# Help! I Need Your Opinion!



## justsambam08 (Sep 26, 2009)

Well, I don't know how old you are, but why would you get a green horse if you're inexperienced?

Get a "school" or lesson horse, one thats dead broke and that you could shoot a gun off of and it wouldn't blink. Then get a trainer for yourself and take some lessons.


----------



## midnightbright (Apr 19, 2009)

I do have a extreamly experianced trainer. But I got Madeira on my old riding instuctors judgement. Now that I look back I did not even get to see madeira exept on a video when I got her. I am 12 and I have been riding for 7 years.


----------



## Sophie19 (Apr 13, 2009)

I agree, sounds like your not a terrible rider, just over matched. Sell your pony buy a more experienced horse, if you love dressage and are scared of jumping, don't jump any more, just do dressage. There is no reason to ride a style you don't enjoy or a horse your not matched for. Don't quit. Just make some major changes.


----------



## midnightbright (Apr 19, 2009)

But my mom and dad love Madeira, I don't know how they will take this. I love Madeira but I think you are right Sophie19.


----------



## nirvana (Sep 14, 2009)

You shouldnt quit just because you dont like jumping! Stick to whats fun. I bought a greeny when I had only been riding a year! I questioned myself alot, but I loved him so much, plus I relized that I like a bit of a challenge it creats goals. If you really feel that uccomfortable on your greenie than you should consider selling it, but think about it for a while, think on the positive side. Riding has its ups and downs, one day your laughing your head off the next day your crying! Whatever you do dont give up riding completely!


----------



## midnightbright (Apr 19, 2009)

I like jumping it is just that I am to scarred too. I don't mind tiny cross-rails but I am too scarred to jump anything higher than that. Madeira loves jumping and has tons of potintiel but I am to scarred to reach it.


----------



## Sophie19 (Apr 13, 2009)

Perhaps you could send her to a trainer for six months or so and in the meantime you could take some dressage lessons, so half a year later she's a better horse and your a better rider and ta-dah everything works just a little bit better.


----------



## Sophie19 (Apr 13, 2009)

midnightbright said:


> I like jumping it is just that I am to scarred too. I don't mind tiny cross-rails but I am too scarred to jump anything higher than that. Madeira loves jumping and has tons of potintiel but I am to scarred to reach it.


The more you jump those tiny cross rails the more comfortable you will get. I bet you could eventually jump much higher if you just didn't pressure yourself to much.


----------



## nirvana (Sep 14, 2009)

Stick to cross rails, there may come a day when you feel confident enough to go higher. Dont go higher than you feel confident. I dont think your horse will mind too much! I dint canter my horse for almost a year when I got him, because a)I didnt know how to canter yet, b) I was still crinkling out his problems at walk/trot, c) he has a tendency to leap into the canter out of excitment, he loves to canter! I dont think your horse will loose its ability/will to jump higher jumps if anything sticking to small jumps might make it an even more controlled jumper.


----------



## midnightbright (Apr 19, 2009)

I can't send her to a trainer right know because my family is trying to save-up for a vacation and trainers cost a ton. I think I will talk to my parants about selling her. I am going in a dressage show saterday so that might be a good time to sell her......I hope my parents will be OK about it.


----------



## Saskia (Aug 26, 2009)

If you are not sure whether you want to keep on riding, and if you have lost your confidence on this horse then I would sell her. Maybe from the money you save on your horse one or two lessons a week at a stable and a schoolmaster. That way you can develop your riding and get your confidence back. If you don't want to jump then don't jump, but if you have the opportunity to feel safe on a horse you may find yourself branching out and trying new things. 

If you keep your horse you might be able to get through it in time, but you also may lose your confidence for riding forever, or one of you might get hurt. Scared riders to not mix with horses well. 

If after lessons for a month or two you feel you are ready to get back into horses, start looking for a new one. Look for one that is reliable, friendly, kind and pretty quiet. Ideally they would have some experience in dressage, if that is what you want to do. At your age you probably don't want a big horse or anything, but you can probably find a good all round galloway that has been used in pony club, some little competitions etc. 

Its hard parting with your horse, but if you are scared of riding her you have to evaluate your position.


----------



## Sophie19 (Apr 13, 2009)

^Well Said


----------



## heyycutter (Sep 26, 2009)

a lot of lesson barns have lesson ponies/horses up for sale, the barn i used to ride at closed and sold alll their ponies so i think you should sell yours and check out local lesson barns and find out if they have any horses/ponies for sale who are gentle, dead broke and in their teens, rather than a young one. you want a horse that can help you gain back your confidence, not scare you away from riding


----------



## ilovemyPhillip (Apr 4, 2009)

OR lease her out. So you can get her back if you ever want her. And while she is out on lease, you can lease a Bombproof pony.


