Well, I'd say: Give him all the time he needs. Maybe he'll never trust you 100%, but this is something that noone can say just yet. He may be sound physically but definitely not psychologically...
As for how to sit a buck, uh, that's really hard to explain. It really depends on how the horse bucks. I cannot give you any other advice as try to sit deep in the saddle.
Thanks for the advice, I am just going to keep with my 30 min lessons once a week and then on the other days just take it really slow and at our own speed.
As for the bucks, I think as I am nervous I am hunched forwards and really stiff, I need to relax but it's hard, 17.3hh is a long way to fall and in my head I know he will buck. It's silly because it's only happened 3 times this year but I have just lost my nerve a little!
I am just going to keep with my 30 min lessons once a week and then on the other days just take it really slow and at our own speed. I think this is a very good idea. I hope you keep us updated! :)
It's silly because it's only happened 3 times this year but I have just lost my nerve a little! No, it's not silly. Been there, done that. Though my horse didn't buck she just started to run very fast. But I also hunched forwards and became stiff in the saddle which made everything even worse.
I just tried to relax. I imagined that my horse won't run away and somehow it worked. Of course it didn't get better over night, but after a while it really got better and she's now really easy to ride.
So, patience is the key. It'll work eventually. And, like I'd already said, please keep us updated! I'd like to know how things work out between the two of you.
You're in a bit of a rough spot right now. I don't really know you as a rider, so I'll give you some general advice and please don't take it the wrong way if I tell you to do things that you already are capable of:
1. I definately agree with you on the no trail riding alone thing. It might be very helpful for your horse, but wait until you find someone to ride with.
2. It is possible that you simply need to strengthen your leg. In my head, I'm seeing him go sideways from a spook, then buck when you are off balance. If you can strengthen your leg, you might be able to keep a better center of gravity when he goes sideways, then heels down and sit up when he does buck.
3. If you feel him getting ready to spook or buck, send him forward. A horse really can't buck and go forward at the same time. See if you can get him more responsive to a cluck to send him forward, since it might be hard for you to use your leg when he bucks.
In my head, I'm seeing him go sideways from a spook, then buck when you are off balance.
Wow. you have no idea how right you just got it! He goes sideways really fast spooking and then straight away as I'm trying to balance he bucks. So I come off every time. I used to come off the spooks but have got a better seat now so I stay on but I can't seem to stay on if he bucks right after a spook!
No no offence at all taken, at the moment I am feeling particularly useless so really I want to go back to pony club basics. I am novice but I feel begginer at the moment, but that is the blown confidence talking!
Thanks for the advice! I will try to constantly get him moving and working, perhaps that might work?
Forward is always good...I don't know if this is an option for you since you're dealing with an abuse case, but I carry a long training whip when I ride my horse so that I can tap him when he is bucking without giving away my reins.
I can't offer much help, except to say I'm in a very similar boat...with my mini, lol. He's a pardox of behavior, that's for sure. It sounds like you've done a lot of work with your boy -we'd love to see some pictures!
It's strange isn't it, horses, but I suppose they go through moods just like humans!
As for photos, Here you go! :-)
When we first got him he was under weight and not well conditioned, he reared when you led him anywhere, would not set foot into a school without 30 minutes of rearing and getting very distressed and his eyes showed lines of worry and sadness. He had lived as a grade a show jumper all his life, pushed too hard too young and for 7 solid months perhaps more that we do not know of he had not once had any form of turn out, even in a school. Stable, riding, lunging. That was his life. It was so sad. The day I rode him and test drove him, he was good as gold, and I know if he had acted as he did/does I would not have bought him being a novice, but I look back and do not regret one moment! He looked at me as I left their yard from over his door and I knew :-)
Enough blabbing sorry. This is him when we first ever turned him out. Ever. for motnhs and months of his being locked up!
( ... )
Oh thank God he does not buck like that with me on hahaha! I'd be a thousand feet into the fence if he did! He does like half or a bit less than that apparently (someone was watching) which probably sounds like nothing but I suck at sitting them haha!
Yeah I think working from the spook would work better, I think my mind literally goes totally black as soon as he spooks. And before I know it without having any clue of what has happened I am falling. I think I definately do the curling thing, I need to relax and sit back but I am so nervous now. I just need to get up there and if I fall off so be it. I have a hat and a £133 body protector so hopefully I'll be ok!
And yes I think my mind wanders and I stop working him and just sit there thinking "ahhhhh I'm gonna die" instead of taking his mind onto me.
Sounds like you guys have made a lot of progress--you're to be commended for that, and for paying such close attention to his physical well-being
( ... )
If you're like many of us, too, you'll tend to go fetal-curl, which is reeeaaally not where you want to be on a bucking horse.
