Do You Ride Horses?

[ryukrem]

Okay guys. I ride today and I'm all anxious and nervous. this my issue with my confidence.

[Shark-salad]

Really torn right now... my mom just called me and said my instructor is taking Kahlua, my lesson horse, out of lessons. the only way I could ride her is if I do a expensive lease on her with another girl. Kahlua has a sweet personality but she gets grumpy when being over worked and rushed. There is a girl doing a half lease with her right now and apparently she has moved up ahead of me in jumping (even though I am better at riding and jumping than her) so if we went to a show poor Kahlua would be doing many shows a day. So I could do an expensive lease with another girl witch I don't know If I can do that to my parents and to Kahlua. Or I could get a less expensive horse but stop my lessons. Im on the edge of tears I just don't know what to do. Piece of advice anyone?

[kathwren]

Okay guys. I ride today and I'm all anxious and nervous. this my issue with my confidence.

I used to get so nervous 2-3 days before my ride days, and on days I did ride I had panic attacks.
It wasn't fun D:
It was a confidence issue, so my trainer put me on a gentle old horse and we did walk/trot work.
I'm way more confident now, so maybe you could ask if you could do a little less stressful work?

I dunno if you own or lease or what but I benefited a lot from doing "slower" walk/trot work.
You could also ask for a lunge lesson.
It helped my confidence jumping too. :3

[l 0 $ 3 R]

Really torn right now... my mom just called me and said my instructor is taking Kahlua, my lesson horse, out of lessons. the only way I could ride her is if I do a expensive lease on her with another girl. Kahlua has a sweet personality but she gets grumpy when being over worked and rushed. There is a girl doing a half lease with her right now and apparently she has moved up ahead of me in jumping (even though I am better at riding and jumping than her) so if we went to a show poor Kahlua would be doing many shows a day. So I could do an expensive lease with another girl witch I don't know If I can do that to my parents and to Kahlua. Or I could get a less expensive horse but stop my lessons. Im on the edge of tears I just don't know what to do. Piece of advice anyone?

Skittles, that's terrible!
I know how you feel, my instructor had to sell her horse, Chance, I had also worked with him.
Anyways, talk to your parents about the expense of the lease, maybe set something up, meet the girl who has Kahlua, and see if you like her or not, even if you don',t if you think its worth it to ride/jump Kahlua than ask.
Well that's all I have bro.

[l 0 $ 3 R]

I ride a pinto, who's never really bonded with anyone.
He's my instructor's horse, and he's really laid back and slow, like at my last show ((also my first with him, and my first riding c: )) he did great, but he kept throwing his head back, and then nuzzling his legs.
I think its the flies ((but we spray him real good)), but does anyone have any other ideas?

[ryukrem]

Okay guys. I ride today and I'm all anxious and nervous. this my issue with my confidence.

I used to get so nervous 2-3 days before my ride days, and on days I did ride I had panic attacks.
It wasn't fun D:
It was a confidence issue, so my trainer put me on a gentle old horse and we did walk/trot work.
I'm way more confident now, so maybe you could ask if you could do a little less stressful work?

I dunno if you own or lease or what but I benefited a lot from doing "slower" walk/trot work.
You could also ask for a lunge lesson.
It helped my confidence jumping too. :3

Okay maybe I will ask for a lunge lesson. I don't get to the point where I have panic attacks, but I hope it never gets that way. Flat lessons aren't so bad, which is what we are doing today, but jumping lessons just freak me out depending who I am riding. There is a large handful of horses who I am scared to jump, and two or three who I am not scared to jump. It is tough sometimes.

[BayloneRose]

don't worry about it, 12spot After you get more horse experience under your belt, you'll be willing to do anything on a horse.
I used to get really nervous when I rode around other rides, because I was afraid that I would embarrass myself and I was also really afraid of riding our 4 year old QH after he bucked me off a few times. Now i'll get on anything with 4 legs if it means that I get to ride, and I jump bareback over fallen oak trees out on the trails, despite the fact that I have never had a jumping lesson in my life falling off and bronco rides will start to get fun after a while it just takes time is all

[Joey.]

My dad is making me choose between my horses. He's getting rid of all except for one.

