# What's a "bad ride"?



## goneriding (Jun 6, 2011)

Lots and lots of consistant miles! Wear her out! Also, if you know someone with a calm/experienced trail horse, maybe you could ride with them on occasion. It sounds like she's just a little insecure and curious.


----------



## MHFoundation Quarters (Feb 23, 2011)

I would second getting someone with a seasoned horse to go along to set a confident example for her. I do that with all of the youngsters I get in for training, a good weekend following a been there, done that does wonders for them. 

Also, sounds like you are letting yourself get too stressed about it and that will absolutely rub off on her. Don't set your expectations too high at first. Set the bar lower to give her the chance to exceed them, if she doesn't look at it as opportunity to be her leader and help her get past the scary horse eating monsters out there. Try spending 15 minutes letting her get the sillies out and get her focus in a smaller area (arena\paddock, etc) before you hit the trail.
_Posted via Mobile Device_


----------



## AllThePrettyHorses (Dec 15, 2010)

So then, if she's being silly and spooky and what have you, then it's no big deal? She'll just...get over it the more we keep riding? She won't take any bad experiences away from it?

And of course I would ride her a bit before. When I start riding again, I'll spend a few days just going around the farm, getting the most of her energy worked out.

I was planning on taking her out with my older horse (ponying, maybe? Is that a good idea for a fresh and kinda green mare? Otherwise I'll get someone to ride with me), but I just wanted to ask: if we only go out with another horse, won't that teach her to rely on another horse for safety and comfort and not me? I'll go with the other horse at least once, just to get some positive rides in, but I dunno. Even after debating it for so long, I'm still unsure.


----------



## MyBoyPuck (Mar 27, 2009)

AllThePrettyHorses said:


> So then, if she's being silly and spooky and what have you, then it's no big deal? She'll just...get over it the more we keep riding? She won't take any bad experiences away from it?


She will only take away bad experiences if you let her off the hook "so to speak" while she's acting up. Say you're going down the path and she starts spooking at a tree stump. If you let her spook, spin around and go home, you've just trained her that the tree stump was to be feared and she it's okay for her to just react and leave. If you make her walk back and forth past the stump until she's walking calmly past it, you've just taught her to listen to you and to manage her own fears more effectively. 



> And of course I would ride her a bit before. When I start riding again, I'll spend a few days just going around the farm, getting the most of her energy worked out.


It can never hurt to get the initial energy out. Just do it in a productive manner. Do lots of leg yielding and circles to make sure she's listening to your legs. Practice a few one rein stops to make sure you're brakes are working and so she also knows you have your tools ready. 



> if we only go out with another horse, won't that teach her to rely on another horse for safety and comfort and not me? I'll go with the other horse at least once, just to get some positive rides in, but I dunno. Even after debating it for so long, I'm still unsure.


In the initial stages, it definitely will build up her confidence more quickly if you go out with another horse. She will be trained by both one of her own kind and you at the same time. Once she's got the hang of it, it's time to start taking her out more by herself. Just take it in baby steps so you don't erode her confidence. Go a little further each time, never turn around at the same place twice and never let her come back while she's acting up. Her reward to come home is a result of doing what you ask calmly. Mares are naturally more bold than geldings, so she'll probably surprise you once you start to get out there more often in terms of her confidence level. It's a really great moment when they stretch their head down and blow out a nice relaxing snort for the first time. I'm sure she'll do great.


----------



## AllThePrettyHorses (Dec 15, 2010)

Okay, thanks MBP and everyone else. Lately she's been totally amazing with everything we do; I have absolutely nothing bad to say about her, so that's a good sign.

I've also been taking her for walks every night. Even if it's only a short walk, I make sure to go at least one new place each time, be it 30 feet farther than we went last night or into a whole new field. I think that'll help too when we start riding, if we've walked places before.


----------



## PaintHorseMares (Apr 19, 2008)

AllThePrettyHorses said:


> This tension and hyperawareness that I described above is really all that's likely to happen the first few times I take her out on the trail, but that's just it: how do I make sure it's ONLY those first few times? How do I provide a good experience for her?


You've received good advice already, but don't expect her to be 'cured' in only a 'few times'. It really does take many, many hours and miles under saddle when you're out on the trail because it's never the same each time out in the real world. The good news is that every minute and every new thing she sees, smells, and hears is adding to her experience.

As for providing a good experience, remember that safety is #1 in a horse's mind, so being a consistent, confident rider will do more good than anything else.


----------

