Horse Owners/Experienced riders - HELP

[Jakabella]

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!!

[Livinthedream]

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

[LuluHB]

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.

[blackduckies]

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.

[NaeNae]

Hey All,

Thanks so much for all your replies.

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

[LuluHB]

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.

Congrats again. Wishing you a H&H pregnancy.

[Smoke Jaguar]

I'm coming in a bit late here, sorry!
A couple of things - are you already in an HRCAV club? If not, you want me to list the ones near you (you'd have to tell me or PM me your location)? You could contact them and ask them if they know an instructor who could help you with groundwork (something you can do while preggers).
I reckon it would be worth giving Ross Jacobs a call to see if he'd come down to you and help you with one or both of your horses - I've seen him work and he's great, though expect to be a big part of the session!
I don't subscribe to the idea of number of falls equating skill at riding! I think the aim is to reduce your falls and keep them to an absolute minimum - I had a massive fall when I was first learning to ride properly on my first horse and I've only had a couple of silly small falls since because I absolutely REFUSE to come off! Concussion for a week is not fun, so I make sure I'm sticky...
I rode till 28 weeks last time, and only stopped cos of my SPD, but as I'm back into my yoga, I'm hoping I can make longer next time. If you feel it's too risky to ride while UTD, best to keep off - something I'd only recommend if you were confident in your horse and your abilities.
My horse is 3/4 QH and is similarly lacking his 'go' button! I'm confident riding him whilst UTD because the issue with him is getting him forward, not pulling him back. That and I'll be sticking to arena and small paddock work next time again. And DS is starting to ride, so I can lunge him to keep pony in work
Let me know if you need any of those contacts.

[AngelPunks]

congrats NaeNae on the and heaps of

I will get back on a horse again, that is something I'm planning on doing this year, I didn't get back on after my fall coz I got carted off to hospital in an ambulance & had stuffed both knees in the process so was on crutches for 4 months

[Smoke Jaguar]

Punkin -that'd do it! I remember feeling asthmatic for about 3 months following my accident, because I damaged the cartilage around my ribcage (they also suspected hairline fracture on ribcage), and I never rode that horse again because he was put down a couple of months later (heart problems, he was older than we thought ), and hopped on another old school horse as soon as I was given the OK by the GP, so it was about April before I hopped back on, and the fall was in late Feb. I was 23, and obviously I'd lost my 'bounce' by then!
I've had another fall since that I would consider serious. Dislocated a finger and had all my lower pelvis bruised up in all the soft tissue after dear horse refused to jump a ditch during XC training at Yarra Glen...I landed in said ditch and had to drive home towing a float alone. Good news was that I got back on to finish the lesson to get confidence back and didn't ride again for a good few weeks, cos my back was so out of whack. It was my own fault - I was riding too forward and didn't consider he might stop, so had no legs on to encourage him, what a dummy! Lesson learnt...was too ouchy not to take it on board, haven't come off since, and that was 5 years ago and my horse was young then, he's matured a heap, and been spelled quite frequently, too (children...who'd have 'em?).
Anyway, I've got a new friend, who is actually a new member at my club and agists close to me who has a pretty appy who needs a lot of groundwork attention. One of our rally instructors teaches our summer twilight lessons and last night, at her first lesson, the instructor really worked on her confidence and in interpreting what was going on for the horse.
Another thing I nearly forgot was horse massage or physio. I learned a lot about my horse after getting a physio in (Katrina Fox was her name) and had to get my saddle refitted after that session, too. Solved a few problems. In fact, I know I need a refit again because I get more out of my horse riding bareback than when he's under saddle.
Two people in the Sth Gippy are who are just brilliant with horses are HRCAV people, Maz Smith and Jean Barbour. Well, Maz is more Cranbourne, and Jean is Wonthaggi. Not sure where you are, and they're such great horse people - really compassionate
Just a few more things to consider.

[Livinthedream]

Yay Nae, you're knocked up
Dont worry about his hocks, the work has to be fairly excessive/repetetive to do much harm. Just know that the smaller the circle eg <15mtrs, the harder he works, the harder his hocks work.
I work in the horse industry, (I am a saddler) and I work mostly with performance horses (dressage/eventers) so I see alot of injuries, both to horse and rider.
When you do bring them back in, pay the extra if you can and get your trainer to take them for a week or 2, just to iron out any kinks. Much better his head than yours
Thats what I will be doing (as i sit here watching my mare get progressivly more feral with each passing unworked day - her tail is now dragging on the ground, time to get the clippers out )
But most of all, take it easy and bucketloads of sticky vibes and good wishes on your baby. xx

[NaeNae]

Mayaness - I live about 40 min from Wonthaggi and about an hour from Cranbourne. Thanks for those names, my SIL is looking at getting a different horse trainer to do some work with her recently gelded Appy. He is a stunner of a horse, blue grey with a brilliant white bum he is a head turner to say the least. I said to her last night that if I didn't have my two boys I'd buy him off her. Nice little size to. She actually said she is glad I talked her into having him gelded and not send him off to the market yay one for the city girl with no experience. He is a nice fellow!!.