I think I do just that. I need to stop it! But it's so hard when I am so tense and nervous. I think lots of rescue remedy drops might help haha!
He may just need to be ridden through it. Sorry, pal. Game over.
That's the thing, if you stay on once he thinks "oh ok she is staying on so I wont bother" then he works nicely, every person who rides him gets one freak out and if they sit it and stay on he never does it again. Or if you're really good and he senses it, like my instructor, he does not even bother trying it on! I basically need to sit one, just one, or he will do it forever!
Thanks for all the great advice. I might print it all and re- read it before I ride haha!
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As for how to sit a buck, uh, that's really hard to explain. It really depends on how the horse bucks. I cannot give you any other advice as try to sit deep in the saddle.
Good luck with your boy! :)
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As for the bucks, I think as I am nervous I am hunched forwards and really stiff, I need to relax but it's hard, 17.3hh is a long way to fall and in my head I know he will buck. It's silly because it's only happened 3 times this year but I have just lost my nerve a little!
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I think this is a very good idea. I hope you keep us updated! :)
It's silly because it's only happened 3 times this year but I have just lost my nerve a little!
No, it's not silly. Been there, done that. Though my horse didn't buck she just started to run very fast. But I also hunched forwards and became stiff in the saddle which made everything even worse.
I just tried to relax. I imagined that my horse won't run away and somehow it worked. Of course it didn't get better over night, but after a while it really got better and she's now really easy to ride.
So, patience is the key. It'll work eventually. And, like I'd already said, please keep us updated! I'd like to know how things work out between the two of you.
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1. I definately agree with you on the no trail riding alone thing. It might be very helpful for your horse, but wait until you find someone to ride with.
2. It is possible that you simply need to strengthen your leg. In my head, I'm seeing him go sideways from a spook, then buck when you are off balance. If you can strengthen your leg, you might be able to keep a better center of gravity when he goes sideways, then heels down and sit up when he does buck.
3. If you feel him getting ready to spook or buck, send him forward. A horse really can't buck and go forward at the same time. See if you can get him more responsive to a cluck to send him forward, since it might be hard for you to use your leg when he bucks.
Hope this helps!
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Wow. you have no idea how right you just got it!
He goes sideways really fast spooking and then straight away as I'm trying to balance he bucks. So I come off every time. I used to come off the spooks but have got a better seat now so I stay on but I can't seem to stay on if he bucks right after a spook!
No no offence at all taken, at the moment I am feeling particularly useless so really I want to go back to pony club basics. I am novice but I feel begginer at the moment, but that is the blown confidence talking!
Thanks for the advice! I will try to constantly get him moving and working, perhaps that might work?
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Good luck!
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He's a pardox of behavior, that's for sure.
It sounds like you've done a lot of work with your boy -we'd love to see some pictures!
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As for photos, Here you go!
:-)
When we first got him he was under weight and not well conditioned, he reared when you led him anywhere, would not set foot into a school without 30 minutes of rearing and getting very distressed and his eyes showed lines of worry and sadness. He had lived as a grade a show jumper all his life, pushed too hard too young and for 7 solid months perhaps more that we do not know of he had not once had any form of turn out, even in a school. Stable, riding, lunging. That was his life. It was so sad. The day I rode him and test drove him, he was good as gold, and I know if he had acted as he did/does I would not have bought him being a novice, but I look back and do not regret one moment!
He looked at me as I left their yard from over his door and I knew :-)
Enough blabbing sorry.
This is him when we first ever turned him out. Ever. for motnhs and months of his being locked up!
( ... )
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I'd be a thousand feet into the fence if he did!
He does like half or a bit less than that apparently (someone was watching) which probably sounds like nothing but I suck at sitting them haha!
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I think I definately do the curling thing, I need to relax and sit back but I am so nervous now. I just need to get up there and if I fall off so be it. I have a hat and a £133 body protector so hopefully I'll be ok!
And yes I think my mind wanders and I stop working him and just sit there thinking "ahhhhh I'm gonna die" instead of taking his mind onto me.
Thank you!
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I think I do just that. I need to stop it! But it's so hard when I am so tense and nervous. I think lots of rescue remedy drops might help haha!
He may just need to be ridden through it. Sorry, pal. Game over.
That's the thing, if you stay on once he thinks "oh ok she is staying on so I wont bother" then he works nicely, every person who rides him gets one freak out and if they sit it and stay on he never does it again. Or if you're really good and he senses it, like my instructor, he does not even bother trying it on! I basically need to sit one, just one, or he will do it forever!
Thanks for all the great advice.
I might print it all and re- read it before I ride haha!
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