so not always but people do do it and they end up nervous wrecks with horses in a worse state and just not enjoying anything which to me is the whole point of horses :)

Its a shame when people do it, if anything I tend to underhorse myself but I do like taking on horses with issues and working through them, done that with my last three and all have ended up great mounts and done a variety of things :)
 
I do think that sellers have to play their part in blame as well as buyers, it's often the case that someone comes to view and makes an offer, and it is accepted without thought of what is best for the animal.

I had a fair few call me about my ex p2p mare- total novices, one even got past my phone interview (rigorous!!) and made it into the saddle- he lasted about 5 mins. But a few (riding school mothers mostly) wanted some thing for their child to move on to from riding school cobs. That sure as hell was not my mare! I had to be quite firm with a few before they got the gist, and even sent some in the direction of some quiet horses I knew of for sale.

If more people thought of the right thing to do by the horse, less over horsing would happen.
 
I think there are many different causes of this - sometimes you can do all you can to find a horse that suits your abilities and still end up over horsed.

More often though the problem comes when people who have ridden a more school master type get over inflated ideas about their abilities and then look to buy something else to take them further - then they find out that actually they are not as skilled as they think they are and end up struggling to work through problems - these are the horses I feel sorry for!!
 
I think a lot of people don't think seriously about what they plan to DO with their prospective purchase. If you are riding club/local show level, novice dressage and 3' jumping max, as most casual riders are why does anyone need a 16.3hh?
 
A very interesting notion that I have noticed on this thread is that a lot of people are referring to the height of the horse, I personally have never classed the height of the horse as being overhorsed.
In my view, being overhorsed is when you can't control the horse that you are riding and/or handling and this can have very little to do with height. I've ridden 17.3hh sweethearts who are absolute gentleman, and I've ridden 13.2 native types who have really put my riding to the test!
I don't find that the size of the horse has any impact on whether they are going to overhorse someone or not, it's the brain!
At the end of the day I'm 5'6 and if a horse decides that it's going and bolts off, be it an 18hh Warmblood or a 13hh Cob, I am not going to be able to hold it. Horses are just so much stronger than us humans, even little 12hh ponies can pack a hell of a tug when they see a nice piece of grass.
When it comes to a battle of pure strength we are always going to lose to the horse that we are riding, regardless of their size.
 
LollyDolly said:
A very interesting notion that I have noticed on this thread is that a lot of people are referring to the height of the horse, I personally have never classed the height of the horse as being overhorsed.
In my view, being overhorsed is when you can't control the horse that you are riding and/or handling and this can have very little to do with height. I've ridden 17.3hh sweethearts who are absolute gentleman, and I've ridden 13.2 native types who have really put my riding to the test!
I don't find that the size of the horse has any impact on whether they are going to overhorse someone or not, it's the brain!
At the end of the day I'm 5'6 and if a horse decides that it's going and bolts off, be it an 18hh Warmblood or a 13hh Cob, I am not going to be able to hold it. Horses are just so much stronger than us humans, even little 12hh ponies can pack a hell of a tug when they see a nice piece of grass.
When it comes to a battle of pure strength we are always going to lose to the horse that we are riding, regardless of their size.
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I was just thinking the same thing!
 
Probably time to mention that one of the worst injuries I've had was from a Shetland that someone asked me to move fields while not bothering to tell me wasn't halter broken. I sure was overhorsed there. :o

Paula
 
Thankfully my overhorsing experience was a loan when I was looking to buy, I am now going back to my plan to buy and sending him back to his owner who only sent him to me because she was terrified to ride him and I felt sorry for them both! A broken arm later I decided its not my problem and hope to be utterly underhorsed next time thanks to that knock to my confidence!
 
I thought I had issues at the start of having my new boy BUT... few weeks later I am in love with him he is a darling really, having lessons now too which is helping us both I have got to know him loads more too doing lots of ground work with him.

I will not give up on him or me, we are going in the right direction and can't wait for next spring already.
 
