Horsey people help pls

Hi Swaggie, if you were just going for a little hack down the back paddock - you don't need to have the "correct" frame... just a longer rein and a cruisy attitude... it was your first or second ride on him - you need to keep it simple.
Goodluck - just ask a little each day and settle things in nicely and slowly.
I'm sure things will come right. Also, at 16yrs (a perfect age!!!), things should be slowing down a bit with more relaxing long rein hacks that anything too "proper".
Keep us posted, we are all here to support you mate!!!
Sundays

Also, on the saddle cloth thing, yes you should have a cotton weave something under the gel pad, the gel pad should not be on the horses hair at all.

Depending on what time of the day you went out also, and how hot it was it could be a combo of that, how hilly was the track down the back, new place, new friends, excitement - all sorts... I wouldn't be overly worried if they were both sweaty etc - time will show all on that matter... they could just be "sweaty" horses!

And on the lunging thing - don't do it, not only is it boring for the poor horse (and human!), it's also bad for those older bones going round and round in circles... I don't imagine many good horsey friendships were made through lunging - haha!

Sundays
PS.. update us! Dying to know how you got on today!!

Well probably a bad choice of using some words may have mis represented my intent.

We are simply at walking stage, nothing more, nothing involving poles,trotting or the like, but just walking on a track to an adjoining grassy 5 acre paddock on a loose rein.

Went around twice one way, and back the other 1 1/2 times and it was back at the top of the paddock when things started to get hairy and Jake was tossing his head about quite vigorously and stepping about - sort of like a reaction you would expect if he saw a snake or something on the ground in front he didn't want to go near.... (if that helps give the picture, but its my version of a hissy).

I don't know if he wanted to stay in the paddock, however it was enough to frighten E behind us on Billy (who remained calm) and E wanted off so I hopped off Jake to help E.

It was then Jake broke away from my grasp on the reins and went off down the track in front. He did stop about 30 metres in front, it wasn't a fast take off, but he was determined to go.

My concern still remains purely for E and so I helped her by holding onto Billy whilst she dismounted. She was worried that Billy would go after Jake while she was half way down.
Once we sorted her out, I walked with Billy up to Jake (standing waiting for us) passed B's reins to E to take, and I picked up J's.

(I am positive the whole bridle was far too loose and really feel the movement of the bit in his mouth was upsetting. Perhaps the bit is the wrong size, I don't know however it was given to me by the previous owner as being his bit, however the bridle had been stripped down and I had to buy new, so fitted it as best as possible.
SOH felt it was too tight before I rode him this time and so loosened it. SOH spent a fair bit of time in his youth with horses, so I trusted his judgement at the time.

However at that point he started to pull away from me (when I was standing next to him on the ground) by lifting his head and I have to say I have been told by 2 riding instructors not to let this happen as its a domination thing..... either way J wasn't happy, I managed to grabbed the reins back again, undid them so if he went he wouldn't trip on the rein loop, but we walked peacefully back to their paddock, where we brushed them down and let them off their halters.

I guess having ridden the horse in its homeland, and seeing taken from his home paddock for the purpose, and having a great first ride at our place, gave me the confidence to walk him up to our next paddock.

I take it some of you feel that this wasn't right, and so I will keep in the horse paddock for now. However all I asked was for a walk, received it and apart from the final incident, we had a lovely time.

perhaps at the end of the day, J had a hair up his behind or something too. SOH said both of them was having a fine gallop in their paddock earlier in the day, perhaps it was just öne of those things....

As an aside, I became wary of believing what i was told about a horses past too, however was re-assured that all was well with this one and he looked the part. No I don't have it on loan or anything, I didn't spend a huge fortune and yes I was keen to find something to ride for a farm hack.

i will keep you posted how it goes....

Swaggie with your attitude ..*ALL* ..of you will be just fine and the best of riding mates in no time[]
Best of everything and please keep us posted on the progress
Cheers

thanks Terralee. We spent a little while brushing down both horses today, both saw trucks coming and going from our rebuild and remained calm, J was busy rubbing himself up against me and followed me to the water trough etc so I think he is fine..... and I am really positive it was the loose bridle and bit.
However I will keep it all in the horse house paddock for now, waiting until the truck and earthmover have gone later this weekend and try again.

will let you know how it goes.... but my fingers are a tad better today.[8D]

swaggie - if he is brushing up against you and following you - yeah! This is all good and thank you for not being offended at my thread. I was worried after I sent it knowing where my heart was at but language being so ambiguous, it was how you interpreted it!

I've seen some fairly hideous handling of horses in my time from the old school of making the horse "submit" to your will to the school I believe in and that is of having such a relationship with the horse that it "wants" to please you. That doesn't mean you submitting to the horse or not reminding it firmly, even by voice, who is the boss!

How many of us have had horses that have been head shy because they have either been wacked over the head by someone in a fit of anger or ear shy because someone thought you needed to grab and twist it to disipline them? It is so daft when you consider the size and weight of a horse to a human and the ease with which it can make life really unpleasant.

Just bond - all three of you. Don't forget to get E to bond with Jake as well as that will give her more trust that he will not do something nasty to you or her or her horse. It's all sounding great - just lots of laughter, singing, smiles and time. Just go easy on the mouth contact and see how that works as well.