Midnight is a very old Quarter Horse from my childhood, he'd drink my apple juice when I was like 5 or 6. (Family has this cabin at this place called Mary-Anna in North Florida, our family is well known for visiting there.) And I was too young to ride him but he was so lovely. And I went there a year ago and he's still alive. ;~; And they were selling him to get some younger horses for the horse back riding.
I got him. (>^~^<)

Then there's Leo, Leo is a young stallion, we're not sure exactly what he is, and he's very pushy and rude.
It's either his way or no way.
But he's got potential and plus his wall eye is beautiful *-*

Then Slick the Buttermilk Buckskin Quarter Horse, he's just like Leo except he's a bit younger and he's more stubborn, rears up against the bit and will fight you until you're done.
But he's also a sweetheart and is great with kids....

Jackson(Sorry can't find a good picture.) is an older chestnut Quarter Horse Gelding, we use him for lessons and he's very good with kids as well, not stubborn (As far as horses go.) And rubs against you and is playful.


See I love them all too much. ;~;

[gam]

@Joey Suicide; Ah, I'm in love with Midnight. He's gorgeous ◕‿◕

@12spot; I agree with Auxi! Do a lot of walk and trot work. Just get comfortable with the horse you're riding. If you're genuinely scared of the horse you're riding, ask your trainer to put you on a gentler and calmer one. Just stick with one horse that you feel good riding and build your confidence up on the flat. Maybe go for a trail ride or just walk around the farm if you can. That always helps me to bond with the horses I ride and learn to trust in them more. Just relax and enjoy the ride. You'll be fine. (◡‿◡✿)

@OddOneOut; Aww, he sounds adorable! Hmm, about the leg nuzzling. Maybe he has an itchy spot, or a scab, or a bug bite there he likes to scratch?? Maybe if it's in one concentrated spot, look there and see if there's any blemishes, then if there is then apply some anti-itch creme or something. Maybe he's allergic to something as well. If you don't find anything and he's just doing it because he can, then try gently correcting him each time he does it by moving his head to discourage him from doing it again. Good luck!

@Skittles; I'm sorry to hear of your dilemma :c I've been put into similar situations, being pushed, almost threatened to lease or buy a horse, or else I won't ever get to ride them again. It sucks and they're just taking advantage of you v_v Try negotiating with your trainer or the girl who is starting a lease. See if you like her and maybe if you get on well she'll let your ride Kahlua sometimes without having to do a lease with her. Good luck sweetie I'm really sorry :c

@Hime; Good lord, the WB's sire is flawless. His canter is mesmerizing, it's so big and bouncy and adorable eeeep! <3

@monchele; I'm sorry you had a bad ride :c I had a bad ride too, we all need them sometimes. Yeah, I think jumping will help Thinker's form, it usually does with the horses I see! Ooooh! New helmet! Lucky you <3 it sounds awesome! PAID TO RIDE?! That's my dream! Haha well that's awesome!!

@Magic OfHorses; She sounds sweet, hopefully you can fix her issues soon! Mares in heat are the worst, lol.

@gam:
yeah, it is a bit sad to outgrow a horse, but I'll still see her lovely face every day. c: and I'll still hack the big mama around if she starts getting sassy, haha.
aww, I wish that you could lease! I know that I'm blessed to be able to lease and I'm very grateful. (: It is a half lease so it's no too bad price wise (I pay for part of it), and I still get to ride 4 days a week. (Well, 3 technical lease days but I take an extra lesson so it's 4 days)
And thanks, it was a lot of fun. shows stress me out too, and I did my own show care so I was very busy haha xD you should show again!
the clinic was wonderful! It wasn't too far away - only in Columbia! it was my first time riding in a clinic (I've audited greg best in the past) and I think I'll be back next year.
I'll try to keep everyone updated on him! He is very cool.
that's cool that you work horse camp too! Our first one was in june and I worked that too. This camp is a little easier though because the kids are more experienced than the last bunch! I'm glad that you liked working camp, I enjoy it too. even though it's SO HOT, haha. Yesterday was killer, SO HUMID. hahaha I am sure that your trainer lovesss you <333 I've just known mine for a long time and spend a lot of time working for her!

I'm sorry that riding has been so frustrating for you D: And that your trainer has been gone for so long! Ahh, and that sucks that the fill-in trainer isn't so great. that's got to be tough. I hope that your barn gets some horses for you guys to ride soon so you can have someone new to ride and bond with. and I'm sorry that your trainer is money-obsessed, my old trainer was just like that and I got treated like dirt. And it sucks.
I think that you should come ride at my barn (: k?

