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Discussion on Riding three year old for the first time | |
Author | Message |
Member: imogen |
Posted on Sunday, Aug 17, 2008 - 3:11 am: My young horse has been away being broken by a professional trainer for the past five weeks. She is backed and riding in walk and trot in the arena and when I saw her this week I thought she was going very well.Next weekend, the trainer says that I get to ride her... Do any of you have any tips other than: - long and low - clear aids - slow persistent persuasion if she won't do something - on guard for spooks Thanks for any advice any of you have. I am not that nervous (nice rubber-surface soft arena for any falls) but I'd like it to go as well as it can. Imogen |
Member: canderso |
Posted on Sunday, Aug 17, 2008 - 7:02 am: Hi Imogen,So are you the second person to ride her? If so, then there may be a bit of her learning that more than one specific person actually will be getting on her back. With that in mind, I think for first few rides I would only be looking for calm, quiet at mounting and dismounting, and then moving forward willingly... everything else would be icing on the cake. But as you know, I am not a trainer... interesting to hear what others will say. |
Member: 36541 |
Posted on Sunday, Aug 17, 2008 - 8:48 am: I always carry a dressage whip in the first few years. I don't want them to be spooky about it so I make it part of the equipment from the start. Also, I don't want to be clunking on their sides to get forward movement - I want to have the whip tap for immediate reinforcement. I have found horses very individual in their sensitivity to the leg as greenies, and if you can keep the leg aid sharp on the duller ones, it will pay off later. Congrats on your new ride! Stacy |
Member: ajudson1 |
Posted on Sunday, Aug 17, 2008 - 9:24 am: Hey Imogen,I've never been in your position of getting on a horse that someone just had for training. I would find that to be a big disadvantage not knowing how the horse acted up to this point. Have you been involved daily watching the horse being worked with? I guess I would spend some time doing some really basic ground work, and treat your first ride as the horses first ride. I would NOT just go there and ride because the trainer says it's time. I'd follow my gut feeling if to decide if I were to mount up or not depending on many factors such as the horses eye, softness, and amount of butterfies in my stomach. Then I'd get on, and just sit there. And off. And repeat. Taking it very slow, and getting a feel for how the horse is doing. Ask for a nice easy walk, not even worry about steering just maintaining light contact. I believe a young horse is so very sensitive that a different person can make a world of difference and accidents can happen just because of that. And of course breath, relax, and remember you are 110% the confident leader! I find convincing myself I am the leader keeping the horse safe helps. Let us know how the ride goes. How exciting! |
Member: paardex |
Posted on Sunday, Aug 17, 2008 - 9:36 am: If possible I would ride with the saddle the trainer used. You are already different another saddle sometimes spooks a young horse[other weight deviding?]Jos |
Member: imogen |
Posted on Sunday, Aug 17, 2008 - 9:51 am: The trainer happens to have an absolutely beautiful Swiss-German saddle that I covet, so I will certainly take that piece of advice, Jos!Cheryl, yes I'll be the second person to ride her and Zora the trainer is about half my height and weight with twice my effectivness! Stacey - she's already used to the dressage whip and I agree about its usefulness in keeping leg aids light. Angie - I saw her being ridden last week, she seems fine, sometimes unsure about going forward, did one big spook but her mother's the same so that's nothing new! Otherwise she stretched down well to the bit, moved well, bit stiff on one rein but generally very well-behaved so I think it's ok for me to try. I will certainly let you all know how it goes... Imogen |
Member: leslie1 |
