# Fear of Bucking



## EstrellaandJericho (Aug 12, 2017)

Hello friend! 

Someone else might have more or better advice, but know that falling off horses is a part of riding horses. So is bucking. The best way to get over the fear is to develop the confidence to know what to do when a horse begins to buck. Relax your hips and hold on! 

The reason your instructor got you back on is so you don't reinforce to the horse bucking will get them out of work. Some horses will learn that and make it difficult to break them of the habit. 

I know there are methods of what to do when a horse begins to buck, and I hope more people shed some advise on what to do. Also, your trainer should listen to your concerns and go through an action plan for if it happens again. Talk to her/him before your next lesson.


----------



## SilverMaple (Jun 24, 2017)

I see a big red flag here with your coach..... why are you jumping when you aren't comfortable cantering?? That's just asking for trouble. The horse was lazy, you made him go, he jumped and cantered after a jump (to be expected), and most likely you got off balance or squeezed or what have you and he dropped a shoulder and crowhopped a couple of strides. Not unusual.

I would get comfortable riding all three gaits bareback or at least without stirrups before you do any more pole jumps. Your fear of bucking will go away as you gain more confidence that you can control the horse, shut down a buck when it happens, or ride through it. Lots of work on the lunge at a trot with no stirrups and no reins. will improve your seat and balance immensely. A novice rider should be on a horse that willingly goes the speed you want... a horse that needs a crop to get a trot is worrisome to me as a lesson horse.


----------



## FreyaFoxtrot (Jul 19, 2016)

I agree that it's worrisome that you're doing jumps without having learned how to canter. In my experience it's not unusual for a horse to go into a little crossrail at a trot and come out at a canter - particularly if, like SilverMaple said, the horse thinks you want him to go from the crop or from squeezing, or if the horse is taking the lead because they're not sure what you want. 

I would definitely suggest more lessons on a steady school horse on the flat to get your seat to be more comfortable and confident at the trot and canter before doing more jumps, for your safety and for the horse's comfort. Bucking does happen, but it is a lot less likely on a trusty school horse and once you're more confident in your seat in general, when they do eventually happen, you'll feel more secure and prepared.


----------



## ApuetsoT (Aug 22, 2014)

Yea, back up... You're jumping without knowing how to canter? Or are you saying you were doing trot poles and he jumped the trot pole? 

We could tell you how to ride a horse through a Buck and stuff, but I don't think it would be appropriate for your level. You need a secure seat and stable leg before you should be purposefully riding through bucks. 

Assuming you're talking about trot poles, ask your instructor about this particular pony and what led him to jump the pole . A good beginner horse should not think about jumping trot poles. You can ask if there is another horse to ride, if you can ride on the lounge line to build your balance. 

If you were talking about actually jumping before you can canter, find a different barn to lesson at.


----------



## moozie (Jun 14, 2017)

yeah i was doing trot poles (trotting over poles on the ground placed in a circle). then at the end my coach was like your balance is good and you have strong core so she cris-crossed the two poles on top of each other so it became a mini jump i guess (only half a foot high) the horse trotted over and then he cantered for two seconds then bucked..i could feel he was acting a little excited even before we got to that last jump.

she got really mad at the horse and wacked him on the butt and kept saying you didnt do anything wrong it was him, he's being a butt head all day today. then he put his grass reins on and i did the course again, even the mini jump and he was fine..

i have to add that before i got on the horse, she said he usually rides with grass reins because he has a habit of throwing people off but we'll see how he does..if he starts raising his head too high we'll put them on..he was fine i guess until the very end although throughout the whole thing my coach was like he's being lazy and trying to take control so use a crop and try to get him to go at a consistent trot.


----------



## moozie (Jun 14, 2017)

i asked because i thought to myself if my coach didnt think it was my fault and the horse just had a buck in him that day, maybe i should ask to lunge the horse BEFORE my lesson so that he can let out any excitement that way..:-|


----------



## FreyaFoxtrot (Jul 19, 2016)

If the horse has a habit of throwing people off, he shouldn't be used for riders of your level. Especially if your trainer knew he'd already been being difficult that day. I also don't think that they should have had you do a crossrail without knowing how to canter first.


----------



## Kaifyre (Jun 16, 2016)

Yeah this is a trainer issue I think. A rider at your level should not be jumping, nor riding a difficult horse.

-- Kai


----------



## Smilie (Oct 4, 2010)

What the heck are grass reins? i guess I could google, but assume they are some devise that keeps a horse from getting his head down to graze (or buck)
If that is so, this pony is not a suitable lesson horse, esp for someone at your level


----------



## ApuetsoT (Aug 22, 2014)

Find a new trainer. This is going to end up with you hurt/scared/terrible riding habits.


----------



## moozie (Jun 14, 2017)

How do I find a trustworthy trainer? theres good and bad reviews on every barn in my area (Toronto Ontario) online


----------



## ApuetsoT (Aug 22, 2014)

Do you have any other contacts in the horse world outside of this barn? If not...

