# Horse hasnt been rode for a year!



## Marisa (Aug 21, 2011)

Im starting a new job and there is a horse im exercising and grooming. i was just informed she hasnt been rode for a year, and i dont know how horses react to being riddin all of a sudden. Any ideas or ways to help me ride her?
Thanks!


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## Wallaby (Jul 13, 2008)

You'll do better if you go acting just like you would with a horse that is ridden regularly. Since this horse hasn't been ridden recently, your confidence is going to be even more vital since the horse might be a little surprised about being ridden.

Generally, horses are pretty good during their first ride in a while. I've found that often times they're either a slightly more worked up than their norm is or they're a little more low key than their norm. But, I've never had any do anything really bad the first ride out after a prolonged break. I've found that generally bad behaviors seem to show up during the second or third ride after a break, as opposed to the first. 

It's one of those "expect the best, prepare for the worst" situations. Don't do anything foolish but at the same time, don't anticipate that this first ride will go badly because in all likelihood, it'll go really well.


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## toosexy4myspotz (Oct 7, 2007)

Me and my husband just bought a seven year old Tennessee walker that hasn't been rode in over a year but we just groomed her out and tacked her just like any other horse. She was a little stubborn and resistant but never aggressive. The year that she wasn't rode she was just placed in a pasture and basically forgotten bought. I expected a lot worse because she is a little high strung but she did just fine.


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## smrobs (Jul 30, 2008)

Have you ridden or seen this horse ridden before? I would be exceptionally cautious about just jumping right back on because there are some horses that seem to "forget" everything they once knew if given an extended vacation. Others never bat an eye and ride just like they did a year ago.

I would go the cautious route and treat her like a green horse that had not been ridden...ever. I would start with the saddle and lunging, making sure she was soft to the bit to each side, prep her for mounting like you would a greenie, then take it slow when asking her to move out. Give her plenty of time at a walk before you ask for the trot and plenty of time at the trot before you ask for the lope. Like the old saying goes... Hope for the best, expect the worst. 

If you do all the prep work expecting her to act like a fool; being snorty and broncy and un-responsive, then find out that she's an old scoolmaster that would never dream of acting bad, then it will be a pleasant surprise. However, if you go into it expecting her to act all nice and mellow, the type of horse that you can just saddle up and step on, then find out that she really is a snorty, broncy mess, the surprise wouldn't be nearly so pleasant then:wink:.


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## Wallaby (Jul 13, 2008)

smrobs said:


> Have you ridden or seen this horse ridden before? I would be exceptionally cautious about just jumping right back on because there are some horses that seem to "forget" everything they once knew if given an extended vacation. Others never bat an eye and ride just like they did a year ago.
> 
> I would go the cautious route and treat her like a green horse that had not been ridden...ever. I would start with the saddle and lunging, making sure she was soft to the bit to each side, prep her for mounting like you would a greenie, then take it slow when asking her to move out. Give her plenty of time at a walk before you ask for the trot and plenty of time at the trot before you ask for the lope. Like the old saying goes... Hope for the best, expect the worst.
> 
> If you do all the prep work expecting her to act like a fool; being snorty and broncy and un-responsive, then find out that she's an old scoolmaster that would never dream of acting bad, then it will be a pleasant surprise. However, if you go into it expecting her to act all nice and mellow, the type of horse that you can just saddle up and step on, then find out that she really is a snorty, broncy mess, the surprise wouldn't be nearly so pleasant then:wink:.


This is so very true. 
When I wrote my post I was figuring you were doing it like we do at camp (aka the first ride is just walking, maaaaybe going out on a trail if the horse is exceptionally well behaved) but then when I read Jen's post I remembered that the majority of horse people do not do it that way. :lol:
Thank goodness for smrobs.


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## smrobs (Jul 30, 2008)

LOL, maybe it's just my skewed view from the horses I get and see, but when I hear "Oh, this horse hasn't been ridden in a year or so, could you do a tune up on him?" it generally means "This horse is a rodeo bronc that has bucked off every cowboy I know and he hurt me bad last time I tried to ride him, so I turned him out and haven't touched him since".

BTW, welcome back Wallaby. We missed you .


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## Poseidon (Oct 1, 2010)

Is there someone who knows about this horse's history to tell you more about her memory skills? 

When I got Abby last September, she hadn't been legitimately ridden since May and I barely rode her for several months because she was unbelievably herdbound and, at the time, completely out of my league. Then it got too cold and she developed ulcers, so another month or so off. Eventually, all bundled up in my winter gear, I half rode her around the arena and found out she retained all of the training she had had and was just as sensitive to leg cues as though she'd been ridden daily. It took some work a few months later when it was actually warm enough to comfortably ride to teach her to neck rein, but you wouldn't have known she hadn't been ridden in almost a year. 

However! I had her previous owner to tell me that she could sit for long periods of time and you could hop on and go.


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## Wheatermay (Aug 22, 2011)

Family acquired 3 horses this summer that hadnt been rode for a year.I just tacked them up anyway, didnt baby them, dropped stirrups and cinch and gitty up... only one needs some fine tuning in moving forward without a field buddy, one prances when rode (maybe a dressage or parade horse, and he needs to get worked on to learn that he doesnt have to prance ALL the time! and the third was a perfect angel!


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## mumiinek (Aug 4, 2010)

smrobs said:


> LOL, maybe it's just my skewed view from the horses I get and see, but when I hear "Oh, this horse hasn't been ridden in a year or so, could you do a tune up on him?" it generally means "This horse is a rodeo bronc that has bucked off every cowboy I know and he hurt me bad last time I tried to ride him, so I turned him out and haven't touched him since".


When I bought my horse he hasn't been ridden for quite a while (supposedly a year but I believe longer) and the latter was exactly the reason his previous owners stated, though the truth was very different as I learned by time. When I first asked about that thin orange horse, they told me he's a visious man eating beast that just loves injuring people. Except he was never turned out but locked in a 3,5 m x 4 m stall... Anyway, when I finally got him I started lunging him, took him for a few walks (not riding him), spent a lot of time with him, I just wanted to learn about his temperament, things he has problems with, things he is comfortable with etc. I rode him once or twice a week for two months or so so that he slowly gets used to the routine and starts developing some muscles and soon I was able to ride him eveyday without a single problem. He was scared of the lunge rope, didn't know how to canter, what a sitting trot was and everytime I tried to apply any leg pressure he would freak out but never I had a problem with him being nasty, he just simply had no idea what I was asking him to do. He is the sweetest, most willing and people loving horse I've ever worked with, it turned out his previous owners had absolutely no idea what to do with a horse so they were basically just scaring the heck out of each other. He still has a lot of issues but today I can put a baby on his back without being worried. 

I would definitely not just start riding him as if nothing has happened, you don't know his past and how he will react. It's definitelly better to start slowly and then once you finally hop on him realise he has no problems at all and maybe regret you didn't simply hop on him at the beginning than just jump on him out of nothing, being tossed around and having much more to fix in the end  That's just my opinion and what worked for me though.


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## Marisa (Aug 21, 2011)

Thanks everyone for the advice! I went the other day to ride and we actually couldn't find the girth to the saddle, so I rode bareback (for the first time ever) and she did exceptionally well!! We lounged, walked, and trotted!
Thank you all!!


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