Re: Novice haters

I do agree with tthose comments.  My old pony was a darling and a real kiddie pony.  There is a horse at the yard which most people would say is a first horse.  Not really good enough for fancy comps, can do a wee bit of most things and isnt aggressive in nature in the slightest.  His owner has been riding for years but really isnt very good (at all).  She is very novicey.  Her confidence has been completely shattered by this horse.  He learnt that as she spends half an hour riding 'with her mind' and concentrating on how her left buttock is sitting in the saddle he can piss off with her (dangerously so). 

 Hes not good enough for someone who wants to compete but hes not safe for a novice either. 

Re: Novice haters

Like you I'm a novice, just 18 months down the road.  To be honest I think I'll always consider myself to be a novice as there's so much to know and I'll never be proud to ask somebody something even if it seems like the dumbest of questions.  My priority is my horse.  I would never want my lack of knowledge or experience to cause him any suffering.

I think there is a huge difference between a novice who thinks they know it all and one who puts their hands up and says I know the basics but need some guidance - and that's what's important for the horse.  You'll be fine and don't ever worry about thinking people are looking down on you.  I've had that and now I'm sticking two fingers up at them as the horse they'd written off as 'dangerous' is now coming on in leaps and bounds.

Re: Novice haters

I am a total novice.  I went for my 1st riding lesson last July and started going weekly in October until April.  I got Molly, my part irish draught at the beginning of April.  I have gained experience with dealing with Molly, grooming, feeding, tacking up and riding.  I have found the horsey world to be most friendly and helpful i have ever encountered and have a farrier who offers me excellent advice.  I have made alot of friends through the horsey world and advice is always available from friends, and the people on this forum. It is a great learning experience and I am enjoying every minute off it. 

Re: Novice haters

Thanks everyone - i so readily admit to everyone im a novice - i couldnt lie if i tried!

But its liek im not gettign a chance, i wouldnt keep any horse alone - i know everyone at my local yard who helped me with my loan so would help me with my own.

I truly love animals - id probably be the one ringing the vet for nothing, i would never ever let a horse suffer.

Thats what i mean  - surely my true love, devotion, wanting to learn would make me a good horse owner?

Re: Novice haters

True love, devotion and the want to learn can *help* to become a good horse owner, but without the experience and knowledge to *know* whats going wrong, you'll soon find yourself in deep sh!t, just as i did with my last 2 horses so i speak from experience.

I care for my horses, they always come first, i thought that was enough but apparently getting knocked unconscious, breaking bones, and taking away my confidence and will to live showed me that it wasnt.

I understand totally how you feel as like i said, i thought the same before, that was til i was on the verge of giving up as i couldnt love them anymore than i did and yet they still hated me. Whats worse? Knowing the horse you love to bits physically HATES you? Hates you enough to ditch you into a wooden fence (think menage fence not jump fence) and that hard it smashed the fence concreted into the floor? Or being bolted with down the road after a nice hack out which i thought my horse would like? And to end that, i got trampled on the tarmac.

People never understand why i hardly ride now, i have my horses, i go up, see them, feed them and leave. I was dreading riding today 'just incase' my innocent pony who worships the ground i walk on did anything remotely close to what they did. I dont jump much any longer as one of the boys thought it was funny to crush me underneath him as he bolted over the fence and tripped, ive had my head thru jump wings, broken wooden poles, been decked that hard they called the ambulance as i couldnt breathe and as such i went unconscious.

Love and devotion sometimes just aint enough. Gems is an angel for me, i love her to bits and would never put her in danger that i actively knew of, and i know she would always do the same for me and im the one whos put in the hours of hard work to school her and bring her on to the standard where she is now - a bum high pony working at elementary dressage at home and can do more advanced movements in dressage alone - i was told she wasnt worth £2000, let alone what we paid for her, but she is, shes worth her weight in gold and i can trot as fast as someone else can gallop on her, put ask for canter and you'll get it no matter what. If i point her at a fence she'll jump for me, christ it was partly her jump which decked me last time and 2yrs on im having physio!!! Even thru everything thats happened between us, and what i know about her past now (ie the court case!) if i knew it before i paid for her i wouldnt have touched her but im glad i did, i know that the woman who sued her last owner was at least partly telling the truth as Gem did the exact same thing to me, and shes bucked me off before, but now shes a saint. But love and devotion would send her crazy, she likes her love and attention, but at a distance! When she wants cuddles youre fine, but she wont think anything of bucking/kicking out at you while trotting away if she doesnt want it.

The main reason why i worry about novices riding my guys is plain and simple... people sue! And novices, no matter how much they think they can predict the situation, they cant. I struggle with strange horses, but i know my pony and i can work her out of any situation where she may spook or anything, and i can sit to her spooks too, but its not worth causing pain to a novice!