@Hano; Yes! I really hope to lease someday, and I think I even could pull it off where I'm at right now, it just wouldn't be worth it where I'm at.
Circean and I will show now and again, I'll let you know whenever we do! Which will likely be next year if we decide to. Any shows outside of our schooling shows are pretty outrageously expensive but I don't mind, schooling shows are pretty nice and homey, low pressure you know.
Lucky you with the experienced kids..lol the ones we got were pretty young, but there were only three so it wasn't that bad. 2 of them had barely ridden at all but the other one had been riding about the same length of time that Liv and I have, she was just a few years younger than us.
Oh, in Columbia? I had no idea, I thought it was in IL for some reason lol. I think Columbia's an hour and a half from me, which isn't too bad. I hope I get to go sometime in my life, but I can see myself being extremely nervous about it lol.

I really hope we get some new horses too. Like, actual horses. hahah but really, thank you c: I will stick around and see how things go, hopefully it will get better, and if it doesn't..well, we'll cross that bridge when we get to it.
I WISH. :] I so wish I could, but driving 45 minutes each time I want to ride will be the death of me lol :c

@gammy gam~
:c I totally understand. I just really hope something good comes out of this soon I bet pretty soon you WILL be put on a bigger horse, mainly because you're getting pretty tall c;
maybe you'll get put on Ringo one time before he leaves, and when he does maybe he'll get replaced with someone you could ride! I wish shelby was okay or younger cause you guys did awesome! Maybe even bubba! I mean it sucks because at our barn, bits like 48% ponies 48 % babies (not lesson/school material) and 4% horses that are owned by other people and can't be lessoned on I wish cooper never left honestly. You guys were great...

It'll get better though, its just gonna take time. I mean after twilight left i was devastated and frustrated just like you. But I waited and waited, and look what happened , he came back out of the blue! c: Every gray cloud has a silver lining (:

And who knows! If you get your permit soon, and get really good at driving, then maybe in 6 months or whatever, just once or twice just you and me can go driving up there, and have a really good time, get starbucks or whatever, and food and QT and everything, and once we get there, Sarah might not even know how old we really are! Cause honestly, I even think I look like I'm 13 or 14 years old with my hair up and in my riding gear, cause look at me. I'm only 5'2.5" lol. I'm short. And I still have a childish looking face if my hair isn't down lol. But if Sarah sees your driving and stuff, and actually realizes that were *cough* older than portell* cough* LOL then maybe we'll earn more respect, and stop being put on TINY lazy ponies! (taz and deed's size, not Twi <3 hes perf)

But maybe when you go back up, you might wanna try deedee just once so you can say you've tried her, because I know you HATE going super slow like on Taz, and at least with Dee, you won't we DRAGGING along, and she doesn't refuse jumps like taz does, and she literally listens to EVERYTHING you tell her, and you will NEVER have to even touch her with a crop. I mean honestly, she's better than taz. A little smaller, but 47328947329423x more fun and better c:

Yeah. :c I hope so too; I really just want to ride a horse that I'm NOT able to wrap my legs around and touch my toes under their belly cx I am getting pretty tall! Natalie [aka Hano] is what, 5'11"? So I am dwarfed in comparison. lol so anyways, yeah, hopefully I get to ride Ringo just to see how he is. I do love my quarter horses. cx Me too! Shelby was [actually, she still is] the most amazing little mare I've ever ridden squeeee c: Yeah, maybe Bubba! Bubba is actually terrifying though, his stride is like 34565654 miles long and he's huge. very. big. but yeah, I feel you it really does suck :c they NEED some new horsies to ride. c: I miss Cooper so much, he might've been lazy but he was just so perfect.
True...that was really weird how Twi just came back. LOL but yeah, I suppose I could just be patient and wait it out. You never know, maybe Sarah will come back with a perfect horse for me (◡‿◡✿)
Yeah, that sounds amazing! c: LOL you're right, she probably thinks we're like 12. LOL I still can't believe that sarah p is younger than us like what ??? what ???
Yeah, I agree. I will try Deedee, she does look a lot more willing and fit and more happy to do her job. c: I'll try her out, if I get a choice. I just really don't want to ride Taz though tbh lol. We shall see!

ty very much dear liver (ﾉ◕ヮ◕)ﾉ*:･ﾟ✧

[ryukrem]

Thanks guys for the advice! I rode Blake to day, one of the ponies I'm nervous of. We did flat and I'm slowly starting to get a liking to him. I think if I start to ride him more things will get better. He's green and 4 years old, and this is the first time had an experience with a horse like this. In time I think I will get used to him.