There should still be shows happening. I'm not familiar with the facilities over in Ontario, but try to find a show that is catering to mid level riders, not the unregulated backyard schooling shows. They can be fun but often attract yahoos who have fun but know nothing and get around because their horses are kind.

You can go watch a show in a discipline you want to do. Look for riders that appear to he having fun, their horses look happy, and are placing well(not super important). Approach them when they are going back to their trailer/stall and inquire about lessons. If they can't help, they should be able to point you in the direction of someone else.


----------



## SilverMaple (Jun 24, 2017)

Yeah.... new trainer time. This is a wreck waiting to happen with a novice rider, unsuitable horse, and trainer who doesn't sound like she has much of a clue.... red flags all around on several of your responses, sad to say. That doesn't sound like a horse I'd put a beginner on at all if he has a reputation of throwing people off, he has no business in a lesson program for novices. Plus she's relying on a crutch--grass reins-- I'm assuming those are the overcheck-type reins? In this instance being used to prevent bucking? What a crock...)


----------



## Caledonian (Nov 27, 2016)

I agree with everything said and I’ll add that I would be very unhappy if someone else hit a horse I was riding. They have no idea how the horse will react and it’s the rider who suffers the consequences.
I’ve seen grass reins (saddle to bit) and daisy reins (saddle to poll) used to stop novice and small riders from having the reins pulled out of their hands or themselves pulled out of the saddle, but never to prevent bucking. I don’t think they’ll completely stop a determined horse though.


----------



## tinyliny (Oct 31, 2009)

I love it! your teacher says, "Oh, this fellow has a habit of bucking folks off, so we use a 'grass rein' on him. Fixes everything, but , oh , and by the way, since you're such a great beginner, we'll just leave the grass rein off. He probably won't buck. , , , I think."

Sorry for the sarcasm, but it's actually funny. And, poor practice.


----------



## waresbear (Jun 18, 2011)

Smilie said:


> What the heck are grass reins? i guess I could google, but assume they are some devise that keeps a horse from getting his head down to graze (or buck)
> If that is so, this pony is not a suitable lesson horse, esp for someone at your level


I think, well maybe more of a guess, grass reins are an overcheck to prevent the horse from getting it's head down to graze?


----------



## tinyliny (Oct 31, 2009)

often called a 'Daisy rein".


----------



## moozie (Jun 14, 2017)

ApuetsoT said:


> Do you have any other contacts in the horse world outside of this barn? If not...
> 
> There should still be shows happening. I'm not familiar with the facilities over in Ontario, but try to find a show that is catering to mid level riders, not the unregulated backyard schooling shows. They can be fun but often attract yahoos who have fun but know nothing and get around because their horses are kind.
> 
> You can go watch a show in a discipline you want to do. Look for riders that appear to he having fun, their horses look happy, and are placing well(not super important). Approach them when they are going back to their trailer/stall and inquire about lessons. If they can't help, they should be able to point you in the direction of someone else.


mid level riders meaning riders better than myself who are at jumping level? approach them to see if they offer lessons or to ask for a hookup to their coach?


----------



## ApuetsoT (Aug 22, 2014)

moozie said:


> mid level riders meaning riders better than myself who are at jumping level? approach them to see if they offer lessons or to ask for a hookup to their coach?


Yea. Better than you currently(because you want to see what a trainer is producing). The 2'6-3'3 is mostly populated by amature owners in lessons. It's also the height where bad training starts to result in rails and refusals so they self filter out. It's also not too high to get the really competitive trainers who are more likely to be out of your price range and want you to have your own horse.

But, go ahead and approach them too! They will know a tonne about who is in the area and whose worth riding with.

Approach either a student or trainer. The student should direct you to their coach. You can tell them you like how they rode and are looking for lessons, and if they give lessons or if they have a trainer you could talk to.


----------



## Golden Horse (Feb 20, 2010)

moozie said:


> i have to add that before i got on the horse, she said he usually rides with grass reins because he has a habit of throwing people off but we'll see how he does..if he starts raising his head too high we'll put them on..he was fine i guess until the very end although throughout the whole thing my coach was like he's being lazy and trying to take control so use a crop and try to get him to go at a consistent trot.



That makes no sense to me, grass reins prevent a horse putting it's head down, not up. If you are looking for a gadget to stop the head going to high then it would be a martingale.

Fact is if he needs gadgets of any kind, then not a beginners horse, and I concur with the general advice to move on


----------



## moozie (Jun 14, 2017)

ApuetsoT said:


> The 2'6-3'3 is mostly populated by amature owners in lessons.


this refers to the height of the jumps? so if its a cross rail it would be measured from ground to the middle of the cross?

also how do i know if a show will be featuring those kind of heights. i looked on the ontario equestrian federation website and they list shows as bronze silver and gold so i have no idea what level they are at.



