Scary Riding Lesson!

[JuniorxMyxLove]

I had to ride a privatly owned horse because most of the school ponies were at a show. Anyways, his name was barney and he was a beautiful bay gelding. (I was thinking he was either TB or for some reason Trahkner..sp?).

But Anyways, he's not very old. I goton him and I had a crop, so I was figuring he would be a little lazy. And he was, when we were walking and trotting. But the second I asked hm to trot after we droppedour stirrups, he went so fast and was so unbalanced he stumbled 2 times before I got him slowed down. And cantering was a NIGHTMARE! He had a fast canter, but it wasn't hard to ride. Whe my trainer asked us to walk, I pulled back slightly because it had worked in walk/trot. Oh no.. He pulled bakc and kept cantering. So I started pulling harder and stuff,trying to get him to stop. He wouldn't. We went around the arena 3 extra times before I got him down to a walk. Then we cantered in the other direction, and the same thing happened. So I'm shaking because he's a big boy (his shoulder is above my 5'6" head) and he's not listening. So my trainer, Jess, tells me to get off. I hop off and she mounts. She canters him in both directions, working until he drops to a trot and then walk right away. Then I get to mount. From the ground. On this giant beast of a horse. It wasn't very graceful, but I managed to get back on. After that, it was a lot easier to slow him down. Until we got him outside to cool off. He started trotting and I had a reallyhard time stopping him. Then we were walking and he started spinning in circles, without me telling him to do anything. Gee I was soooo glad when I got off of him!

Have you guys had this kind of a lesson? I have a feeling I'm gonna be riding Barney a lot this summer, and I would love to have some input on what I can try to do to make him listen

:]

[Kalei]

Wow that would be scary, I hate it when you feel a horse is starting to take off on you and won't stop when you want it to, my heart starts pounding so hard. And well it just never ends well lol.

Barney sounds exactly like my friends horse. His name is Rhiszo. She just got him not too long ago, and at first when she walked him he was a pretty lazy horse, he was the slowest walker, but as soon as she got him to go faster he really wanted to go, and he was very fast too!

Right now I think she's trying to keep him below a canter, but if he does start cantering she tries getting him to stop by pulling each rein back and forth making his head swivel and if he doesn't stop to that, she tries pulling the reins back slowly and further until he slows down.

If that still doesn't work, then you could try putting one of those straps on him that hooks from the bridle to the saddle to keep his head down. I hope he gets better for you soon

[inlovewithanimals]

yes i had that problem with a horse named forbes at pine gate farm. he was a very sweet beautifull boy. one day i got on him and he decided to do the opisite of what i asked. i have no suggestions thought.



sorry.

[Suki Wingy]

yup! temperamental retired grand prix jumper named Rummy, My shareboarded young ex-racer TB Player, even a qh with the cantering. You just need to remember to sit deep and keep your heels down if they start misbehaving or won't stop. Also, turn their noses into the wall if you are asking and they aren't stopping. You just need to get used to disiplining them. I love those kinds of horses, especially when you can train them to listen.

[JuniorxMyxLove]

Thanks everyone. I was actually trying the swiveling of the head and to the wall towards the end of the lesson. They worked, but that was because he was behaving much better.

I'm ridign again on tuesday, i actually want to ride Barney again so that I can try this. Yes, I know I'm probably crazy.:]

[Suki Wingy]

If you're crazy, then so am I!