Recently started riding for a new trainer: trainer went to a show, left me with the option to ride a dull horse in a lesson with one of the trainers at the same barn. Fine, great lovely.
Trainer comes back and I come back from business trip. Trainer accuses me of making big, four inch long spur marks on the horse’s sides.
I rode the horse twice, in spurs that don’t have one edge to them, rounded off, because the horse I usually ride is extremely picky about spur application. I don’t have the strongest leg, but it does stay in one place, and consistently.
When I left, the horse had mild rubs (not even skin breaking) from spurs on each side of his body, from the trainer I rode with asking me to put my spurs up to my ankles (I don’t agree, but I’m new, and assumed they knew something I didn’t).
Do I stand up to my trainer, a professional I respect, who doesn’t usually take people with budgets my size?
Do I stand up to the trainer I rode with then?
I’ve never been in this situation before, and am horrified at the idea that I could have done this to a horse, espeacially because I regularly ride far more sensitive horses with the same spur for insurance and don’t even disturb hair.
Please help!
Tell trainer A you did not do it and show her your spurs to prove you couldn’t have. Ask trainer A about trainer B having you put your spurs up to your ankle. Just have a civilized conversation about it with trainer A, let them deal with trainer B.
And, no, you don’t need to stand up to trainer B, let trainer A handle it. Skip any more lessons with B.
Tell the truth. Life is usually easier that way.
See how the chips fall. That will usually save you a lot of grief when it comes to making decisions about people. Sometimes their reactions to things will answer your questions so you won’t have to do much.
[QUOTE=findeight;7755004]
Tell trainer A you did not do it and show her your spurs to prove you couldn’t have. [/QUOTE]
i’m not so sure you can say that. OP even admits she left rubs but the skin was not broken.
FWIW: I could’ve written the very same thing the OP did about my stable leg, my tiny, non-edged, 1/4" spur, etc and yet, I have left marks before. Marks can be about a lot of different things: thin-skinned horses, incorrect turn of leg so spur rubs even though it is not in use (my issue), overuse of spur, etc.
Two horses that I left marks on lose hair at the slighted provocation. I owned both and had to be careful. The second is when I learned to stop turning my dang toe out rather than just hoping I wouldn’t leave a mark. I also had one ride on a very opinionated mare who decided she didn’t have to listen to my leg…and the big ole spur that I had on. I did leave a mark on her…but I corrected that problem with by not nagging at her. She’s still lazy and disobedient, but I get a lot more done with a sharp, one time poke or rake, rather than nag, nag, nag. She believes I mean it and goes…and I don’t leave marks anymore (which makes me feel horrible).
OP: just tell it like it is. Horse had rubs but no broken skin and you had small, rounded spurs that you didn’t think would be a problem as well as a belief that your leg is stable enough to control spurs. You can also say you’ve never had that happen before. Apologize and ask her to help you correct the issue.
Spur marks can come from rounded spurs… it’s more of a rub than bashing them in the ribs anyway.
I would say I am very very sorry this happened to ----- horse!!! Further say - I did not notice any 4" rub/spur marks when I mounted and dismounted the two times I rode him. Explain what you did see as you have in your post here.
Let it resolve from there. That seems to be the truth and That is always best. Don’t get upset etc… just not worth it when you can simply talk it out as adults. If trainer yells then I would just get out of the situation anyway.