ApuetsoT said:


> It's also the height where bad training starts to result in rails and refusals so they self filter out.


can you talk abit more about this...im not sure what you mean by self filter out..




ApuetsoT said:


> Approach either a student or trainer. The student should direct you to their coach. You can tell them you like how they rode and are looking for lessons, and if they give lessons or if they have a trainer you could talk to.


so this is where I get confused..i've seen some girls doing mid level jumps at my barn (with a different coach) who were preparing for a show this summer. they seemed really happy and like they were having a good time and they were nailing every jump. I've taken lessons from this other coach but i really didnt like her approach..i didnt feel like i was progressing with her..anyway this makes me think maybe it's me, as im starting to learn as an adult and those girls looked like teenagers...

or maybe its the beginner horses they have at this barn...most of them use gadgets..there is one horse that everyone swears buy as she never does anything wrong but she's in high demand so i rarely get to ride her..

honestly i really dont even know if i want to jump. i got into riding bcoz i have ptsd and being around horses made me feel very calm. as i started taking lessons the coaches kept encouraging me to continue and that i have a natural good seat so i continued...witout realizing i was taking lessons at a hunter jumper barn... my coach usually added a level of difficulty in every session and pushed me forward so to speak so ive sort of ended up working towards jumping without even realizing it. it's fun but i enjoy riding on the flat better especially cause i cant afford to do risky things which would end up causing more trauma.


----------



## beau159 (Oct 4, 2010)

A trainer that is sending you over cross rails without you being comfortable cantering is skipping steps and rushing you. 

A horse that is prone to bucking is also not suitable for a lesson horse. (although I do agree with your trainer to get back on ... always get back on! You don't want the horse to "win".)

I agree with the others to find a new trainer.

But to give you some general advice about preventing horses from bucking, well, you aren't going to stop them from bucking if they want to buck but they will be less likely to buck if you are RELAXED. If you are tense and worried, they will be tense and worried. It seems hard to force yourself to be relaxed but it is very much a mental game.

If you get into a sticky situation, never grip with your lower legs. That will actually cause you to fall off easier. Instead, keep your lower leg "loose" and use them as a pendulum to help you keep your balance. Grip with your seat and thigh instead.

You sound very much like a beginner rider (which is fine!!) so you should not be doing anything with jumping yet. You need to simply learn how to ride first, which takes time.


----------



## OTTBRed (Sep 16, 2017)

Falling off is really scary! Good job getting back on. But if you can't easily canter, you shouldn't be jumping or riding a difficult horse. I'd say you might want to find a new trainer. But i'm glad your okay!


----------



## moozie (Jun 14, 2017)

beau159 said:


> But to give you some general advice about preventing horses from bucking, well, you aren't going to stop them from bucking if they want to buck but they will be less likely to buck if you are RELAXED.


What about exercising the horse on a lunge line before I ride. A coach made me do this once at a barn in Ohio where i took a one time lesson at. she said some horses just get excited easily and need to have a chance to run around and buck before they get ridden especially if they havent been exercised at all on that day. is there any truth to that?


----------



## Golden Horse (Feb 20, 2010)

Is this at the barn that you have been riding two seasons at?



moozie said:


> So i consider myself a beginner rider...been riding for two seasons at this barn that I really like..I also reallly like my coach..the only problem is they keep assigning me large ponies to ride...i personally prefer horses to ponies....I have nothing against ponies I just find the ride much smoother on horses,...anyway I have asked my coach for horses but they keep ignoring my request...how can I ask the barn manager for what I need without coming across as difficult and picky?? please help


If so then you really need to change.


----------



## AtokaGhosthorse (Oct 17, 2016)

Still not going to stop a horse from bucking, not if they're a bucker and have learned it scares people into letting them out of work.

I'm a beginner myself, but we do a very different sort of riding where I'm from - no trainers, no arenas, no jumps (Unless its a downed tree or a small creek for fun), very few show horses. Most horses here are working ranch horses or trail horses, or rodeo horses... play day horses, or all of the above. In our case, just trails and pleasure riding on mostly untouched acreages.... sometimes pushing cows into traps to work them... sometimes just riding out to look for a missing momma and her calf or to check the fences. Sometimes we ride them to the convenience store just to buy a drink and beef jerky or go visit my granparents at the cemetery. So. What you're doing with a horse is very different than us - you're riding in a relatively controlled environment with a trainer on hand to help. I seriously envy you.

I'm still pretty bad in the saddle. When I ask horse people I know for advice, they look at my posture in the saddle, they look at how I'm riding and laugh and give me a real simple answer: _More time in the saddle. _Over and over, that's the refrain:_ More time in the saddle._ That's not what I wanted to hear. I wanted magic gadgets and super top secret tricks and ground work that would fix any and all possible quirks ahead of time. Two years later - there are no quick easy answers, no magic gadgets, reins, tie downs, or bits that will prevent a horse from doing something silly or scary.

