Bucking in the school

[smerlin]

Having a major confidence wobble so hopefully can get some helpful advice.

Rode in a group dressage class this week and it went terribly. The horse I was on was napping quite badly and being quite strong. I've been riding a few years now so I tried to keep him together but he ended up bucking repeatedly if he had to be behind another horse or ride away from everyone else (supposed to be in open order most of the time).

I sat all the bucks but it wasn't high spirits happy bucking. RI said I really needed to kick him on and show him who's boss, tap him with the whip etc but that made the temper tantrums worse (although appreciate may have helped in the end).

In the end my riding was going to pot as I was getting worried about getting thrown off and so I dismounted after about 40 minutes.

Felt completely ashamed about 'giving up' - has never happened before. And obviously felt embarrassed in front of the rest of the group who saw my terrible riding.

Really feel like giving up at the moment. I am currently sharing my first horse and would like to get into competing but now am thinking maybe I am aiming too high if I can't even ride a RS cob at the moment!

The RI should have put you on a different horse. Sounds like a horse that shouldn't have been in the school, not your bad riding. I don't think it is any reflection on you and would think the same if I saw it happening to anyone else.

RS horses can be utter buggers - they know all the tricks, all the evasions. And in addition, you've no way of knowing whether or not that horse was in pain or not - they work hard and can have to compensate for unbalanced novices (not saying you are one BTW) which can lead to them having problems. Plus it's often a fairly boring work life for them, round and round a school, and they get pissed off! If that was your horse you could get it fully checked over, check tack fit, look at routine changes, think about adapting your training - you'd have all sorts of options. But when it's someone else's horse you might only ride once, you can only do your best with what you're given.

Don't be too hard on yourself, is what I'm saying. There's many a good rider who has been made an utter numpty of by an rs cob...

Oh, and also. You have no bond with that horse. It takes time for you to get to know one another. When you click with a horse, when you know each other, they will try for you in a way that you will very rarely get with a horse you ride once.

Look at the modern pentathlon riding rounds - there are some awful riders but also some competent ones who can still struggle because they're riding an unknown horse. I myself once caused a steward to leap for cover in a dressage contest with a similar format because the horse I'd been given to ride wasn't a horse I got on with. Your share horse will be different, you'll get to know one another and to bond.

He might have been in pain, not your fault. Shame that the default from the riding instructor is to whip him hard.

P.S Cobs are my favourite type of horse but they are not always the easy ride that they are made out to be

The thing is, I know it is the thing amongst riders to be 'proud' in a way of being able to sit anything, rears, bucks, tanking off and remain calm and in control but for me

1. I get nervous and then I do actually ride badly because I'm being defensive.
2. I just don't feel I should have to. I have a child, I don't want to end up needlessly injured and pay someone for the privilege.

I should say that clearly I am aware riding is a high-risk sport and live animals can be unpredictable. My share horse had me off once because he shied violently at something but there was no malice in it. I don't even mind a one off buck or kick out at something but doing it repeatedly is a bit much really.

I know however that he was taking the piss and wouldn't do it if a better rider was on him.

You don't know that. Have you seen him being ridden by someone else in similar circumstances? Also, if he was being pinched by tack and in pain etc, the best rider in the world won't make that go away.

Well when I dismounted they asked the most experienced rider to canter him round in circles to 'burn his energy off.' While everyone else stood still in the centre though so no issues re: following others. I watched her ride him and she was a lot more forceful than me with leg constantly and visibly on. I always think if I'm doing that I'm nagging/creating white noise.

One of the people in the office said the horse has bucked with others and naps a lot but when the RI gets on he behaves perfectly.

Horses mask their pain very well if they have to. Just because this horse didn't buck for the riding instructor doesn't mean it wasn't in pain.

I feel for you, a bad lesson can be so disheartening.

I think with some horses you just don't click and the more you argue with them the worse it gets. You hear of some riders who have a 'hot seat' that is guaranteed to gee something up, I do think the opposite (a cold bum perhaps ) exists too. I sometimes ride my friend's very nappy welsh cob when she's away or busy, and he and I just do not see eye to eye about the school (he's OK out hacking) - some days I can barely get him to trot never mind canter, and even if I hit him, repeatedly (which I don't like doing BTW) all that results is more nappiness, cow kicking and bucking. It is not a happy experience for anyone and you'd think to see us together he must be hopping lame or in pain somewhere. Yet he is absolutely fine for my friend and moves really nicely in all paces, she rarely uses the stick at all and when she does it is just one short sharp correction. For ages I just thought oh well, she is a much better rider than me, but then one day she had a go on my mad, stressy, rushy little cob and she struggled with her and ended up motorbiking out of control around the school which I have to admit was a teeny bit comforting to me although a bit alarming for friend! Of course pros and super talented riders can ride all different horses equally well but I do think many of us 'leisure' riders have a type we get on much better with than others and perhaps horses have a preferred type of rider too!

I suppose what I am trying to say in that ramble is try not to doubt yourself too much. Ask any rider and they will have had some kind of similar experience at some time. Of course you want to be progressing and learning all the time but you have to have a line where you just feel for yourself or the horse it's safest to call it a day, and you should be proud of yourself for doing that and not allowing yourself to be pressured into carrying on. I would just ask to ride a different horse next time - as others have said there may well be a pain issue going on with that one anyway...

I am back being a RS rider after years off and I think you are within your rights to say that you would rather not ride this horse for a bit. Riding is your hobby, not your profession and you need to feel safe and make progress.

I think it is different when you have children and/or responsibilities. When I was a teenager, my aim was to be challenged, learn to adapt and get the most out of each. Life's a bit short now, and if I can enjoy riding a few that I get on with well, then that's fine. No need to make my life difficult for the sake of it.

Luckily for you, you have a share horse. I'd suggest having lessons on him with a freelancer if possible - you'll make more progress, build relationships and have a lot more fun!

Thanks everyone for the encouragement. It is so true that riding is my hobby not my career so I don't need to be able to ride anything and everything no matter how stroppy! Also I really do not improve riding a horse that is playing up to that extent as I become completely incapable through nerves/self-consciousness.

Although I can live and breathe horses, I do find it can be easy to feel despondent sometimes. There are so many 'experts' in the equine arena who don't always seem to understand that not everyone is a 'natural' and it is not for want of trying!

I know exactly the sort of person that you mean. I often find that the more experienced a person is, the less of an 'expert' they tend to be . Experience teaches us how much there is still to learn, and always will be!

For whatever reason, that horse was not happy - and you didn't choose to beat it through that unhappiness. This is a good thing! Some RIs (some!) are very keen on getting the sticks out, and less interested in or able to teach a rider how to be sensitive and to listen to their horse. I'm not saying a whip isn't a useful aid sometimes but it should be a backup to the leg, not a punishment.

Even the very best riders, the famous ones, get on better with some horses than others - horses are individuals, just like us, and we don't get on with every single person we meet, so why should they?

RS horses know every trick in the book. My green wobbly ex racehorse is a far more obliging ride than some of the yaks I’ve sat on there. They are often a bit bored and some of the horsemanship is lacking when they are often looked after by volunteers.

It sounds like you did well to stay on so don't beat yourself up! I think it is bad that they put you on a horse that is known to behave like that, how are you meant to learn anything when you spend the whole lesson just trying not to fall off?

My horse went through a phase of behaving like that, and it is not fun at all. Luckily he has now grown up and learned to behave, but he was close to being sold numerous times, because, as you say, it is no fun when you are at risk of serious injury every time you get on.