Posted on Sunday, Aug 17, 2008 - 10:00 am: ImogenIm am in the process of starting one.(Pumpkin age 7, LOL) I too decided to carry a dressage whip to reinforce my leg in the beginning. I found I was having to use way too much leg and I didnt want her to become dull to it. She understands and responds to a light leg touch now. Keep fingers closed tightly on the reins. Dont let her pull you. I am a firm believer in the younglings knowing the one rein stop, in cases of spook and buck.( which Ive had to use with Pumpkin a couple of times) I Im under the supervision of a professional trainer, but have been doing all the riding myself. I did have my trainer teach her to ground drive. And anytime I have a problem under saddle, I go back to ground driving to work it out. These are things that Ive been going through. Let us know how it goes Is this the grange bouncer? |
Member: mrose |
Posted on Sunday, Aug 17, 2008 - 12:22 pm: RELAX!! She might be a little nervous about someone new on her. Just relax, don't try to do much, don't try to have a "perfect ride" and just let her carry you at first until she figures out you're o.k. and you get a bit of a feel for her. I'm willing to bet you'll enjoy yourself. |
Member: paardex |
Posted on Sunday, Aug 17, 2008 - 4:43 pm: You did lunge her to didn't you? she might be surprised with'mum' on her back but lungeorders will help set her strait.Have fun! Jos PS Do you like the swiss germansaddles too? |
Member: imogen |
Posted on Monday, Aug 18, 2008 - 1:56 am: The make of the Swiss saddle is something like FEB (I will check). Best general purpose saddle I have ever sat on.Yes, the trainer lunged her before she rode her. She says she normally does one buck on each rein in canter on the lunge and that's that. I will make sure she is well lunged before I get up for the first time! Imogen |
Member: paardex |
Posted on Monday, Aug 18, 2008 - 3:46 am: Sorry I meant at home you taught her how to lunge. I always taught them to lunge extensively and then in the end the same voice and person on their back sometimes surprised them a bit.I've got a swiss saddle which resembles the very old Stubbens and love it. Got it for a very small price as the brand didn't sell enough in Holland and the las two were on sale. It's so comfortable! Jos |
Member: lhenning |
Posted on Tuesday, Aug 19, 2008 - 1:30 pm: I rode my young horse after 30 days training but I was too green and new with horses to know there was any more risk than riding an old guy. Not the best way to start, yet he was an angel and gave me no problem (until he was older and the devil got ahold of him, but that's another story LOL). I think because I did not know the risk, I was very relaxed and having the time of my life. At three they are like a young child and tend to follow a leader easily.You are a good horseperson, so you will be fine. Let her move freely without restraint by keeping yourself relaxed and rhythmic. Bond with her and make it a very positive experience for her. Smile and have fun. Good luck - let us know how it goes. Linda |
Member: imogen |
Posted on Wednesday, Aug 20, 2008 - 2:35 am: Totally agree about the devil taking hold Linda, have seen it many times when horses get some strength at 4 going on 5... but isn't a lot of horse training a big con trick about getting them into good habits while they are too young to realise what's going on?Having spent yesterday morning running around boggy fields after 2 TB foals with zero handling who broke out (not mine!), the older I get the more I think handling is the key to a pleasant, rideable animal, and it's a day to day task, not a quick fix. Imogen |
Member: hpyhaulr |
Posted on Wednesday, Aug 20, 2008 - 9:00 am: Imogene, I share this story with you completley confident that you are a FAR more advance rider that I will probably EVER BE.3 years ago, when I first bought Mac, I had no accommodations for a stallion, so I sent him to a trainer in Kentucky for 4 months (which turned out to be 6). Understand, that I am as green as a fresh picked banana, and apparently, just as stupid as said banana. He is a 3 yo Foundation quarterhorse, buckskin, double bred Doc Bar, which, at the time, I thought was just ALL THAT. Walt finally gets up to Kentucky and sees what is going on up there, next to nothing. He brings Mac back down and we deliver him to a local facility for cutting training. I LOVE the sport, the primal connection between horse and cow is so intense, it just fascinates me. Too bad it held no interest for Mac. With his pedigree, it never occurred to me that he could not care less if all the cows in the county DrOpped dead within the hour. Since THIS trainer, who also was highly recommended to us is only about an hour away so we can keep an eye on things. I start going down there once or twice a week to see what is going on, but again that "green" thing kicks in and I am not really "seeing" what needs to be seen. I