Moobucket said:
I think also people don't realise how much work the more thoroughbred types are. They go out hacking and schooling 4 times a week and consider their horse in medium work when in reality they are in low work really. Hardly breaking a sweat. A lot of the problem horses I see should be out hunting 5 times a week and maybe eventing at the weekends. Massive powerful and intelligent creatures.
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Exactly this - one persons ideal of "medium work" isn't the same as anothers. It's perception i'm afriad, which unfortunately has no boundaries.
 
I'm in my 40s now and have returned to riding after a 20 odd year break. I've done bits and bobs at riding schools to keep my hand in, but haven't owned a horse since I was a confident seventeen year old rider.

When I first started looking for my own horse in May, I wanted a middle aged happy hacker. However, the horses that are for sale in my neck of the woods are all 4 or 5 year olds, or if they are middle aged, they were only broken a year ago. So I started trying these type of horses if they were advertised as sensible.

I thought "Oh well. I'm a confident competent rider, I'll just have to put in a bit more work." Luckily, one of these horses I tried frightened me to death by bolting with me. I had steering but no brakes so in the end, feet out of stirrups and chucked myself off. First fall in 20 years.

So now I have ended up with a ten year old cob thank goodness, whose former teenage owner wants to move on to something more spirited and exciting. We still have our issues, she is convinced that she is in charge and when she tests me a little, I get that little knot of fear in my stomach like I used to get when I was about an 8 year old rider, which I find astonishing!! I didn't ever expect to have that feeling around horses again!!

When I first started looking for my own horse again, I thought I would be able to jump straight on practically any horse as confident and competent as I was when I was 17. Having spoken to lots of people now, this seems to be a common problem, that ladies of a certain age take a break from riding, to work/raise a family etc then come back to it and buy a horse they could ride 25 years ago, thinking they will be just as good as they were 25 years ago. WRONG!

I think this would make a fantastic topic to cover as an article in Horse and Hound or another mag as it does seem to be a widespread issue :p
 
I don't even think its not being as good. You definitely lose confidence as you age and probably much more so if you have a long break.

I am 32 and just back into horses about 6 months and I've bought a lightly backed 4 year old 14.2. I feel competent to school her on myself but if I need help I will get it.
 
I did this rode till I was 18, then had a break till 31 due to kids, uni, work etc. Totally overhorsed myself with my part loan so went out to get something quieter. Ended up with a 16.2 tank who somehow I manage well and it works. If id known he would be like this however I prob wouldn't have bought him. In his last home he was a plod who napped when alone, now he's very forward going, spooky but we have no problems going out by ourselves. Though he has been known to tank off if he gets excited. I bought him thinking we would never hack out alone so the napping wasn't a concern but it turns out it's what we do most. I did get a good instructor though to make sure were doing the right thing and to help sort out his massive separation issues and poor ground manners when alone.
 
Don't know if it has been said already, but, over horsing isn't about warm bloods and TB's.

The bigger the horse doesn't mean the more challenging.

My big lads are as laid back as they come, a lot of people get over horsed/ponied by cobs and stubborn smaller ponies!
 
Interesting post. My daughter is probably over horsed at the moment. She has had her new horse 6 months, 5 yo 3/4 ID about 15.3/16. I think the seller was a little dishonest/exaggerated his abilities. Foolishly we bought him because we were just so fed up of looking and he seemed to match what she wanted on paper (and was cuddly).

She has spent 6 months getting him to the stage that we thought he was when were buying him. He will now hack out alone (sort of!) and walk trot & canter without falling over.

Problem is, now he is filling out and getting stronger and more confident there is a new set of challenges. Whether it will work out who knows. She does have a good instructor and seems to heal quickly!
 
Cortez said:
Just curious; how do so many people get themselves into this position - are they deluding themselves, taken advantage of or just innocent?
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I've ended up overhorsed with youngster. She was an absolute little star and then turned a nightmare when someone messed around in her field.
She was unhandled at 3yo when I got her. With a bit of time she was brilliant, very friendly and ground work coming along nicely, then had a bad experience with a person in her field (I would happily throttle the girl if I ever saw her again) wouldn't come within 10m of any person, had a calm older horse out with her almost double barrel a couple of us trying to catch her. Then a very traumatic move off the yard in question.