Here's where I'm going with this - I cannot imagine, in any universe, that you should press on with _this _horse, or _this_ trainer. Not at your skill level.

You're not ready and no amount of lunging the horse is going to make it better. It's NOT going to make the horse never ever buck. It may tired him out enough that he doesn't WANT to buck, or it might work out any freshness in him, it might accomplish many good things, but its not going to get you comfortable in the saddle. 

More time in the saddle is what you need, on a teacher horse, a Steady Eddy, and you need a LOT of time in the saddle, IMO, before you try jumps. 

Also, all the leather and metal and lunging in the world is not going to stop a horse from doing what he wants, when he wants - but it might give YOU a false sense of security.

I advise you to seek out another trainer if you can find one, and absolutely request a different horse, if you can. I'm leery of trainers anyway since it seems like anyone can hang up a shingle and claim to be a trainer. Caution is advised here, and again, I can't stress enough: more time in the saddle.


----------



## FreyaFoxtrot (Jul 19, 2016)

moozie said:


> What about exercising the horse on a lunge line before I ride. A coach made me do this once at a barn in Ohio where i took a one time lesson at. she said some horses just get excited easily and need to have a chance to run around and buck before they get ridden especially if they havent been exercised at all on that day. is there any truth to that?


There is definitely truth in that, but I would not expect a beginner lesson horse to need lunging first (and I would certainly never expect a beginner student to have to do the lunging!) I'm a novice myself, and if I had been in that situation when I started, I would have felt uncomfortable. 

I completely get what you said about feeling like you're not progressing much when you see teenagers doing jumps and looking amazing - but keep in mind, some of these people have likely been riding since they were 6 years old. It takes a lot of time and patience and practice to be a good rider, and it's always best to get a really good foundation in the basics before progressing to jumping, even cross rails. I took weekly lessons for a year before we were allowed to trot a cross rail, and then it was only if we felt comfortable with it (I was also a returner rider who rode as a kid but was starting from the bottom up again at 32). Most of our lessons still focus on transitions, turns, and trotting/cantering poles. It can be frustrating to see the 10 year olds doing stuff that's much more advanced than me, but they've been doing it for longer


----------



## beau159 (Oct 4, 2010)

moozie said:


> What about exercising the horse on a lunge line before I ride. A coach made me do this once at a barn in Ohio where i took a one time lesson at. she said some horses just get excited easily and need to have a chance to run around and buck before they get ridden especially if they havent been exercised at all on that day. is there any truth to that?


No, there is no truth to that. 

Because, in my mind, when I lunge a horse, they are now "in work" and I expect them to work, and not be silly (buck, look around, etc). In my opinion, lunging is NEVER used to work extra energy off a horse. You would have to lunge them for hours for that to be effective, and you would have to lunge longer and longer each time as they would get more and more in shape. 

Instead, if I am going to lunge a horse, it is going to be for the purpose of getting them to pay attention to me and listen to me. It's going to involve lots of direction changes, gait changes, stops, etc. They aren't just going to go around endless in brainless circles. 

I do NOT allow my horses to buck or act otherwise on the lungeline. They are expected to behave at all times.


----------



## moozie (Jun 14, 2017)

Golden Horse said:


> Is this at the barn that you have been riding two seasons at?
> 
> 
> 
> If so then you really need to change.


yep this is the same barn...part of the reason i didnt want to ride ponies there was bc my coach kept telling me ponies are little devils and want to throw people off.


----------



## moozie (Jun 14, 2017)

AtokaGhosthorse said:


> In our case, just trails and pleasure riding on mostly untouched acreages.... sometimes pushing cows into traps to work them... sometimes just riding out to look for a missing momma and her calf or to check the fences. Sometimes we ride them to the convenience store just to buy a drink and beef jerky or go visit my granparents at the cemetery. So. What you're doing with a horse is very different than us - you're riding in a relatively controlled environment with a trainer on hand to help. I seriously envy you.


I seriously envy YOU. sounds like you're living the dream. I wish I could ride out in the open. My dream is to go thru hiking with my horse, me and her in the back country cantering through endless meadows and valleys...after i master the canter ofcourse


----------



## AtokaGhosthorse (Oct 17, 2016)

HA! The 'dream' comes with large amounts of frustration, a healthy amount of fear, some locust trees, briars, snakes, and terrain that can cause the most sure footed horse to fumble around and fall completely on his face, a concussion, potential medical bills, a whole lot of I Don't know What to do with My Hands, and Can I Google This?











Still way more envious of you. LOL

The vision of the meadows and valleys... not so much here. Think bois d'arc *sounds like bo dark* trees (Lots and lots of sharp thorns), locust trees (lots and lots of HUGE sharp TOXIC thorns), lots and lots of invasive red cedar (that we're all allergic to and makes our heads block off, and just eats us up when we ride through the prickly, sappy things and stir up the pollen), copperheads, rattlesnakes, cotton mouths, SURPRISE ARMADILLOS spooking horses, SURPRISE DEER spooking horses... rocky footing, rotting tree limbs concealed under piles of leaves (That's what took out my big LeRoy Jenkins horse last December - it rolled, he tripped, we went down).