do, however notice a mark across Mac's nose... a mark I see on all the horses at this farm. Every time I go down there, Mac is on the hotwalker, and muscled up but not happy". Several flags are now going up in my head. The trainer tells us that Mac is getting "stupid" and should be gelded. Since we know by now that this is the only thing that makes sense for several reasons, we go ahead and do it. If he is to ever come home, it would have to be done anyway, trainer also now tells us about his distinct disinterest in cows (which still fascinates me as the trainer was working exclusively with buffaloes). Still, Mac is demonstrating a lot more riding skills in the arena, so it is not a total loss. Walt and I are there with some friends and the trainer is trying to convince us to take Mac home and d/c this cutting training as it is going nowhere, BUT "this is a GREAT trail horse" He PUSHES me to get up on him for a ride. I am more than reluctant as I am lucid enough to know that I have no business being on a horse like that. When your 16 yo kid gets his license, you DON"T buy him a turbo charged porsche, right???? I am not prepared (dressed) for riding, no gloves, no helmet and I am wearing danskos, not packers... Still, those who know better than I, Walt & Billy, the trainer, are both telling me it will be fine, just suck it up and get up on the horse. I do remember that part, gettin' up on him. I remember I suspected that the look on his face was more of "you don't belong here" than "oh goody!", but had no idea what to do but pat his neck and tell him what a good boy he was and BEG him to take good care of me. Perhaps that is the part that pissed him off, we'll never know. The next couple of minutes are a blur. Not sure how the wheels came off that train, but I bet the 10 decibel expletives erupting from my ever expanding mouth probably were not helpful. I do remember that as we flew around and around that arena at a 'hell bent for glory' gallop, I focused on Walt's face so he could tell me what to do to get control back. If I could lock eyes with him, I KNEW he could make it better. I could not hear with all the noise (had no clue it was coming from me). My weeping friend Lisa turned off the video, reluctant to tape my rapidly approaching demise. Since one cannot lock a gaze with someone intent on studying their toes, I am on my own. I am flopping all over Mac's back like a 3 week old dead fish. How I did not lose my seat or stirrup is beyond me. I suspect I owe my life to a western saddle. By the time Mac stopped, ears pinned and nostrils still flaring, he was nose to board with the arena. You could have held a piece of paper between the two. If not for that boarded arena, I would probably have been in Tulsa by nightfall. I don't think I dismounted as much as I slithered off that horse. By this time Walt's shoulders are practically convulsing while he is still obsessively concentrating on the aforementioned toes to control his laughter. To this day he maintains the first real words out of my mouth were "I broke a (expletive deleted) nail!" He could be right, I don't recall. I remember searching for the gate with all the vaccilation of a scud missile...'is there a prayer I can make it to a bathroom'? "Did I just film a Depends commercial?" Billy gets to me and is yammering on about how Mac LOVES speed (YA THINK???)..information I really could have used about 5 short minutes ago when common sense would have kept my danskos planted firmly on the ground. My knees failed me at that point, they seemed to be filled with lukewarm jello, flavor forever unknown. We brought Mac home soon afterward, Walt rides him regularly and they are great together. I love him, I groom him, feed him, work him in the round pen, talk to him, play with him, seem to have a good working relationship with him BUT never have and probably never will again view the world from his back. I may be a bit crazy, but I am NOT completely stupid! Not usually anyway. |
Member: ajudson1 |
Posted on Wednesday, Aug 20, 2008 - 10:05 am: Somebody seriously needs to put together a book of short stories submitted by HA members!We've got your first ride, our famous meter reader, poetry, sorry forgetting who was writing the poems/songs, Sara's test of courage and love with Libby, HA meeting adventures (My heart "bowels") and more. BTW, I'd love to meet Mac. I hope Imogene's first ride isn't quite as much of an adventure, tee hee. |
Member: juliem |