Shellsbells - I am going to look into those proper lunging things that go on their heads and some extra long leads so when time comes I can do a combo of round yards (approx 20m circle) and some free lunging in the square JC paddock. The QH can do this now anyway but Clyde is another story ..... I tell you I have learnt so much from that boy good and bad. Considering it will now be significantly longer before I can ride I will definately be getting someone to do a bit of work with them when it comes time I am a bit spewin about falling in so quickly but obviously it was time.

Punkin - I hope you find your strength to get back on. Maybe find somewhere to do some trail riding or a local Eques school and take a couple of lessons just to get the feel of being in the saddle again. My eques school has an inside yard that has sawdust so its not so bad if I fall off - not that I have but it makes you feel a bit safer because your in a relatively controlled environment.

[Smoke Jaguar]

Punkin - I hope you find your strength to get back on.

Me, too! I can recommend Balmoral in Harkaway and I've heard great things about Ebony Park, in Narre Warren Nth (I think you live near enough to them?) Pertaining to the latter - I don't think ANYONE has ever fallen off a Friesian, have they?? $60 for a lesson on a Friesian...drool...if that didn't cure you, I don't know what would!
Nae - good work with the Appy! Yep, if SiL could get Ross Jacobs to work with her, she'll be laughing

[honeywood]

hi,
have you thought of leasing one or both out for 12mths or so? to a horsey family, that way they would get worked regulary which sounds like they both need a lot of work. and they would still be yours. learning with a horse is hard work, i got my standard bred around 2yrs ago when he was 18. he'd been left in the paddock for a really long time by himself,( he's my first horse and i had very little experience with them) i had a experienced friend come and have a look at him and ride him for me, all she said was he's never been told no,keep him on a tight rein and make him do what you want not what he wants and i've never looked back my 6yr old daughter now rides him round a 3 acre paddock on her own. it takes time and patience, a kind word and a gentle pat and they can be your friend for life.

congrats on your pregnancy i hope all goes well for you.
but if they were my horses and i couldnt do much for for that long i would lease them out for awhile so they are getting frequent work and you can always visit them on a regular basis.

krystal

[Smoke Jaguar]

The thing with leasing horses that you haven't quite got a handle on yet is that you will get back a different horse - someone else's handling and training and when you got them back you'd need that person to do a lot of one on one with you to show you what they did and how to get the horse to do it...and that's just wishful thinking, I'd expect.
Bit different, but when I got my current horse I met him as a rising 4yo and he hadn't even been cantered under saddle before - pretty green, but beautifully natured and my instructor and I knew we could work with him. The owner then decided she wasn't selling quite yet because she wanted to send him off for training and then ask more for him. I was advised (by very wise and instinctual instructor!) to decline and say I wasn't interested because he'd be a different horse when he got back and right now I knew what I was getting. Just an example of the very real possibility your horse will change under someone else's riding/training. Though, it doesn't sound like you really are inclined to let them go to someone else, even temporarily
As for keeping the horses in work, I spelled my horse after 28 weeks and he stayed more or less spelled for over a year because of my SPD, as well. He's a QHx and doesn't actually need to be kept in work - he goes great after long breaks (it's the regular work he objects to!).

[AngelPunks]

there is supposed to be a school up my way that takes you back to the basics, no matter how experienced you are - so I'm going to find out about them & add it to the list of activities I'm involved in this year (hopefully the boat & motorbike purchases can get put back for a few months so I can get riding first or else there goes my weekends!)

[NaeNae]

Honeywood - Leasing the boys is a great idea in theory but personally I am not comfortable with the idea. I would never allow someone to remove them from my property for a start because my SIL let a horse out (free lease) and the people didn't do anything with her then when SIL decided she'd bring her home the horse had been taken to the Paky market and sold on Besides knowing that both boys have vices (Clyde bolts/bucks + QH rears/bites) I could never knowingly put someone at risk of injury. A horse trainer is a different story because they get paid to handle/break/re train the animals.

I have plenty of time with them because they are both youngish another 9 months without work will not kill them. Horses in the wild do not get worked everyday and essentially horses are a grazing animal, so it will just mean that I will have to work harder with them and spend more time with them when time comes but thats all good coz I will be at home more to do that and spend time with them thats an advantage of having family on the property I will have a Gran who no doubt will be all over bub when it arrives

[mitzy81]

I havn't read all the posts, but are you handfeeding your horses? I found that certain feeds would make my horse go completly nuts. I also discovered (after many throws!) that my pony didn't like being ridden in his paddock. We were of the opinion that he had been abused by previous owners, nightmare being ridden in his paddocks, dream come true out of it. It is hard work and frustrating, I was lucky that he ended out to be a cool dude! Good luck