I still love riding here though... its just not without a considerable amount of hazards.

Did I mention SURPRISE GOPHER communities?


----------



## Golden Horse (Feb 20, 2010)

moozie said:


> yep this is the same barn...part of the reason i didnt want to ride ponies there was bc my coach kept telling me ponies are little devils and want to throw people off.


Your coach sounds like.....I'm to think of a polite word, and failing.

Ponies ARE NOT evil, there are good and bad ponies same as good and bad horses. On the whole ponies make you a better rider though, the react quicker, there is less 'horse' around you. Learn to ride on a pony you can ride anything. 

If you are small enough and want to jump, nothing beats a good pony.


----------



## Horsef (May 1, 2014)

beau159 said:


> (although I do agree with your trainer to get back on ... always get back on! You don't want the horse to "win".)


I respectfully disagree. I followed that advice when I was in a similar situation as OP (trying to learn how to ride on rank horses). All that got me is terrible anxiety. I had to stop riding for a while. 

Eventually I realized that I DON'T have to back on every bucking-with-intent witch - thier owner does. Once I realized that, I only rode horses who are well-behaved and I finally started learning how to ride. Previously I wasn't learning anything, I was getting scared and injured. A beginner who got bucked off and got back on never "won" against the horse, they most probably got bucked off again. It's not up to us, adult beginners to teach horses anything.

I'm sorry about the rant, it's just that that particular piece of advice delayed my progress by at least two years and caused me some permanent physical damage.


----------



## moozie (Jun 14, 2017)

AtokaGhosthorse said:


> HA! The 'dream' comes with large amounts of frustration, a healthy amount of fear, some locust trees, briars, snakes, and terrain that can cause the most sure footed horse to fumble around and fall completely on his face, a concussion, potential medical bills, a whole lot of I Don't know What to do with My Hands, and Can I Google This?
> 
> 
> 
> ...


yep those are some major hazards. i had to google gopher. awww cute.


----------



## moozie (Jun 14, 2017)

Horsef said:


> Once I realized that, I only rode horses who are well-behaved and I finally started learning how to ride.


I just requested a more steady horse at my barn. hopefully i wont be labelled as a picky rider.


----------



## Horsef (May 1, 2014)

moozie said:


> I just requested a more steady horse at my barn. hopefully i wont be labelled as a picky rider.


I know that more experienced equestrians scoff at us "picky riders" but us adult beginners have to be picky. We just don't bounce like little kids do and riding doesn't come naturally like it does for most young ones (well, at least not for me :/)

Also, it is highly unlikely that anyone who started riding as an adult will choose that as a career so we don't really need to know how to handle "all sorts of horses". I'm perfectly happy riding a single well trained, well mannered horse. By necessity I learned how to shut down a misbehaving horse but I have zero interest in re-training someone else's mistakes. I bought a well-trained horse and I love it. I really have no need to ride and fall off a thousand different horses to enjoy riding. 

Figure out what it is you are aiming for and work towards that. If you don't want to jump - don't. No law says that you have to. My goal was to enjoy riding and I eventually figured out that dangerously misbehaving horses don't fit into that picture at all. (If my mare decided to start misbehaving in a way which I find dangerous, she will be carted off to a trainer so fast her ears will ring)


----------



## Celeste (Jul 3, 2011)

I am not a beginner at riding by any means. (I have been riding almost 50 years which means that either I am old or started before I was born.....)

That being said, I have ridden enough horses to know that I don't want to ride someone else's rank horse. If the horse is not well trained, why would I want to break my bones being thrown off? It is not immaturity as a rider that has helped me make that decision; it is maturity. 

How does the saying go? "This ain't my first rodeo."

I do have a couple of suggestions to go along with your very wise choice of only riding the trained horses.

1. Use full seat britches. They do wonders to velcro you to the saddle.

2. If you have to use a crop, popping on the neck is much less likely to inspire bucking than popping on the butt. I don't care if it is proper protocol or not. 

3. Don't let anyone intimidate you in to doing something you don't want to do. I highly recommend that you learn to enjoy riding a canter because it is so much fun. If you want to jump, jump. If you don't, just refuse.


----------



## Golden Horse (Feb 20, 2010)

Horsef said:


> I know that more experienced equestrians scoff at us "picky riders" but us adult beginners have to be picky. We just don't bounce like little kids do and riding doesn't come naturally like it does for most young ones (well, at least not for me :/)


Really? 

Experienced people believe that everyone should ride horses that they are comfortable with, and have the skills to ride, they won't be looking down on anyone.

