I'm not sure if I did the right thing

[starcrossed]

I was riding a thoroughbred mare today for the first time (and this was a riding school mare, FYI and I'm a novice but clue #1 she was spooky was she was being ridden in a standing martingale.) First she spooked at a yellow part of a jump and I stayed on, but then coming past it again she bucked me off. It was a relatively soft fall but I didn't

Comments

[pekover]

I'm not sure of the connection between a standing martingale and being spooky - aren't martingales generally used to influence the head carriage

[starcrossed]

They said she does often spook. I just felt kinda outhorsed being a novice rider (and quite nervous/tense.)

[lyonesse]

tell your instructor this, and ask for just reliable horses for now, and see what they say. this should be an easily-accomodated request.

good luck and have fun! :)

[jacketeer]

Seconded! Let them know you're feeling anxious about taking on more difficult horses, and you'd like to stick with those you'll feel comfortable and safe on for now. There's absolutely nothing wrong with taking it slow.

[penella22]

Personally, I think you have to trust your instructor to pick good horses for you. And if they didn't... well...I'd consider getting another instructor. I always look for an ARICP certified instructor that will be safety conscious. I feel like that's paid off in terms of having a very thoughtful instructor who pulled *me* off a horse the one time she felt she had 'outhorsed' me. In reality though, the mare was cold-backed. That's a physical problem, not something you really outride. The mare they put you on may be in pain in some way too if she really tried to buck you off.

You did the right thing asking for another horse. Good luck making the right decision around whether or not to keep this stable.

[creseis_acicula]

Honestly, I think you did the right thing. You should not have been put on that horse. Of course, I was not there and I don't know the whole story, nor do I know the horse in question. I was at a barn once where they would randomly assign horses based on *their* needs, not the riders, and it really compromised the instructors. At other farms, safety was always first as well as to err on the side of caution--horses were repeatedly tested and spooky horses did not pass, if we knew a horse was spooky, there's no way a novice rider was put on that horse. Having said that, accidents do happen. Instructors should also know how to read a horse and a rider to foresee problems. Sometimes a normally fine horse can have a spooky day due to wind/weather, but an instructor should be able to say, "Hey, it's not a good day for a lesson, I don't want you to get hurt, so let's reschedule." I hope you're ok and I'm glad that it was not too traumatic for you.

[young_modern]

while i think it's important to get back on the horse, even if it's just for five minutes on a lunge line, i don't necessarily think you did anything wrong by asking for another horse. it's obvious you were overhorsed. how long have you been riding at this place and working with the same instructor?

also, i'm curious... were you jumping in this lesson or was the jump she spooked at just set up in the arena?

[starcrossed]

I have been riding at the place not long about a month and this was my first lesson with this particular instructor (I don't feel confident having a lesson with her again, I'll definitely be asking for a different one in the future!)

I wasn't jumping, the jump post was just in the arena.

[kudosirony]

You definitely did the right thing asking for a different horse. If you ever feel uncomfortable on a horse in that they are too much for you, then you shouldn't be afraid to ask for another. You said this was the first time with this instructor, and with knowledge that this horse spooks and you being a novice, I don't think she thought it through and did outhorse you. Yes, you do need to switch horses to become a better rider, but this horse sounds like she needs an intermediate and more confident rider. If you're nervous, the horse picks up on it, it just makes thewhole situation worse. At least she listened to the request for a different horse. Was she filling in for your regular instructor? If so, it's ridiculous she'd switch the horses on you

[89rodeogirl]

When used in dressage training, I call it cheating
I second this! (And counter bending to pick up the correct lead ICK!)