Please tell me if I’m being unreasonable but I’m so upset.
Dd9 suffers with anxiety and autism. She’s not high on the scale but is a worrier.
She has her own pony who she had a bad fall on 18 months ago, sadly pony is now retired due to wobblers.
She absolutely loves riding and horses but since her fall has completely lost her confidence and hasn’t cantered since. The riding school is fully aware and a few times dd has had a cry during her lessons because she’s been anxious, she’s been riding there a year and it’s Happened only a few times
Her sister has her own horse who is kept at the Livery of the riding school so it made sense for dd9 to have lessons there.
She has her favourite ponies who never put a hoof wrong but whenever we request these (which you can do for every lesson) she’s never put on them.
Yesterday she was placed on a 15hh horse who has been retired for 2 years and just came back into work. He was feeling fresh the minute he came out the stable.
She’s in one of the lower group lessons who are not cantering yet and everyone else was on smaller ponies (ones she normally rides).
She was given an helper to walk next to her (which again she’s never needed..) but when asked to Trot the horse cantered. The helper was shouted at to hold the horse and stop him.
Obviously this has caused a huge set back. She was absolutely sobbing and shaking but sat it well and I’m so proud of her. She got off and the horse was put back. We was told by some helpers that he’s been doing it a lot and they think he should definitely not be in the young children’s classes.
I’m so so upset for her. She keeps saying she’s disappointed and sad because I had taken her shopping and she had chosen a whole new riding outfit and was so excited.
Iv never once forced her to ride and she was coming up to try canter on her private lesson on Tuesday but obviously this has knocked her again.
The thing I think that’s upsetting me is the owner and the person who chooses the horse is a friend and we’ve known for multiple years who used to teach dd9 on her own pony from a young age. So she knows what she’s like, I just don’t understand why she would put her on such an unsuitable horse