Thing is here not one of us knows if this horse bronced, or bunny hopped the Op off, and the reaction would be different. I am less worried about a horse thinking he had won, a trainer can get on and sort that out, getting a rider straight back on if possible is good for them. I have fallen off once scince my big accident and my coach REALLY wanted me back up there, she knew if I kept that fall in my head to stew over I would maybe not ride again.


----------



## moozie (Jun 14, 2017)

Golden Horse said:


> Thing is here not one of us knows if this horse bronced, or bunny hopped the Op off, and the reaction would be different.


it def wasn't a bunny hop bcoz i fell over his neck forward..don't think i was bronced off either bcoz it felt like a single kick. Coach said it was a good buck...he kicked real high.


----------



## Horsef (May 1, 2014)

Golden Horse said:


> Really?
> 
> Experienced people believe that everyone should ride horses that they are comfortable with, and have the skills to ride, they won't be looking down on anyone.
> 
> Thing is here not one of us knows if this horse bronced, or bunny hopped the Op off, and the reaction would be different. I am less worried about a horse thinking he had won, a trainer can get on and sort that out, getting a rider straight back on if possible is good for them. I have fallen off once scince my big accident and my coach REALLY wanted me back up there, she knew if I kept that fall in my head to stew over I would maybe not ride again.


I'm going to apologize in advance, I am very opinionated on the topic.

In this particular situation I am quite certain she shouldn't have gotten back on. Hear me out, please, because I'm pretty sure I know how this played out - I was in a similar situation up until a year ago. 

This is a horse which is known to buck people off regularly - as evidenced by the regular use of "grass reins" or some such buck-preventing gadget. The trainer knows it bucks and she still uses it for riding school. That tells me that the trainer is hard-pressed for business and doesn't have too much choice regarding well-trained school horses.

The trainer disregards misbehavior on a daily basis, pressing on with lessons even though her students are being put in a dangerous situation. I don't want to pass judgment on trainer's ethics but I personally refuse to be someone's source of income if they don't have my best interests at heart.

Soon enough OP will be told that she must learn how to deal with "all sorts of horses" and that "she can't learn how to ride without being thrown off", and, my personal favorite "well, if you were a better rider you wouldn't have fallen off".

The problem is that OP is a beginner. By definition she doesn't have the experience to judge for herself which horses are safe for her to ride. She has hired a trainer to do the judging for her. And the trainer has already proven that she can't be trusted to put OP's safety ahead of her profit. I've stopped trusting trainers because of this conflict ("Agency problem", well known in economics). I now only trust the horse. If it bucks me off, I am done with it. And for me personally it works. I was more afraid of being made to get back on a horse which lost my trust than of bucking.

Just to be on the safe side, I am talking about horses which deliberately behave dangerously or are overly spooky. I gladly get back on a horse if there was a misunderstanding, or a slip or I just lost balance. Mind you, I haven't had a single fall since I instituted my policy of not riding rank horses and I used to fall off on a weekly basis. It's been a year without a single fall. And zero anxiety.


----------



## moozie (Jun 14, 2017)

Horsef said:


> The trainer disregards misbehavior on a daily basis, pressing on with lessons even though her students are being put in a dangerous situation. I don't want to pass judgment on trainer's ethics but I personally refuse to be someone's source of income if they don't have my best interests at heart.


Just to clarify my trainer doesnt actually own the barn. I think she boards her horse there and in return she teaches lessons one day of the week. She doesnt really get to pick my horse for me, the barn manager assigns horses and she just comes in to teach. after my fall she even said I'll put a request in for you for flickr (a more chill pony) for next time. 

I really do like your safety policy though. I feel like I need to trust myself and really on my instincts. the next barn I go to I'm just going to straight up ask them if they have the means to put me on a safe easy horse every week. If not, I'll just keep looking for a barn that can.


----------



## Horsef (May 1, 2014)

moozie said:


> Just to clarify my trainer doesnt actually own the barn. I think she boards her horse there and in return she teaches lessons one day of the week. She doesnt really get to pick my horse for me, the barn manager assigns horses and she just comes in to teach. after my fall she even said I'll put a request in for you for flickr (a more chill pony) for next time.
> 
> I really do like your safety policy though. I feel like I need to trust myself and really on my instincts. the next barn I go to I'm just going to straight up ask them if they have the means to put me on a safe easy horse every week. If not, I'll just keep looking for a barn that can.


I'm sure it's nerve-wrecking for her as well - being responsible for a beginner and knowing a horse bucks can't be pleasant. But it doesn't really ameliorate your problem.

Trust your instincts and never let anyone, no matter how experienced, over-ride it. Also, don't just ask for a safe horse. Ask if you can watch other beginners in lessons and look at how each horse behaves. Good luck!


----------



## moozie (Jun 14, 2017)

Update... After the bucking incident I went back for another lesson.. Was tacking up when my coach got kicked in the face by a mare in the lesson going on before mine. Saw her face messed up. It was terrible.. My class was cancelled and ever since the incident I've been replaying it in my head non stop. It must have been so painful for her.. She looked like she got hit by a train.. It was so scary to see her injured like that.

