Nae
put some trotting poles down just in a small area and do a long lunge in a small portion on the circle it will give them a need to concentrate and make them work up a a sweat so much more. Then jump on him in the round yard as a relaxing walk you can gradually lunge less and get more out of them in a ride.
I have only ever had one bolter but he quickly lost interest when he realised it isnt fun to bolt in a small circle.
LOL I have another problem how to work a seriously out of work pony 12 hands when I am 5'10 lol . Before I get DD riding him?
I have has a billion falls and a few very bad ones but I have always made myself get back on STRAIGHT away - its easy to loose ur nerve if you dont!!
My dad fell off early last year and broke his back! Lucky it has healed now! Was touch and go for a while tho! So I am starting his horse again on the weekend!!
Minky - id do the same -couple of weeks on the lunge gets em back into shape!!
Nae, Just a quickie.
May pay to check that the clydie doesnt have any underlying issues.
Teeth, back and saddle/bit fittting issues can all be causes for nervy behavior, esp if he espects riding to hurt. May also explain the bolting (was he running from pain)
Be careful with excessive lunging. Horses are actually not designed to go in circles for extended periods of time, esp larger ones, it puts alot of stress on thier hocks. Lunging will also make them fit, which means you will have to do it for longer periods of time in order to achieve the desired result of a nice tuckered out pony..... I would prob get your trainer to ride them for 30 odd mins or so and then maybe jump on for the last ten.
Good luck, be careful,Shell
I'm with Dee 100% on this. I think trying to work two horses is not going to do you any favours. If you were absolutely fine, no confidence issues etc then it would be a different story.
I think you should choose whichever horse you are most comfortable with on the ground AND on his back - and it sounds like that's your QH.
Definitely lunge him first and for a while. Yes, he will gain some level of fitness but that isn't necessarily a bad thing. You know yourself when you are unfit everything is more difficult and if you can shirk exercise in some way you will. No different for horses. Do you have a chambon (sp?) or side reins? That will make him work a bit harder too. If your round yard is on the small side, how big are your jenny craig paddocks? Could you free lunge in there? Takes a bit to get horses used to it but it can be great once its all come together - especially if you have an interest in jumping.
When you're ready to get on have someone there with you that you trust - whether that's your SIL, your DH, the trainer or whoever. Even if all you do is get on and walk for 10 minutes, that's great. Its not about getting on and riding a grand prix test the first time. You just need to get on, survive it and hopefully enjoy it. If it takes you 6 months to build up to doing anything more than just walking then so be it.
I wouldn't worry about wasting the trainer's time. I'm sure you're paying him for the privilege so don't worry about being pregnant again and it all going to waste. It won't anyway - it will just take a bit of time to bring back, but that's fine too.
And FWIW, I stopped riding when I was pregnant with DD#1. After losing babies there was no way I was going to take any risks, however slight they might be. I haven't been back on a horse since and I really, really miss it. Am hoping that my girls inherit my horse crazy bug so I can move us out into the country a bit and get back into it.
Hi Nae, did you find out if he is still a stallion or not, could explain some issues. The other thing I would do is have their teeth checked, definately lunge them, I would say ride in the Jenny Craig paddock, but everyone is different. I always feel more nervous in a small space and I reckon the horse gets bored really quickly with it and is more likely to play up!!! Just my thoughts.
I also think if there is a chance you are pregnant 2WW etc I would be avoiding taking the chance, speaking from MC experience I don't think it is worth it.
Shellsbells - I initially thought they may have been issues when he bolted on DH, we have out the vet, dentist horse chiro and all said he was fine, we used different saddles and blankets as well, he is just big and strong and knows he has us bluffed - for the moment we'll be working on that !! I didn't know that about the hock and lunging gosh I hope I haven't hurt him
LuluHB - I just have a rope halter and long lead rope the round yard is a bit bigger then when you do those circles in dressage? think thats 20m? Its actually bigger than the horse trainers but not by much. I will have to see if he is intersted in coming out as I don't want to take them to his place coz I have to pay for agistment and feed etc and I just don't have that kind of money atm. One JC paddock is longer than it is waide but around 1/2 acre and the bigger JC paddock is square and about the same size maybe a bit bigger maybe 1 acre? I dunno its big enough for them to run around like chooks when they get excited.
Pam - The vet came out and had a look at Clyde but couldn't give me a quote on the BT so I didn't bother getting it, I doubt there would be anything I could do if he was not gelded properly to begin with and I know what he is like so essentially not worth the money IYKWIM. Neither are going anywhere anyway so it makes no difference.
So as it turns out - it looks like I will not be doing any riding for some time and with my history I will not be doing any strenuous activity so unless DH will work my boys I will not be doing any more lunging in the heat - guess who just found out she's UTD
Thats just my luck as soon as I get motivated to ride and get all confident and ready to put the hard yards in - I find out I am preggers
I am pretty excited but will need to take it exceptionally easy. Oh well I guess I can still brush them and make them look pretty and sniff them and hug and love them
Congratulations NaeNae. That's wonderful news. And don't worry about your boys. They'll be ready and waiting when you are, and all that work on the ground will improve your relationship with them.
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we'll be working on that !! I didn't know that about the hock and lunging gosh I hope I haven't hurt him 
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