Reply With QuoteHave you looked into Parelli Natural Horsemanship? It teaches you many techniques to improve the trust and respect between you and your horse. It is very impressive to see the results that can be achieved in a short amount of time.
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Horse Owners/Experienced riders - HELP
Howdy,
Ok - So i have two beautiful boys 1 Clyde x QH and 1 pure QH. Have had the Clyde for 3 years and the QH for 2.
Before I go further just a quick note to say I will NOT sell or give up on my boys.
Now I am not very experienced in riding but have come a long way with my ClydeX. When I got him I had no idea what I was doing and just expected to be able to ride him. After a few weeks of riding he threw me offand I lost my nerve. Had him reworked and DH decided to take him on until he bolted on DH.
The positive is we have gone from not being able to get near him in the paddocks (he'd see me coming and run away) to me being able to sit underneath him so over the course of time he and I have developed a fair amount of trust on the ground and he works well for me in the lunging yard - I am just too nervous to get on him.
My QH - sooooo quite. When DH was riding ClydeX and ClydeX bolted my Quite QH got all upset coz I wouldn't let him "run away with the other horse" and he reared on me - this usually doesn't bother me but I barely new this horse when this happened. So again I got nervous. QH is difficult to work on the ground as I have to keep a whip at him to keep him moving.
The positive is he is really lovely type, very easy going and I just have to walk outside and say hi to him and he will come up to the fence. He is more difficult to lead but he is also reasonably inexperienced and was only broken a month before I got him (got him from the guy who was re treaining ClydeX)
NOW.
I have had two years without riding either, they have been is irregular work in the round yard. I have not done much coz I have been pregnant during the warmer months and I am not comfortable riding int he wet on the hills here at home.
I have decided this weekend I will give them both a good long workout in the round yard and will saddle them up. Depending on how I feel they are going I will either keep just doing ground work with them OR if they seem to be ok I will attempt to get on them just in the round yard towards the end of their session and just do a few circles int he round yard.
DH thinks I am nuts, but If I don't do this now I am worried I never will. I have the rest of their lives with them but I want to be on their backs before I fall pregnant again and maybe take QH out with SIL.
Am I heading for trouble?
any advice (without selling them on) would be appreciated.
Nae x x
2013 BellyBelly RAK Recipient.
Have you looked into Parelli Natural Horsemanship? It teaches you many techniques to improve the trust and respect between you and your horse. It is very impressive to see the results that can be achieved in a short amount of time.
Registered User
Yeah I have looked into a lot of Natural Horsemanship and spoken to many different people on the issue. While I agree with the theory of it I have heard that sometimes horses develop other issues (like head shyness for example)
The relationship with both horses is getting better on the ground but I spose I am wondering if all this good ground work and bonding in the paddocks will be helpful if I try to ride them.
I should add that when I walk in the paddocks with them I become the Alpha horse and they both fall in line behind me. This is something that just happened over the course of the years as well. I can even pick all four feet on both in the paddock without needing to tie them up so there is a fair amount of trust on their behalf.
DH just said he doesn't want me riding them in the round yard but I really really feel I need to at least try.
What to do ....
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I think that giving them some work sounds like a good idea.
If you do fall off you need to get straight back on them - it's easy to lose your nerve if you delay and your horse can tell if you're nervous from your body languauge which will make them nervey.
Unfortunately you can't become a good rider without falling off heaps.
ETA - I wouldn't ride them in the round yard. I would ride them in the paddock. On a toey horse I always like to have more room around me. I'm not scared of much but the thought of being tossed onto rails does worry me.
ETA 2 - Then again if you feel more comfy in the yard that might be better for you. I'm really no help because I'd just chuck a saddle on them and enjoy the explosion lol.
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Personally I would give them a few days of work on the lunge. After so long without riding them they will have a lot of energy. Then I agree that give them a good lunge session before riding in the round yard. But you can judge how they are going on the lunge before deciding to hop on.
Do you have anyone with a lot of experience that can come and help you?
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hehehehe thats what my FIL says "you gotta come off 9 times before you can ride a horse"
and thats exactly what DH said as not all the posts are timber. I have a smaller "jenny craig" paddock still an acre in size would you suggest I ride there instead of one of the huge grazing paddocks??
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The problem with bad habits in horses is that they can take a long long long time to change, and that there are small things that you can do to confuse a horse when training them. With horses, it can take 30 - 50 times of repitition to make them learn and understand, which is why when doing things like breaking them in, you'll put your foot into the stirrup and take it out over and over and over until the horse understands whats happening, before you even attempt to put weight in it and get onto the saddle.
The best thing to do would be seperate them if you are working them both. Have one someone else and spend time one on one. Start with the QH. I'd work with one of them full on for a while, not go between the two. Dedicate a fair ammount of time to that horse for now. Is there someone more experienced at riding who could do some work with him??
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from experience if you fall off get back on again. I didn't, I had a bad fall from a bolting horse on a bitumen road, ok I got knocked out but I never got back on a horse again and it kills me that I just am too scared to get back on a horses back, this was 20 years ago and the hardest thing is I was a 3 day eventer and rode nearly every weekend.
Can DH put the horses on a lunge rope with you on the back?
I'd almost start the breaking process from scratch again, work them up to having you on their backs.
Good luck
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What about being lead? would that help at all do you think?
Ultimately the plan is to (get a truck and float) have them both trained in an ARC or do some dressage.
QH comes from good camp drafting lines and this would be beneficial on the farm.
ClydeX would make a great cart horse and we have several old (smaller) wagons and an old horse pulled sleigh so ultimately want him broken to harness.
Maybe I should just go on a trail ride somewher to regain a bit more confidence before I try. I just see these beautiful days and sooo long to be out with them somewhere.