I haven't gone back for a lesson since. I'm too scared. I'm really sad though cause I enjoyed riding. After a stressful day, being around horses made me feel sooo calm and relaxed. That's before I started to see how dangerous they could be. I'm so sad.. Riding was my safe place something for me to do to regulate by nerves but now it's turned into something unsafe for me. What do I do?


----------



## EstrellaandJericho (Aug 12, 2017)

Horses give you warning signs before lashing out most of the time. Your trainer was ignoring those warning signs.

You have been presented some warning signs yourself. Find a new barn and a new trainer.. one that listens to horses rather than forcing them into a picture perfect box. Horses are a lot like people. They have good days and bad. A good trainer may put an intermediate on a horse having a bad day but never a beginner. Seek references and don't give up. Horses can be dangerous, but so can any sport. Don't give up


----------



## Kaifyre (Jun 16, 2016)

Agree with the above. Horses are dangerous animals, true ... but with the proper knowledge of their body language and proper handling one can set themselves up for success and have a lasting, enjoyable bond with their animal for many years. Your instructor was either not reading or not seeing the horse's body language, or put herself in a position to be injured, both things I would not expect an instructor to do. I would search for a more reputable instructor, and sit down with him or her beforehand and explain your situation. Perhaps give them the examples you've given us and ask what they would have done in those situations. If the answer is not to your liking, keep searching. 

Don't worry! If you search you WILL find an instructor/barn that makes you feel safe, that encourages you and helps you to grow as a rider. Don't give up! Horseback riding is a wonderful lifetime experience that will give you so much joy over the years. This accident, while unfortunate, is an isolated occurrence brought about by the instructor's lack of diligence. 

-- Kai


----------



## moozie (Jun 14, 2017)

Kaifyre said:


> Don't worry! If you search you WILL find an instructor/barn that makes you feel safe, that encourages you and helps you to grow as a rider. Don't give up! Horseback riding is a wonderful lifetime experience that will give you so much joy over the years. This accident, while unfortunate, is an isolated occurrence brought about by the instructor's lack of diligence.


Thanks Kai,

I'm trying my hardest not let fear stop me from getting back on the saddle. I am looking for a new barn and asking for referrals from more experienced horse people. I know there are a few good ones around where I live. It's hard to find a good trainer though. I've met with the barn owners who are knowledgable horse people (and I got a ton of people giving me referrals to take lessons with them) but when I asked them if they could teach me, they refused and said they only do advanced. Is it hard to find good beginner trainers in your opinion?


----------



## moozie (Jun 14, 2017)

EstrellaandJericho said:


> Horses give you warning signs before lashing out most of the time. Your trainer was ignoring those warning signs.
> 
> You have been presented some warning signs yourself. Find a new barn and a new trainer.. one that listens to horses rather than forcing them into a picture perfect box. Horses are a lot like people. They have good days and bad. A good trainer may put an intermediate on a horse having a bad day but never a beginner. Seek references and don't give up. Horses can be dangerous, but so can any sport. Don't give up


It's funny cause I thought my trainer who got injured was really knowledgeable bc she just showed a lot of confidence around the horses. the barn manager emailed me and said the injury was part of a series of chain events that went wrong and that getting injured was part of the sport. But I dont want to be part of a sport where getting kicked in the face is part of it! I really did not like the way this injury was minimized and have no doubt in my mind that it's time to change barns.


----------



## ApuetsoT (Aug 22, 2014)

moozie said:


> It's funny cause I thought my trainer who got injured was really knowledgeable bc she just showed a lot of confidence around the horses. the barn manager emailed me and said the injury was part of a series of chain events that went wrong and that getting injured was part of the sport. But I dont want to be part of a sport where getting kicked in the face is part of it! I really did not like the way this injury was minimized and have no doubt in my mind that it's time to change barns.


Its really not that common for people to get kicked in the face. I've only known one person whose been kicked in the face, and that was an experienced breeder with a rambunctious filly who really hadn't learned anything yet. 

If you find a good barn with good instruction and good horses, its no issue. The injury rate tells you a lot about a barn. My first barn now has a rule that all kids wear safety vests and helmets at all times, even grooming, because they've had bad accidents involving poor instruction and poorly trained horses. My current barn, I couldn't tell you the last time anyone fell off or had any kind of incident at all.


----------



## moozie (Jun 14, 2017)

ApuetsoT said:


> Its really not that common for people to get kicked in the face. I've only known one person whose been kicked in the face, and that was an experienced breeder with a rambunctious filly who really hadn't learned anything yet.
> 
> If you find a good barn with good instruction and good horses, its no issue. The injury rate tells you a lot about a barn. My first barn now has a rule that all kids wear safety vests and helmets at all times, even grooming, because they've had bad accidents involving poor instruction and poorly trained horses. My current barn, I couldn't tell you the last time anyone fell off or had any kind of incident at all.


right, agreed. but when i walk into a barn, there is no way for me to tell if it's a safe barn or not. I would have to rely on word of mouth. right?


