Wrong To Get Off?

[acorn92x]

I'm interested to see whether I'm in the minority here as I was shot down a bit last night by another livery after I got off my new horse after she had a strop over not wanting to walk past some rustling bushes (It was rather windy!) and a gigantic puddle last night on a hack around some bridlepaths. Horse stopped when she saw the puddle and whipped round to head for home, I caught her and turned her back round and gave her a sharp kick and told her to walk on when at which point she did a little bunny hop rear (Literally about a foot off the floor so hardly anything but it was a threat). I asked her to stand, which she did and allowed her to look at the puddle and bushes and asked her to walk on again when she did the same thing as last time so once she was stood still, I got off and lead her past the scary objects and she walked past, albeit basically treading on my heels as she was clearly a bit unnerved! Once we were past the puddle, I remounted and we carried on fine with the rest of our hack and although a little spooky because of the wind, she was perfect.

One of my fellow liveries overheard me talking to another livery and said I was wrong to get off as the horse will think that she has won and I should have pushed her through it as she was obviously being naughty. I've only had her for just over 2 weeks and she has been very good in all ways (Touch wood) and has not been nappy or badly behaved and I genuinely feel that she was scared or nervous of something, probably the huge puddle as she isn't a fan of water and it was huge - and there was a lot of noise from wind too. I'm not an overly confident rider and I didn't want to ruin the horses confidence (Or mine for that matter!) as she is new to me, this is a new area for her and she has been a very good girl. She went past these scary things fine although snorting and a bit disgruntled by them and I certainly don't feel that I *Let*her win - her winning would have been allowing her to turn for home and go for it! Does anyone else get off and lead there horses and then remount in these situations or would you have pushed her through it?

 

[The Snowman]

I would just ignore them! She's your horse and you can do what you like. I would always rather get off and get past it than try and fight a losing battle to get your horse past it whilst still riding. Why make a big deal out of something when you can make it simpler whilst getting off? The horse won't know the difference between you getting of and staying on really, she just knows that she went past the scary thing!

This might not work for all horses but has always worked for me and the horses I have ridden.

 

[Emma_H]

It's never wrong to get off if the situation needs it. You tried to get her past and made the right decision at that time for you and your mare. As you say you carried on fine after that.

She won't "think" she's won. Horses don't think like humans.

Ignore people they always have opinions!

 

[OldNag]

Your horse, your rules. I would ignore them.

 

[megs22]

Totally agree with The Snowman on this, you can only ride to your own ability and if you feel you need to get off then so be it, much better to dismount and lead past something allowing said horse to have a look and realise that its not that bad, than have a massive argument and make the scary object even scarier, as you've only had the horse for a couple of weeks it will need to build confidence in you so ignore others and do what feels right to you.

 

[webble]

No not wrong. I think I would have made her go past a few times led then got on and ridden her past but it's easy to say that sat on my arse in the office!!

 

[Meowy Catkin]

I'm in the get and and lead camp. I used to ride in a lot of traffic, so leaping about and napping was just too dangerous, dismounting and then remounting when safe, was the only sensible option. I found that an object that i had to dismount for yesterday (one was a fly tipped fridge) could generally be ridden past (albeit at super fast trot) the following day and was then less of an issue after that. I always made sure that she stood perfectly for me to dismount, lead sensibly and that she stood perfectly for me to remount, so she was having to do as she was asked.

It's funny as I have ridden with 'don't get off or the horse wins' people and every bleddy gate has had to be opened by me, plus I've had to dismount to pick up their dropped phones, sort slipping brushing boots on their horses and even a slipped saddle with them still mounted as they can't get on again. Speaks volumes IMO.

 

[Serianas]

I would always dismount and lead past if i thought the situation was going to become dangerous Mine doesnt strop as such, just stands stock still and no amount of persuasion will move him like a pony sized, hairy, fat roadblock

 

[Goldenstar]

Your horse, your rules. I would ignore them.

