Jessica Jahiel's HORSE-SENSE Newsletter Archives

Guide for novice owners II

From: Sharon

I really enjoy reading your advice and I've used it many times in my lessons and practise rides.

I half-lease a horse and am going to show her in the summer. She is an older, more experienced horse and my instructor feels that she is a good horse for my level. (I usually show at schooling shows). I've been having some problems with my riding lately and was wondering if you could offer me some advice.

A month ago, I was riding really well and the horse was moving really nicely and listening to my aids. However, for the last few weeks, she has been getting really nervous and uptight which is causing me to be nervous and uptight. Last week, we went on a road hack and were starting to relax, when the horse behind me spooked at a passing car. Knack, the horse I'm riding, spooked and took off. I was able to get her back but she spooked again. I ended up getting off her, since I thought that it would be really dangerous to spook on the road that we were just about to turn on (I received a lot of criticism for this. A couple of girls I was riding with said that I'd let Knack win and that she would now spook on the roads all the time - is this true? I felt that Knack's safety was a lot more important than me "winning").

I know that a lot of the problem is with me tensing up whenever she stops listening or takes off. Do you have any suggestions that would help me to relax more when I'm in the saddle? The canter is my biggest weakness. I'm scared to go out on a road hack again until I've solved this problem. I'd appreciate any help.

Thanks, Sharon

Hi Sharon! The very first thing I'll tell you is that you did exactly the right thing by getting off Knack and leading her. Safety MUST be your first consideration, and you acted very sensibly. You can safely ignore the girls who were critical of your actions -- they were ignorant and wrong. And just as a general rule, people who are constantly warning you that the horse "is winning" or "is going to win" are not people whose advice is useful -- they see each ride as a series of battles between rider and horse. That's not horsesmanship, and that's not good riding, and that's certainly not what YOU want to do.

Horses don't spook to "get away with something" -- they spook because they are nervous or frightened. If you punish a horse for being nervous or frightened, you ARE teaching it a lesson -- but the lesson is not one you want the horse to learn! If Knack spooks at a car and you beat her, she will become confirmed in her belief that cars are very dangerous to horses, because she will associate them with the pain of being beaten. And THAT would be FAR more likely to cause her to spook on the roads "all the time."

I have three suggestions for you, and they all begin with the same step: talk to your instructor privately. Invite her for coffee or tea away from the stables if that will get you half an hour for a private conversation -- if she is desperately busy, offer to pay her just as you would for a lesson, since it's a professional consultation. She will understand that you are serious.

First, since Knack has changed so much in her attitude, there may be something wrong with her -- a sore back, a sore mouth, a lameness coming on -- and your instructor can help you check these things and perhaps speak with the veterinarian. Horses aren't "moody" -- there's a reason for an attitude change, and it's usually physical discomfort. You must find out what is bothering the horse, and have it put right. It may be as simple as a change of saddle...

Second, since you are now nervous and worried on the road, I think it would be an excellent idea for you to spend some time working with your instructor in a ring or indoor school, so that she can help you become confident again at all three gaits. And it might be useful to ride a different horse, something quiet and very reliable, so that you and the instructor can both focus on YOU rather than on the horse. Then when you feel confident and competent on the school horse, you can go back to Knack -- if her physical problem has been resolved.

Third, when you DO go back out on the road, you should ride the quiet horse a few times until you are quite at ease, even if this takes several months, and then you should have your instructor ride with you when you ride Knack, so that she can watch the two of you together. Again, you could make this your lesson -- it will be a useful one. You need someone who knows you and the horse -- your instructor is the ideal person to help you.

Don't be ashamed to take proper precautions for your horse and yourself, even if this means dropping back a little to regain your confidence. You would do this with a horse that was nervous -- it's the right way to train, and it's also the right way to deal with a rider who has become nervous. You can't have fun if you are frightened, and remember -- WE DO IT FOR FUN!

- Jessica

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