----------



## ApuetsoT (Aug 22, 2014)

moozie said:


> right, agreed. but when i walk into a barn, there is no way for me to tell if it's a safe barn or not. I would have to rely on word of mouth. right?


Pretty much. Even if you ask them straight up, they will either lie or down play it. No one wants to about their place has poor safety standards.


----------



## Alder (Feb 15, 2017)

Is it possible for you to observe some lessons? If you have a choice of barns, you could take some time to really check them out. I think you can tell a lot just by walking into a barn.

I relate to your story, I'm also new and been scared by a couple of close calls. At this point though, I have found a really safe and trustworthy horse. She's wonderful and has helped me rediscover the happiness of being around horses. I was too new at first to realise the first horses I worked with were difficult, scary and way beyond my skill level, so no wonder I was discouraged. 
I'm really sorry you saw that terrible accident, but don't give up.


----------



## SilverMaple (Jun 24, 2017)

Take it slow. You can still enjoy horses even if you don't ride. 

Getting kicked in the face is usually a lapse in judgement-- the trainer wasn't paying attention, or she missed the escalating signs of problems. I only know of 2 people kicked in the face-- one, a teen who went out into a group of horses and they were messing around and one kicked at the other and hit her instead. She fully admits it was her fault for going out into the group and letting one of them turn his rear to her, and then getting in between him and a herdmate. The other was a gal who walked around the end of a horse trailer at a show and ran right into the rear end of a yearling someone had tied there. Again, she says it was her fault for not being careful when walking around at a barrel race. Yes, accidents happen, and anyone spending a lot of time around 1200-lb animals will get hurt eventually, but you can really minimize that risk by knowing how to 'read' a horse and not getting lapse with basic safety. Accidents rarely happen 'out of nowhere'. There is usually always something leading up to it that was missed or ignored. A saddlebroke horse who felt threatened enough to kick someone during a lesson has no business as a lesson horse, and was overfaced so much she felt she had no recourse but to defend herself. HUGE red flag for that facility. 

Find a barn where you FEEL SAFE. You will know when you find one. Explain that you are looking for a new place after some accidents at your old barn where you lost confidence. A good barn will work to help you overcome your anxiety, not downplay or poo-poo your fears. If your lessons are simply reinforcing safe handling, groundwork, and learning to read body language around horses, that's excellent. 

Once you are more confident, you can then work toward riding or driving or what have you. If not, a lot of people enjoy horses without riding, as like you said, just being around a horse can be very soothing and grounding. A pony or miniature horse can be a lot of fun, and no riding necessary. Maybe a Therapeutic Riding Center needs some help with side-walkers where you can spend some time around sweet, quiet horses and help others, too. Maybe a horse rescue needs someone to come help feed a couple of days a week. I know quite a few people who never do anything more with their horses than watch them graze in the pasture, groom, and spend time with them and they are just fine with that. The older gentleman who owns the farm where I keep my horses hasn't been on a horse in 20 years due to some health issues and a hip replacement, but he loves having them around, caring for them, and can't imagine not having them. He gets no less enjoyment from spending time with his horses than those who ride every day.


----------



## Horsef (May 1, 2014)

You really had an unfortunate run, haven't you?

As everyone said riding is a dangerous activity, there is no way anyone can deny that. You do have to be aware of the risks and make your own decision.

On the other hand, if you manage to find the right horse/riding school, it is glorious

I would just like to encourage you to go out there and observe lessons. My own barn runs a riding school which has been going on for 20 years and they never had a serious injury - I asked around. Kids do fall off sometimes but it's never due to anything a horse has done - I've witnessed kids just toppling over without any reason. So such riding schools exist, you just need to go out there and find them.

My personal experience has been to stay away from barns which compete in anything. For some reason they all minimize horse misbehavior. I guess to them a buck is no big deal.

Don't push yourself to ride until you are satisfied that the horse is well trained and safe.

Also, I don't think I've ever seen a beginner get seriously injured. At most it's a broken arm - which isn't terrible in the grand scheme of things. I think that the speeds and activities that beginners undertake can't lead to really dangerous situations- like a horse falling on the rider. That only happens in advanced activities.

I was tickled the other day: a little girl was wandering around the barn with her arm in a cast. I asked her what happened, obviously presuming a horse mishap. "I fell over playing dodgeball"

Good luck.


----------



## FreyaFoxtrot (Jul 19, 2016)

This is a bit of a long shot, but in looking for a new barn do you have places near you that do Pony Club? Not for you to join PC necessarily (you can't if you're over 25), but in my experience the barns where I have ridden that do PC have had a real big emphasis on safety, and really great instructors. This could entirely just have been me getting lucky, but it might be worth investigating.


----------