This is my view but I would never get off in such a situation I would either have it out with the horse or sit it out until the horse gave in depending on the circumstances and the horse .

 

[eggs]

To an extent it does depend on the horse - with one of mine I used to get off and lead past but with another I had to just sit it out.

However she is your horse so you have to make the best decision at the time. It is tougher as you don't know her that well yet but from your description I think you made the right call. I would suggest though that you do some schooling through water - possibly with a friend with a water confident horse.

 

[caras mum]

I'm also in the get off walk past camp. I can hack anywhere I fancy for miles, because there's nothing that can't be coped with using this method. Like faracat I also ride with lots of the 'kick on past it folks' and I end up doing all the gates, picking up phones etc. They also have lots of "o we can't do those bridges" "we can't go through the town" "we've never been that way, don't know if she'll cope with that" "no he'll never stand outside the shop whilst you grab some corneto's"
Getting off calmly walking past means it's not so scary the next day. You end up with a calm horse that's a pleasure to ride.
P.s. Listening to other folks opinions on a livery yards rarely a good idea, hehehe. For every good bit of advice, you'll hear 50 times as much *****.

 

[caras mum]

Wow didn't even know horse poo was a cuss word! Lol

 

[MyBoyChe]

I much prefer a planned dismount than an unplanned one!! I will always get off and lead if I think there is a risk that I might get dumped or that by staying on Im putting us both in danger. If your horse trusts you enough to follow you that can only be a good thing.

 

[mynutmeg]

I think you did the right thing. I generally will stay on if at all possible and quietly ask from her back however I can't get back on without rather a large mounting block/gate/rock/wall due to past injury so getting off often means quite a long walk but all you're doing is reassuring the horse and showing them that it's nothing to be scared off and they learn to trust you even more then

 

[Tapir]

you wanted the horse to go past, she went past. How is that letting her win?

 

[9tails]

New owners should take with a pinch of salt all advice from the yard know-it-all. They're usually the ones that have been around horses for the past 40 years and their horses are very badly behaved, but they'll tell you exactly where YOU are going wrong.

FWIW, I get off if the situation warrants it. Your situation warranted it.

 

[Speedyfluff]

Having been in both camps, for the first 20 years of riding I would never get off and always make them pass, thought I would be letting them 'win' etc. if I got off. I have now learned that you get more respect and a bond with a horse if you get off and lead them past something that scares them. They see you more as a strong, brave leader. This respect then translates to when you are in the saddle. So OP ignore them. They are wrong. You did the right thing and your new horse will bond more quickly with you and get braver faster than if you'd made them go past and had a big battle.

Even if you do not agree with what I have said, what would happen if you battled it out and your horse had reared and got you off or flipped over then galloped away? Then the horse has learned that dangerous behaviour gets them away from something scary.

 

[The Fuzzy Furry]

I have always been in the 'get them past even if I have to get off' camp, especially when out on my own

However, these days am so decrepit having been around & on horses for more than 50 yrs (so that counts for nothing from some above ^ ) that currently I have a Fuzzy who doesn't stop, not for anything, he's a ruddy tank on occasions & will cheerfully lead anything spooky past all I have put him at to date. Its v hard going past flappy stuff in skips tho, as he loves to try to shuffle across to rummage in them :redface3: He's a dream to accompany newbies out and about on

 

[Piaffe123]

I think it depends on the situation and how out of hand the horse is getting. I generally prefer to get the horse past with me sat on it, even if it is a case of sitting there doing nothing until the horse gets bored. But that doesn't apply to every circumstance, there could be loads of cars, if you're with another horse they could get upset that you're just stood still and they have to wait, etc, etc. Or if the horse is getting really het up and really threatening to rear I wouldn't do it, it just depends on what is safest to be honest.

At the end of day it probably is best to try and ride past the "scary" thing but if it's not safe and you're putting yourself in danger it's just not worth it. Especially if it isn't a typically nappy horse, I don't see a problem with getting off and calming them down when they're genuinely scared as bullying them past really isn't constructive in that circumstance.