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My sil is a born and bred country chick who has been riding since she walkedshe'd be happy to help but both my boys are 15.3hh and she doesn't like big horses
I could ask the trainer to come out, he has a thing for my sil so I reckon he's jump at the opportunity. But I'd feel bad if we did all this work and had him out and then BAM I fall preggers again.
I know I am being a tad unrealistic wanting horses and babies but it may take a while to fall in and I don't want fear to stop me from doing what I love and waste this time now.
am I making sense at all? prolly not but I didn't get them to just sit in the paddocks and i am by no means a quitter. I have ridden both successfully I know I CAN its just getting there.
Dee - You're right I need to do much more work with them. Can I ask why you'd go the QH first, he is the queiter of the two and thats why I am assuming you'd go him first.
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Nae
I have 6 horses and I ride them all - I have not riden for the past 10 months as I have been preg with Bella but this weekend I am getting back on! I have a pure bred clydie, an american QH, 2 ex race horses, a mini pony and another welsh pony.
I have brocken the clydie as I got his when he was 6 months old and he is now 18 hands high!
If it was me I would spend a few days / weeks lunging them both and getting them back into some condition - they will be frisky and so they should be! I will be lunging all of mine before I get on - not coz im scared as I have been ridding for 20 years now and cant count the amoutn of times I have come off but because thats what the horse deserves - they have been on a huge holiday and it would be silly to not think they will be feeling good!
After the have quietened down on the lunge then I would ride in the round yard - beacue if they decide to play up then they cant get a run up and if they decide to buck you can pull there head around and then they cant put you off. We are in the process of building a round yard so I can take the next steps with my Clydie and also teach my mum and dad to ride the Qh and one of the ex racers.
You dont have to be back to where you were before all the things in your life ! My best advice would be TAKE YOUR TIME - its a great bonding experiance for you and your horse if you take it slow and just build up to it. You can even lunge first then get on and WALK - the the next day or next time you ride lunge and the walk then trot - just build up to it!
Dont be inpatient like me and get on and expect to back to the elite leve I was before I fell preg!!
Please feel free to PM me or anything else if you would like some more info.
I wish we were closer so we could have a ride totgether!!
I cant wait to hear how you go!
Good luck and trust your instincts!
BTW - Monty Roberts has some fantatic DVDS that I have and I could copy them and mail them to you if you are interested!!
Kate
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Thanks for your advice Kate.
yesterday I got offline and went out with my boys. Clyde always expects to go first whenever I go into their paddock with the lead rope but I decided to go with the QH first.
Maybe being off the good grass has help as i have two jenny craig paddocks and they have been rotating in these for 8 weeks now 2-3 weeks in each with extra bails if more food is needed.
Anyway I took my saddle to the round yard. QH you really need to keep on im to keep him moving but he did a great job, there was a little bit of mucking around and kicking out at the whip when I'd crack it behind him (never ever whip him) but after 20 min he was doing great and when we'd break he'd come right up to me and rest his brow on my belly (cute) nice and low. SO I decided to see how he would go ith a saddle I did everything slowly and let him sniff the blanket and the saddle (have to let the girth down 4 holes) and he didn't even flinch when I did it up. I gave him another 20 min with the saddle on he was such a good boy. Then the spong bath afterwards and I walked him the long way around to the smaller of the two JC paddocks.
ClydeX cracked it at me and wouldn't come near me so I just went and hung out the washing then I saw him watching me so I grabbed the halter and caught him and gave him a go as well 20min without sadle and he was a tad more frisy and just wanted to canter so I pushed him and pushed him until he listened to what I was wanting. Popped the saddle on his back had to let the girth out further for himand gave him another 20 min followed by a sponge bath which he LOVED and also took him the long way round. He was more forward moving but he gets like this when he hasn't been worked.
So (weather permitting) on my days off I will give them both a work out but will focus on riding the QH first I almost felt like I could have got on him yesterday. Mind you they always have me draped as far over their backs as I can reach when I am standng and I put as much downward pressure as I can, and I do swing my legs up and rest them on their back.
QH became really smoochy and followed me around rather than following Clyde and stood their and had a big cuddle with me after they both had finished Clyde kinda avoided me but then came up close. He is a bit of a stand offish horse.
I love them both sooo much, I waseben insopired to clean up ALL the saddles and bridles even my SIL's stuff. I tell ya I am sore today though
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Nae,
Excellent! Well done whet you did is perfect! I am inspired to get back on all my boys now too!
The new horse we got 2 days ago is straight off the race track so he will be a challenge! I got him for my mum but I have to make sure that he is sound before I let her get on!
Good luck with your boys and enjoy!
Kate
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I had a girlfriend ride while pregnant right up until 4 days before she gave birth
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Yeah I have heard of people riding up until they dropI had a girlfriend ride while pregnant right up until 4 days before she gave birth
Kate thats awesomeyou so should there is no smell better than horse and leather and the great outdoors. and the sound of their hooves hitting the ground
I so hope to be riding in a couple of weeks at least, I don't mind if I only get 1 or 2 rides in before I fall pregnant because that would be something and something is better than nothing
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I wish I could ride again, I had a BAD fall about 22 years ago and I've not been on a horse since - I do miss it, the freedom, the smells. I can still be around horses, I can saddle a horse etc no problem - just the minute my leg gets over the saddle I freak
Moderator
Schaz, nerve is a funny thing. It might be that if you can just ride around on a lead for a few minutes you'll be fine but then again maybe not.
My sister was in a coma after a fall and took ages to recover, you would think that she would never ride again but she didn't remember the fall so she had no problems getting back on again even though she rode like a sack of potatoes for a while there (I hope she never reads that). Other people have really gentle falls but that's it - they can never ride again.
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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
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