I didn't (and wouldn't have) choose her as she is now and would have called it a day long ago had I not got good help alongside. I think part of the overhorsed is her and the trust, but more of it is me knowing I put her in this position. So with me it's not the horses behaviour, but my horses behaviour. Very much an emotional block on it which is slowly breaking down!

Pan
 
Haven't read all of the responses but sometimes think forums like this can add to the problem. How often do you read posts where someone has clearly overhorsed themselves and should get rid of the horse and buy something more suitable and enjoyable, only for the poster to be urged to persevere "for the sake of the horse"?
 
guido16 said:
Don't know if it has been said already, but, over horsing isn't about warm bloods and TB's.

The bigger the horse doesn't mean the more challenging.

My big lads are as laid back as they come, a lot of people get over horsed/ponied by cobs and stubborn smaller ponies!
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I agree to some extent with this! There are some lovely easy-going bigger horses/TBs/warmbloods and some dangerous smaller horses/cobs/ponies.

However, I would give the caveat that IF a horse is going to misbehave, the size and power of the horse can make an impact on the rider's confidence. If my 14hh pony starts prancing around it doesn't bother me too much, but if my daughter's 16hh warmblood started the same behaviour with me on board it would worry me much more! Similarly, if athletic horses such as warmbloods do get startled and spook or buck, then they tend to do it in a much more powerful way, making it harder to stay on.

To me, being over-horsed comes down to confidence or lack of it. If the owner is worried or fearful about riding or handling the horse on a regular basis then they are probably overhorsed - whether they have a 14hh pony or a 17hh warmblood!
 
Holbert said:
I'm in my 40s now and have returned to riding after a 20 odd year break. I've done bits and bobs at riding schools to keep my hand in, but haven't owned a horse since I was a confident seventeen year old

When I first started looking for my own horse again, I thought I would be able to jump straight on practically any horse as confident and competent as I was when I was 17. Having spoken to lots of people now, this seems to be a common problem, that ladies of a certain age take a break from riding, to work/raise a family etc then come back to it and buy a horse they could ride 25 years ago, thinking they will be just as good as they were 25 years ago :p
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Im 40 and like you have had a 20 yr break with the odd lesson or hack at the local riding school. Im looking to buy next year! My last horse, 20 yrs ago, was a very very forward going 3/4 thb who was an angel on the ground and my pony before that was a complete nutjob! He used to bolt all the time and tbh, its a miracle im still here! I have to say, I am worried about buying an unsafe horse. Being a bit older i feel im more aware of the potential outcomes of riding a nutter. I do appreciate that my riding skills are not what the used to be and a more sedate horse would be preferable. Saying that, ive always prefered a more forward going horse. I also want to compete eventually - nothing major, just local level events ODE, sj etc. I wouldnt have the skills to 'bring on' a youngster so I guess my only option would be to buy a schoolmaster?? I would also have regular lessons of course as any schoolmaster would be far more knowledgable than me!! What does anyone think my best option would be?
 
guido16 said:
Don't know if it has been said already, but, over horsing isn't about warm bloods and TB's.

The bigger the horse doesn't mean the more challenging.

My big lads are as laid back as they come, a lot of people get over horsed/ponied by cobs and stubborn smaller ponies!
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I agree with this!!

I used to work at a riding school that sold a 5 YO late broken pony (no more than 13hh but being a baby he could be quite strong) to a young girl who was about 3 stone wet through and not very strong. She'd fallen in love with him and yes he was beautiful thick floaty mane nice markings. But because they were both only used to riding in the riding school and him doing the same thing every week, she could get on him he'd get to the front of the que and trot or canter nicely to the back pop a small jump and then trot to the back of the que her parents thought she was good and strong enough to take him home!