 

[Christmas Crumpet]

I would always get off and lead the horse past if I thought continuing to try and get past whilst on top may well result in me falling off!!! I don't care about "winning" a battle. Get past safely and with as little stress as possible!!

 

[tashcat]

Your horse, your decision.

Do what is best for you - others giving you advice doesn't mean you have to take it!

I wouldn't have dismounted if I was riding my horse, but in your situation I would have considered it for sure.

 

[[100323]]

I would much rather have a planned dismount, and show the horse it is not scary by leading him past a spooky object, especially if on a road. The most important thing is the that he went past it fairly calmly. He did not get booted hard in the ribs, jabbed in the mouth or hit with a crop to add to his fear, or get hit by a passing vehicle as he pratted about. My spooky pony is improving, he is learning that we go past it calmly, mounted or dismounted, not because he is more afraid of the rider on top. Roads are not a good place to have an argument with a horse. One of my ponies biggest fears are anglers on the riverbank. He gets very het up if I force him past. But will lead, sometimes prance, but stand beside me if I stop for a chat. I have built dummy anglers in the school complete with long poles and he will even walk under the poles in the school. Lol.

 

[Tern]

Depends on the horse. I would have made the horse go past it whether it be backwards, forwards, sideways or on her hind legs! However you may not have the confidence and yes, in some situations I do get off as well!

 

[Caol Ila]

Unlike your fellow livery, your horse does not view it as "winning" v. "losing."

 

[*hic*]

Unlike your fellow livery, your horse does not view it as "winning" v. "losing."

No, but it may well remember that the last time it didn't want to do something and exhibited certain behaviours the rider got off . . .

 

[Fellewell]

Unfortunately it's not the schoolmasters that teach us to ride. It's not about winning or losing, it's about the thin end of the wedge. She sounds like a fairly well mannered horse but unless those manners are constantly reinforced they will disappear quite quickly. Treading on your heels is rude for a start. The rest of the hack was uneventful so start as you mean to go on. She won't lose any confidence all the time you're in charge.

 

[Merrymoles]

Nope - I have joined the "just get off and deal with it" camp after years of sticking it out on board. I bailed off mine on Sunday when he started reversing at speed across about 150 acres of disked stubble because the combination of a branch on the bridlepath and a piece of farm machinery and someone walking towards us made him blow a fuse. His hacking companion would not go past either so we were both pretty stuck, although my lad's reaction was more extreme.

I started to feel nervous, which I knew would freak him out even more as he would be convinced there actually was something to worry about, so I hopped off, told him he was a pillock, led him past (cantering sideways), walked ten yards down the path and hopped back on.

My view is that he is stressed enough about life in general, trusts me pretty well when he can see me on the ground, and it wasn't worth either of us getting our knickers in a further knot. Job done.

 

[DD]

I'm always getting off. It gives the horse confidence to walk past something scary. in fact I often get off and just lead on a hack. Just because I want to. been doing this for 40 some years. My horses are relaxed and happy. far better than bullying them into doing something which frightens them.

 

[EQUIDAE]

I'm in the 'get off' camp. We lead horses about far more than we ride them so they are more likely to trust us from the ground than on board. I don't like behaviours to escalate - that bunny hop could turn into a full blown rear. Not what you want.

I take the pressure off first, stop and give the horse a chance to think, ask again and 9/10 they will walk on - if they don't, why create a battle? If it was the same spot time and time again I might put a bit more effort into it but my general thought is 'why spoil the hack with an argument if you can get past it calmly?'

As for advice - proof of the pudding is in the eating. I only take advice of those who I respect as a horseman

 

[EmmaC78]

I am also in the "get off" camp. I don't do it often but if it is safer and stops something escalating out of proportion then I would get off and go by on foot, let the horse inspect the scary thing and then get back on and ride past.