Posted on Wednesday, Aug 20, 2008 - 12:02 pm: Cyndy, gotta know--what caused the mark on all the horses noses?? Yep, there's a book here somewhere. Hope Dr. O archives all these "discussions" and someone will put it together! |
Member: maggienm |
Posted on Wednesday, Aug 20, 2008 - 12:38 pm: Yeah, did you ever find out about the mark? |
Member: canter |
Posted on Wednesday, Aug 20, 2008 - 12:52 pm: Cindy - absolutely hysterical! You certainly have a way with words, if not with Mac! |
Member: paardex |
Posted on Wednesday, Aug 20, 2008 - 2:07 pm: Cyndy, if ever we meet[I hope so!] please excuse me if I keep glaring at your nails. Anyone who can talk about a nail after an experience like that I would love to have around if some part of the zoo is making my life difficult once againJos |
Member: imogen |
Posted on Wednesday, Aug 20, 2008 - 2:54 pm: Cyndy, GREAT story, I loved it. As my other hobby is gardening, I am the only woman you will ever meet who already has every single nail well broken... at least I wont' have THAT problem on Saturday!By the way, Dr O, who knows what kind of stories you might get if there were a section of this website that Google didn't index...? Imogen |
Member: scooter |
Posted on Wednesday, Aug 20, 2008 - 8:01 pm: Cyndy loved that story. and exactly the reason I will never own a horse under 5 Again!!! |
Member: hpyhaulr |
Posted on Thursday, Aug 21, 2008 - 12:16 pm: About the nose mark... I suspect Billy got overly aggressive with the lip and stud chains. More muscle than finesse. Mac still bears that mark and it saddens me every time I touch it. He is such a good boy.The nails.... lol... my manicurist is worth his weight in gold. Every 3-4 weeks,I drive 40 miles each way to get to him...by 11 am most days I run a Wally World TLE (this is why my parents sent me to finishing school??) before and after work I am pitching hay, mucking a couple hundred pounds of manure, grooming, picking hooves etc. same as all you guys do...My hands are starting to show the wear from washing about 20 times a day if I have to help doing oil changes or tires etc...I go through hand moisturizer by the pound, often will wear neoprene gloves at work, and ALWAYS have gloves on when working around the barn, but God bless Bryan... my nails are perfect. One would need a crowbar to break one of Bryan's carefully constructed nails. There are many changes I made to move down here from the Island... had to draw the line somewhere. It helps maintain my mental estrogen levels in some testosterone drenched situations in which I find myself. And this is not all me, Walt really likes them too... After sliding off Mac, if my first thought was of my nails (remember we are taking Walt's word for this), cut me some slack. CLEARLY I was not in my right mind, not even in my wrong mind. |
Member: paardex |
Posted on Thursday, Aug 21, 2008 - 1:55 pm: Ha handmoisturizer goes by the gallon over here to [try gardening in Normandy 'argile' soil]pickax is the best gardentool from time to time!I completely agree about the needing SOMETHING feminine. I always try to wear laced underwear, if I end up in hospital, they will peel off my mucked jeans and torn t shirt, but at least the last part will be worth a second look Jos |
Member: dres |
Posted on Thursday, Aug 21, 2008 - 4:08 pm: Nails / Hand cream..lacy undies... what is all that? I never moisturize my hands.. waste of time and $$ Nails what are those? something to bite..? and lacy undies... good gosh woman.. that hurts ones buttock and other locations when riding.. a good pair of mens briefs are tops.. !~On the first day God created horses, on the second day he painted them with spots.. |
Member: mrose |
Posted on Thursday, Aug 21, 2008 - 4:50 pm: I have to confess to getting my toe nails done sometimes. A pedicure lasts a lot longer than a manicure. My hands are such a wreck anyway, what's the point! I'm impressed, Cindy! Who was it that used her bra to catch a horse? Remember that post? I figure a nice sturdy sports bra will work much better in such an emergency than one of those lacy numbers. And I love Victoria's Secret cotton undies; they are so comfy to ride in. Pricier, but no dreaded panty line, are the Wacoa (sp?) models. (Gosh...are any of the men reading all this!) |
Member: leslie1 |
Posted on Thursday, Aug 21, 2008 - 5:29 pm: Probably DrOlol |
Member: paardex |
Posted on Thursday, Aug 21, 2008 - 5:45 pm: Any herself respecting mare will be caught much faster with a Victorias secret lace teddy then a sportsbra! Think about that![and think about a hubby having to walk the horse home with the teddy on her headJos |