Lets just say when there wasn't a back of a que for him to run to it ended in broken bones and this beautiful pony being 'retired'. He can only be about 10 years old now.
 
I am 5'4" and have a 16.2hh Belgian Warmblood. I may look small on him, and may sometimes be a little nervous if he's having a bad day - but I ride through it and get on with it. I do not class myself as being over-horsed.

I also have a 14.2hh Highland Pony who has taught me way more than I ever thought he could. He was a little s*** when I bought him but is a different pony now simply through hard work and an understanding relationship.

It's not necessarily the height/breed of the horse, it's the behaviour and relationship that usually cause people to over-horse themselves. It's a mutual partnership - not just one-sided as some people think it is.
 
Well guys, my two penneth is...

I am sure many people think that I have over horsed myself as I am 5'2" and own a delightful 17.2hh full ID gelding. I bought him as a 4 year old and he was big then but has grown and grown. I bought him though for his fabulous personality. He is a star and I may look a "bit" small on him but tbh I dont care what people think - I can ride him, working at Novice level dressage and can do anything with him, apart from get on from the ground LOL! (see pic)

I also own (a now retired) 17hh mare who I jumped to Foxhunter on and no one dared say I was overhorsed as I did so well on her!!!

I did not buy him to 'keep up with the joneses' or 'to stand out from everyone else' but bought him for his personality - a lovely laid back gent!

Thanks for reading...xxx
 
Personally I think as some people have said that it takes a lot of work with horses and young horses will not have seen and done everything so it is a silly thing for sellers to say that the horse is 'bombproof' or 'suitable for novices' or 'anyone's ride' because there is absolutely no way a rising 5 year old, unless it has an exceptional attitude and is so laid back it is horizontal, is not going to get excited unless all it ever does is plod around a school.

I myself bought one of these! Coupled with which he quickly hit the kevin years he scared me to death. And he wasn't a big flashy TB or warmblood! After lessons with YO and loads of going out and about, and having to stand a bit of pain and some hairy rides, three years later we are getting on well now, and I had ridden a lot previously.

So it is unreasonable to expect to pay £3-4k for a horse that has done it all. You either have to pay an awful lot more money for a 8/9 year old that has done it all, or take the pain and pay less and teach it yourself!!
 
I think a lot of people tend to right off horses over the age of 12 years and yet they want schoolmasters ... first pony was fantastic.. did everything with her safely and energetically at the ripe old age of 15 lol...she stayed fit and in medium work with me until i outgrew her and sold her to another young girl who had four more years of fun before she was lightly hacked for year before being retired in her mid 20s, so she prob gave 10 years of confidence, fun etc before being retired, seems to be an increase of first time buyers buying youngsters.
 
rhino said:
I always find it amusing when anyone looking for a first horse on here is recommended to 'buy a cob', because of course all cobs are slow and ploddy :D The ones who are slow and ploddy I wouldn't even class as ideal for a novice, they can teach you some very bad habits indeed! Many are as far from slow and ploddy as you can get :D

I do find it a shame that true schoolmasters are vastly underrated, the confidence and experience such a beastie can give is amazing! :)
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I as above ^^

I think people are also to quick to dismiss an older horse and won't consider one over 12! Which is so silly after all these are the horses that have been and done it to teach the novice/nervious rider and horses are living and competing so much longer now I would have no problem buying a 12-18 year old for a nervious/novice rider!

These school masters are great horses and not all cobs! So anyone looking for a "flashy type" may still have a suitable horse!
 
Moobucket said:
I think also people don't realise how much work the more thoroughbred types are
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You should meet our TB - he has raced but is more of a seaside-donkey-in-a-racehorse-suit!

At the weekend we made the rather ridiculous decision to hack out on the estate, the route we chose went right by the side of the xc course which was running a CCI** at the time - as you can imagine to say the horses were 'lit up' is a bit of an understatement! Not Frankie boy though, oh no, he trotted along flicking his toes and being the best boy of the day - my 2 year old would have been perfectly safe on him! :D
 
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