----------



## jamesqf (Oct 5, 2009)

Or maybe find someone who is a more advanced rider, and has a pony they've outgrown (I mean in ability, not size), and exchange riding. That way when you advance, you'll have your pony waiting (but not so green).


----------



## speedy da fish (May 7, 2009)

just do dressage then! no offence but it is a little selfish that you have your own pony and now want to quit. if you pony is green then ground work and dressage would be perfect for you and him/her


----------



## midnightbright (Apr 19, 2009)

My parents did not take it so well. They said that I could do it and all this other stuff, they just don't understand that I am scarred out of my mind and want to get a more reliable pony so I can become a confident rider. Now what?


----------



## chevysmum (Sep 30, 2009)

I agree with the person that said to try dressage with your current horse. You won't feel like you are necessarily giving up, your horse may enjoy dressage also and you will gain confidence by being a vital part of his training. I have a greenie and although he can be overwhelming sometimes, it makes me feel good that I am a part of getting him trained. Don't give up - try something else if you need to, but don't give up!


----------



## midnightbright (Apr 19, 2009)

My dad won't let me just do dressage and they won't let me sell her untill march 2nd. My only hope is that my riding instructor will agree to only do cross rails untill then.


----------



## jamesqf (Oct 5, 2009)

Have you talked with your instructor about how you feel? Maybe s/he doesn't realize that you're being pushed beyond your current ability? And if the instructor is doing it deliberately, I would suggest a different instructor. It's not like you're in boot camp: it's supposed to be fun, isn't it?


----------



## midnightbright (Apr 19, 2009)

No. She is pretty strict and she thinks that I can do it, but I am actually scarred.


----------



## mom2pride (May 5, 2009)

Sounds like your overmatched all the way around; a dad that won't listen, a trainer who thinks you're ready for something you're not, and a pony who needs more work. Perhaps you need to try and sit down with your parents AND your instructor in one session, and state exactly what you are feeling, and what you really want to do to help those feelings. 

In the time between now and March, I would just keep pushing to do dressage, and other flatwork with this pony; that would probably build your confidence in her, and in yourself.


----------



## ChingazMyBoy (Apr 16, 2009)

I agree with mum2pride on this, I hope everything works out for you.


----------



## midnightbright (Apr 19, 2009)

Hi everybody, Madeira took a turn for the better and I am becomeing more confident jumping now that my trainer and I have been doing a excise with cavileties. I am doing my first jumping show on halloween. But I can't decide on walk, trot over poles or walk, trot over cross rails. I am very nervus!


----------



## Becca93 (Jan 22, 2009)

I still think you would be better off with a trainer that will listen to your thoughts and a pony that is at your level, however it's great to see things have improved and yoru starting to get your confidence back.


----------



## HalfPass (Jun 12, 2009)

Hello Midnight!
I read this post and thought you got some good advice from the folks who posted. I do agree that there is a bit of "overmatching" going on here. 
It is good to hear that you feel your improving with your confidence issues!

There is no reason why you cannot take things a bit slower. No rush to be at a certain level of anything.

Good luck in your show. If you gut is telling you to go with the walk trot over poles than go with that, and/or the other way. Maybe you want to try both?

Anyhow good luck!
Halfpass


----------



## letsgetserious (Apr 17, 2009)

Good luck!


----------



## midnightbright (Apr 19, 2009)

Hi everybody. so I went in my show and........


I got Reserve Champion!!!!!!!!!!!!!! (it was equitaion and I got 1st 3rd and 3rd)


----------



## midnightbright (Apr 19, 2009)

It was a flat class (I got 1st in that one, go figure, because I am much better at flat than jumping) and then there were 2 jumping classes. (It was over poles). After I went in my division my friend went in the cross-rail division and so people were practising cross-rails everywere. My trainer wanted me to do it to. Soafter a little while I was flying over the cross-rails to. He he he funny how that works out.


----------



## xEquestrianx (Aug 30, 2009)

Way to go! I'm glad it worked out!


----------



## Lis (Oct 29, 2009)

Glad you're getting your confidence back. I love jumping and I still get worried about jumping things, even kept myself back on the smaller jumps until my instructor told me at a competition the horse I wanted was lame so I had a choice of two 15hh + horses, I'm not even 5 foot tall, and they needed to go in the large or not to jump. I'd never ridden one and only done one lesson on the other, so took him in and got a clear round and got loads of comments on how well we worked. Just shows you can do things you don't think you can.


----------



## midnightbright (Apr 19, 2009)

Hi everybody. Do you think yall could look at my other thread? It is named: Tips and Suggestions Please


----------

