Question
Hello thank you for reading this. I am 14 yrs old
and my dream is to go to a World and get 1st in Western Riding or something.
My show horse I have now is perfect in the arena where he is boarded. When
I take him to a show he flips out in my riding classes. 10 out of 13 Western
Pleasure classes he has tried to buck me off. It is very stressful and
im losing self convence. I have a trainer, a very good one too and
she thinks that my horse will do better with every show I go to but I dont
see that happening. My trainer loves my horse and I think that is making
her not want to see me sell him. But it is very hard for me to see him
do really well in practice and then go to a show and have my horse try
to buck me off. Would do you think I should do? |
|
Dara Answers,
Well I have two suggestions, one is for you and one is
for your horse. First off, does your trainer ride your horse in some professional
classes to work out some of the kinks for you? I would certainly
do this for any of my students encountering a problem like this. Also there
is usually so much stimulating activity going on in the horse show environment,
that some horses become overwhelmed. Couple that with a rider that has
'show jitters' and you have an upsetting situation for
the horse. One of the things I try for horses that 'wake
up' at the shows, is to stuff there ears with big cotton pom-poms. You
can buy them in tack shops,usually in your horse's color.Then push them
down in the ear canal (probably have your trainer do this). Practice this
at home before the show, and train him to not mind by feeding treats and
reward him plenty when he excepts you working with his ears. He may carry
his ears back until he gets used to it. With out all the extra noise stimulating
him he might calm and become more rideable at the show.
Now I mentioned that I have two suggestions
but I guess I really had three. this last one is for you. A few minutes
before you will be entering the ring, walk away from the arena, think of
anything except showing your horse, anything that might be bothering you,
for example: school, starting school, homework, your friends anything that
triggers you to yawn. Then I want you to make really big yawns, ones that
make your eyes water and give your that funny feeling in your head and
make your mouth water. Try to yawn like that at least 3 or 4 times. Remember
when you do this don't think about riding your horse.When you are finished
turn around and go in the show ring and show your horse. The yawning will
help put you in to your best mental state for relaxed and automatic riding.
It won't make you any better than you already are, it will just put you
into your right brain (ask an adult) give it a try. Let me know if it helps!
Right back. Dara |
|
Question,
My pony has the tendency to swap his changes right
in front of the fence, while on course, what shoud I do? |
|
Dara Answers,
Well, I have had this problem myself, although with my
particular horse he did not do it all the time. If your pony is sensitive
it may be you are sending him a signal. For instance, you may be shifting
or leaning your weight in anticipation of your next turn or your legs might
be swinging a bit and he might be thinking lead change.Remember a horse
follows weight so if you are leaning to the right he is going to want to
swap off on to his right lead to catch you. The other thing is that sometimes
a horse is more comfortable on one lead than another. You can check with
a vet to see if there are any soundness issues. Some exercises I use are
jumping down a line and turning the opposite way the horse expects at the
end of the line. This will keep him guessing. The other thing you can do
is set up four jumps so that you can jump on a circle, practice each direction,
maybe spending a little more time on his least desired lead choice. To
hold him on the lead you want step a little deeper into the iron on that
side of his body, but don't lean over the top of him!
|
|
Question,
I have been taking horseback riding lessons for a
year on an old gentle horse that did whatever I wanted him to do.
This past January I was off of the lounge line and trotting around the
arena when all of the sudden the horse took off and I went flying off of
him. I hit my head and have memory loss for about 30 minutes of time.
My instructor who is also a nurse took me to the hospital and I did suffer
a concussion as well as minor muscle injuries. I was petrified to
get back on the horse as this was my first fall. Every time the horse
would so much as look in a different direction I would panic. I am now
riding a different horse and have gained some confidence back but all I
can think about is that this horse may take off too. My instructor
is trying to teach me how to steer with the reins and my legs at the same
time and I hardly grasp what she is saying because of the fear that I still
have. I don't know how to get over it. I do know that I will fall
again because everyone does but I don't know what is causing me to be so
extremely cautious about riding. Now this loss of confidence is starting
to snowball. I feel that my instructor thinks I'm an idiot.I feel
as though maybe I'm too old at 37 to just pick up horseback riding when
I've never done it in my life. I'm thinking maybe I'm just not cut
out for this and I should quit. However, I have become so passionate
about riding that I don't want to quit. I am even planning to have
my own horse in the next few years. I take one lesson a week and
in between those lessons I get excited to go back but once I get on the
horse I lose all of that confidence. I feel I had progressed very
rapidly during this first year and had every confidence that I could be
a good rider even though I only want to do it for pleasure. But since
the fall I feel as if I had to start all over. It is four months
later and I do some trotting but mostly walking on a lounge line.
What is taking me so long. Any advice would be greatly appreciated.
Any good reading material on this subject or any names of people
to contact would also be appreciated. Thanks |
|
Dara Answers,
Dear Kim, As a trainer I don't know how many times I
have been through these seemingly irrational fears with different students
over the years. Not to mention the fact that I have had to work through
some of these same feelings myself. When I was sixteen my mare ran off
with me and we both fell. I got really skinned up (so did she) and I swore
I would never ride again! Now look at me, I'm a trainer. Without
riding in my life I don't think I would know who I am. The power to work
through this will come from a decision you will make about riding for yourself,
when you are ready. Meanwhile, some food for thought, refer back
to our web, my father answered a similar ask the trainer for me and I simply
could not have answered any more profoundly. Go to www.carmelvalleyranch.net
ask the trainer and jump to questions and answers . Let me know if
this helps. Believe me this is so common and from the sound of it, in time
I believe you will go back to your original riding enjoyment!
Sincerely Dara |