Devon - great to hear about your improvment with Bounce. Is he a TB? Interesting that he has calmed without the ability for you to haul on his mouth in moments of trouble. Ha Ha. All the best.

All is ok Didi![]

Didi Bounce is a 5 1/2 yr old stationbred (mongrel lol) he is a little fat very ponyfied 15.2 hack who is usually lazy to the point of frustration! He has however lately decided that life is for living and has been having moments of down right sillyness. On his own he is still very laid back tho he can get a bit uppity in new environments, its when he is with other horses that we have a few issues. He used to be fine around other horses and when i brought him about 18 months ago he was riden at pony club and around horses all the time, so it is my fault because he hasn't been socialised bugger all since i've had him.
My question to you guys is what do you do when the shit hits the fan and your horse decides "i'm outta here" and bolts or performs, cos i'm getting the impression that you advocate using your reins for purely decoration? [] I've ridden for 25 years and had some real b*astard horses in my time, but i'm really getting a bit old to hit the dirt now days and hence i want a nice laid back horse to ride MOST of the time (i dont expect perfection ).
The hackamore is working well and he is prob relaxed cos i have to be BUT we haven't been is a situation where he can and will take off/perform/be an idiot, so if he does, what am i expected to do?

devan;240352 wrote: Didi Bounce is a 5 1/2 yr old stationbred (mongrel lol) he is a little fat very ponyfied 15.2 hack who is usually lazy to the point of frustration! He has however lately decided that life is for living and has been having moments of down right sillyness. On his own he is still very laid back tho he can get a bit uppity in new environments, its when he is with other horses that we have a few issues. He used to be fine around other horses and when i brought him about 18 months ago he was riden at pony club and around horses all the time, so it is my fault because he hasn't been socialised bugger all since i've had him.
My question to you guys is what do you do when the shit hits the fan and your horse decides "i'm outta here" and bolts or performs, cos i'm getting the impression that you advocate using your reins for purely decoration? [] I've ridden for 25 years and had some real b*astard horses in my time, but i'm really getting a bit old to hit the dirt now days and hence i want a nice laid back horse to ride MOST of the time (i dont expect perfection ).
The hackamore is working well and he is prob relaxed cos i have to be BUT we haven't been is a situation where he can and will take off/perform/be an idiot, so if he does, what am i expected to do?

think my first post might have gave the folk here the idea that I was trying to keep Jake on the bit when he was playing up, instead of when I was actually on the ground trying to hang on and keep him in one place with all feet on the ground.....[]

Yeah you might be right swaggie cos thats what i thought No wonder your hand is hurt [}]
I'm just really confused here by the dont grab the reins (when riding) if they play up or take off. How the hell else am i meant to stop him?
I understand use ya seat and legs etc etc but no matter how well he may respond to that when all is going well....i can't see it being much help when the wind is up his tail and he's being a little prat! Help?????

another thing I was taught was to try and keep them on a 20 metre circle (well as best as you are going to get anyhow) rather than let them have their way and go willy nilly everywhere else.

Now how this would be achieved without reins and how you would achieve it with its head up in the air.... I dunno. I just want a plodder and an easy life!

but I have (years ago) used my legs and seat to hang on for dear life, without leaning too far forward (something both E and I are prone to do in a horsey crisis).

So, can I ask why you are riding in a hackamore? Just out of interest....

My horse also has moments of being a complete dickhead - totally unpredictable, have to say what I want at those times is a nice contact with his mouth! I have to say lots of schooling and riding out with people who are considerate and on sensible horses has helped heaps. So does time.

Devan, I haven't read right back to the beginning of the thread, so I hope I am on the right track here, but yes, I found the hackamore invaluable on a bolting horse, where I had no control whatsoever with a normal snaffle bridle. I used to do endurance on a thoroughbred, and he could get pretty worked up at the beginning of the ride, and there were times when I could just hang on for dear life and hope we didn't crash. With a hackamore I had a lot more control for a lot less effort and no more shoulders pulled out of their sockets. It took some getting used to, to ride whithout contact, and even when you take up the reins the touch is much lighter than with a snaffle, but I've never looked back. The only thing is.... you really can't yank hard on those reins in an awkward moment, as that is rather unpleasant for the horse, so you'd have to be fairly sure of your seat and not rely on the reins to hang on to.

Ahhhhh ok that makes more sense stripey. I'm not worried about losing my seat, i think i have a fairly good grip on the saddle and haven't fallen off for about 20 years now, i'm lucky in that i have quite long legs and in times of terror i swear they grow a couple of extra feet and just wrap around the horses stomach!
It was more that i was thinking that i had to maintain very light or no contact in the hackamore and if he decided to play up and boogie around the place in a situation where if i was riding in a bit i'd have contact on his mouth fairly constantly, i wasn't sure what would happen.
I am trying the hackamore because when he wants to he can be very hard mouthed and it was reccommended to me on that trek that they are good for horses that pull too (my hands were bleeding the 1st day from his constant pulling) and it wasn't working releasing when he behaved cos he just didnt behave at all.

Righto, now I understand. Just having TB's off the track I haven't come across a puller in years, however do remember having one when young - esp on X-C and not having the strength to undo girth at end of jumping, very tiring. I have observed that lots of horses ridden without bits tend to go along on their forehands, however that probably doesn't matter too much for trekking out!