would you have done the same?

M

moodymare123

Well-Known Member
Joined
29 October 2009
Messages
531
Visit site
so i have taken on new horse to ride for the owners to then sell as they just dont have the time, she is 16.2 and tb x appy 16 years old.
i finally got to ride her today as lack of tack before, so gave her a lunge to be on the safe side NOW i dont usually wear a BP but today for some reason i just had a gut instinct to put it on! i tacked her up and she just didnt seem a hundred percent but i thought she was just on edge because she was in by herself! i got on her and she just bronced and bronced, now i feel really really defeated and a failure for this but i just hopped off as it just didnt feel right and i didnt wanto get knocked out from falling off and no one being there! just texted the owner and she is getting her back done now! but i just felt as though i could of done more! sorry pointless really...
 
How long has she not been ridden?

Was the saddle fitting correctly?

You really should have had someone with you for the first few rides on a new horse that hasn't been ridden in a while.

Also do loads of lunge work to build up back, lots of in hand work too.
 
ok ill quickly tell story of whole situation, horse broke pedal bone 3 yrs ago has been ridden since but had a few quirks, owner put her on lwvtb to people who made out they where the beez knees when in fact they have no clue saddle is crap, so i put one of my polypads on her today!, realised she is too much for them and want to send her back owner who doesnt have a place for her to actually go back to and with baby and stuff she just doesnt have time, so i got recommended to her as i keep my pony on the yard and i do other peoples horses ect; so said will you ride her bring her back into work for me then sell her which i agreed too! and she was fine on lunge!
 
How long has she been out of work?

Assuming it's been a while I would probably do more work on the lunge, then long rein before finally starting her again with someone on the ground helping (leaning over, getting used to weight on her back again etc. Treat her like a baby).

Don't rush it, it may take a few weeks until you can 'ride' her!
 
see the thing has been ridden these past couple of weeks and her quirks are apparently she went down the lanes on her and as she turned around she started cantering home but after speaking to person who rode out with her she only bounced on the spot for a couple of seconds! but other than that her other quirks are feild related!
 
Get the owner to get her back checked, but please do be careful - it sounds as though this oldish mare has developed problems, and unless the owner can pay your wages if you break a leg then I'd advise letting them ride it.
Sorry but it's a pet hate of mine - owners of not very safe horses expecting other folk to put 'em right.
 
she has been out of work for 2 years but has just been ridden by the ex loaners recently and has been fine with them really!
 
I'm no expert, but not sure if a poly pad will solve 'a crap saddle'.
Sounds like back issue to me. But take more time.

And yes, I would have got off too!! (knowing me, fallen off!)
 
I think all you can do for now is wait until you hear from the back people and see what the verdict is. Until then, a day at a time.
 
moodymare123 said:
saddle is crap, so i put one of my polypads on her today!
Click to expand...

To be honest, I wouldn't set foot on her until she's had her back checked and also had a proper saddle fitted! You say its crap, so a polypad isn't going to sort that! Having also taken on a horse, in my case to back, once we were walking about happily in a paddock - the horse took off pull pelt (giving no warning) and chucked me off at the fence. I had been using my own saddle on it, so owner then agreed to get a saddle professionally fitted. Turns out the saddler fitted it wrong as yet again a week later, the horse did exactly the same thing but this time I ended up doing myself damage (am permanently numb round my hip!). I had to send the horse back (mainly because I couldnt walk for days/weeks but also because I thought I must be doing something seriously wrong, yet I'd backed plenty in the past who were all perfectly easy). Turned out the saddle wasn't fitted well and was bridging, pro saddle fitted refunded her in full. What I'm trying to say is that the saddle fit is so important!! I would never get on another horse without a properly fitting saddle.
 
No I wouldn't have done the same, definitely wouldn't have expected a horse to be ridden in a saddle I had deemed as 'crap'.
 
So the horse has been ridden recently and regularly by the loan people in a "crap saddle" with no problems? You put a polypad on and ride it in the same "crap saddle" and you do have problems. Did you change any other piece of tack? Personally, when I sell horses for other people (and I sell a lot of horses for other people!), I will always ride the horse in the tack it's been ridden in by the owner for the first 5 or 10 mins even if the tack is rubbish. Then, after that initial short ride, I will discuss tack options with the owner and make changes.
 
ok i didnt expect to be jumped on like this at all.. but describing as crap i mean just brought an old synthetic saddle off preloved and put on her, and owner asked me to put on poly pad as saddle is too low on withers, she is bringing down another saddle tomorrow, and also going to bring my other pony in to see wether she is better with another pony on yard :-)
 
And you wonder why most of us have asked you several sensible questions.
1) when a horse has been out of action for some time , you start from the beginning lunge walk trot with out any tack for a couple of weeks(what I do)
2) When going fine then add tack, that way you get some idea whether the tack (saddle actually fits)
3) Then you get on with somebody holding horse and then start slowly on lunge.
4) You must know the rest.
16 year old mare foot trouble out of action for 2 years and you expect to get on no trouble, you need your head seeing too, or overly confident.
 
Is the pommel if the saddle touching the withers? If it is that will hurt and a polypad won't make much difference. Saddles that are too low on the withers are often too wide. If you put the saddle on and girth up normally, can you lift the cantle end of the saddle off her back by a significant amount? If you can, the saddle will be flapping up and down banging her back in trot and canter which will hurt. Again, a polypad won't make much difference.
 
but the thing is i dont get is whyshe hasnt done it with ex loaners when ridden before?! we think she has in the past been constantantly lunged and ridden on the lunged so iy is sort of like a safety blanket?! and by the polypad it seems that the back of the saddle isnt coming up and down much anymore, she used to be a top quality mare before she broke her pedal bone showjumping at good height! she just seemed on edge because she couldnt see any other horses (they were around the corner) i have done all i can and her desperate (and upset) owner is doing all she can!
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Top