Member: leslie1 |
Posted on Thursday, Aug 21, 2008 - 6:20 pm: LOL: I would love to see that!! my hubby hates to hold my purse in public, I can just imagine him walking my mare home in a lacy bra halter!Teeheheh |
Member: dtranch |
Posted on Thursday, Aug 21, 2008 - 10:41 pm: Cyndy ... I want that horse. Great story.Imogene ... all of my first rides with clients are done with me handling the horse from the ground with a 12' lead on a rope halter ... and only after some groundwork exercises so I can evaluate the horses condition and mood. Once mounted, I ask the rider to perform some lateral flexes in each direction before walking out. I still have the rope as they walk the horse around me asking for a halt, then turn in each direction. Only when we all 3 think its time do we ride on alone. The only drawback is that stories like Cyndy's will never be heard using this method. DT |
Member: ajudson1 |
Posted on Friday, Aug 22, 2008 - 9:03 am: Denny,Where have you been? I've seriously been worried you had disappeared from planet earth! Takes a conversation about lacy underwear to get your attention?! Ladies, My nails have never been done, I just keep them short so I can keep the crap out from under them. And I do try to wear gloves a lot, it hurts to get one strand of mane caught on a nail and tear it! Wal Mart quit carrying my favorite undies, last pkg I bought, well, memories of Erika flashed through my mind, 'nuf said! Imogene, Hope you don't fall off laughing during those first rides! |
Member: hpyhaulr |
Posted on Friday, Aug 22, 2008 - 11:06 am: Wally World Flashbacks, Angie???Denny, more than clean air to breathe, I want you to have a go at this horse with me....I have so much invested in him, I will NEVER see that money back, and I don't want to sell him anyway. He is gorgeous inside and out. I get such joy out of just watching him run and play. Tuffy and I need your guidance... I cannot adequately express the fear that clamps down every orifice when Walt tells me he is on his way home and is going to tack Sunshine up for me to throw a leg up...the last trainer we had on her... well, she just about got her 8 seconds, and they were noteworthy. Amanda used to look like she was doing the chicken dance on Sunshine just trying to get her to move, and yet Wendy went airborne! I have to find a way to book Denny somewhere close enough that I can get to him with a trailerful of challenges. (the challenge in the passenger seat notwithsatnding) |
Member: paardex |
Posted on Friday, Aug 22, 2008 - 2:47 pm: Cyndy wish I could book a plane for my 'horned critters'But nobody is getting me mad enough to get on their backs not even Dennis Jos PS If Margot and Cascade's mother had had enough of her rider she sat down on her enormous behind! |
Member: paardex |
Posted on Friday, Aug 22, 2008 - 2:49 pm: And please don't talk about getting invested money back I am just happy if I can stop investing!Jos |
Member: imogen |
Posted on Saturday, Aug 23, 2008 - 8:01 am: Gosh I feel sheepish now after all the excitement on this thread. I just checked and I am wearing "riding" (ie very old) underwear which I keep in a bag under my bed in case anyone might go through my chest of drawers and find them...My only tip for hands is if you are like Jos and Ann and I (yes, I garden with a pickaxe too Jos, our climates and soils are similar...) try using cracked heel repair cream on your cuticles. Cheaper than gallons of handcream... Anyway, the 3-yo behaved perfectly! We did walk, trot and canter on both reins in the arena. The trainer just lunged her a little beforehand in case there was a buck in there and then I got up. She's LOVELY. Perfect head carriage even without a contact, obedient, not very forward going yet but apparently she is when you go out of the arena. She managed to grow to be the right size for me. Comfortable paces, big canter, sensible temperament. What more could you ask? I am a bit worried about how much weight she's lost and am wondering about an ulcer or possibly teething. Trainer thinks she is teething as she was quidding food a couple of weeks ago. Sorry no pictures - I took the camera but forgot to give it to the trainer... Thanks for all the advice, guys! Imogen |
Member: paardex |
Posted on Saturday, Aug 23, 2008 - 9:22 am: Thanks for the tip Imogen! Wish our horses were similar too it sounds like you've got a real gem!What are your plans with her? Jos |