Hi

[Ana_Mesquita]

Hi

[judybigredpony]

There are SO many issues…Besides feeding off your nerves and inexperience, it could be a saddle fit issues, ulcers, to much high octane feed, not enough turn-out I hate to say kissing spine, teeth, …Before getting all stressed out and spending a ton of money…Look at his life with you compared to what his day to day was where he came from, amout of turn out and feed, get your trainer to ride him a few time BEFORE you get on work as a team…

[SuzieQNutter]

@Ana Mesquita

I’ve been riding for about two years on school horses, I started with just jumping at first and only once a week, sometimes once every two weeks. But Last year (2019) I decided to take it more seriously and started riding 3 times a week and I’m learning dressage as well. My instructor and I figured it was time for me to get my own horse since I’ve been improving well in my riding.
After looking a lot, a found a 4yr old OTTB that was in my not so high budget, he already did eventing 4 times with an experienced rider, had great trainers and I was looking for a younger horse that I could improve with, I knew he was probably going to be faster than what I’m used to but I wanted to get out of my comfort school horse zone.
I tried him a couple times before buying him and he was great, with the trot and canter, very responsive to what I was asking. I bought him, first half dozen of times I rode him in his new home he was great, a bit quick sometimes but to be expected.
All of a sudden he became very very spooky. He was already a bit spooky at first but now he keeps taking off with me every single time I’m riding him. I can’t even canter with him anymore because even in the trot he takes off and bucks and it’s making me really nervous every time I go ride him.
It’s only been a month and a half since I bought him though, I started paying for professional training as well, but so far he’s still taking off with me and my experience with him hasn’t improved. Has anybody had any success stories with horses like this? I just want to make sure that it will get better and we’ll have a great time together and it won’t be like this forever.

I would honestly be looking at getting a better trainer. There is no way someone with a good trainer should be in this boat.

Someone who has only ever ridden school horses should not be looking for a younger horse to bring on. Period. Get that thinking out of your head. It is just wrong.

There is a very good reason why there is a saying that you do not buy a hot blood for your first horse. Sure plenty of people do buy thoroughbreds and Arabs for their first horse, but there is a reason for that saying. It is because hot bloods are reactive to what you do now. School horses are not reactive like that, even thoroughbred school horses

So if your trainer had any say in buying this horse, I would be finding someone else.

If your trainer was not horrified when you brought this horse in I would find another trainer.

If this trainer has not told you that you cannot get on this horse until it is retrained get another trainer.

My honest advice is see if the original owners will take him back. Do not expect the same amount of money or even any money. They now have to retrain him from you teaching him to take off even in trot.

Find a different trainer who does not lie to you and tell you that a 4 yo thoroughbred is what you need.

Find out the truth about your level of riding and what kind of horse you should be riding. It sounds like on this forum that most people lease a horse before they go buying their own.

I am so sorry that this has happened to you. This should never happen to anyone with a trainer.

I do believe you, but there are so many red flags that to start with I was thinking it was a troll looking to start a fight. That is how wrong this situation is. I really feel for you. Please do not get on this horse again.

[Mouse_amp_Bay]

You are over horsed.

What you saved in purchasing the horse (the budget that would have been required to get a trained horse) will now be required to train this horse.

You need to think long and hard about whether this a relationship you will put 100% into salvaging.

If yes, you need to find a trainer who knows how to retrain a horse and then also train you how to ride it. That may mean months or years of counselling (aka training rides).

If you are not prepared to do right by this horse then please do him a favour and give him back. You are otherwise literally risking his life. Unemployed horses become dog food.

[2DogsFarm]

Well, you Mean Old COTH Poopyheads have done it again! :mad:
Offered reasonable, non-snarky advice & it has caused Newbie to POOF her post (fortunately quoted for posterity), take her ball & go home.
Oh.
Well.
{Shrugs}
I read this post yesterday, meant to comment along the same lines, came back today & only clicked o the new title because it seemed odd.

[SuzieQNutter]

@2DogsFarm

Well, you Mean Old COTH Poopyheads have done it again! :mad:
Offered reasonable, non-snarky advice & it has caused Newbie to POOF her post (fortunately quoted for posterity), take her ball & go home.
Oh.
Well.
{Shrugs}
I read this post yesterday, meant to comment along the same lines, came back today & only clicked o the new title because it seemed odd.

LOL it takes a long time for me to learn, but I clicked on quote as my fortune ball told me it would be deleted.

Non poopyhead :- everything will be fine. Just give him a carrot every day at 1am for 5 days in a row. He will love you. He will jump 4 foot jumps for you and take you to advanced eventing in a week. You won’t even have to ride or groom or anything in between competitions. He will win every time.

[merrygoround]

Gotta love you all. Delivering good advice comes with a return to sender, tag attached.

Having over the years had many exciting times with freshly acquired OTTB’s I feel sorry for the young lady. It is obvious that the skill set she has acquired is nor up to the standard demanded by this horse. She does indeed need an instructor capable of teaching her when and how to cope.

[pony_grandma]

Anyone can call themselves, or be called a trainer. So get ‘a’ trainer is not real advice. Nor ask your trainer, let your trainer help you… look for a prospect, handle a young horse …. esp if they are not helping anyone become a better rider. I hate hearing trainer this, trainer that because most people are not good trainers, for horses or riders.

Get a real trainer, a better trainer, is better said but may not be possible in some areas of the country. And you don’t know what you don’t know. It’s scary how many people come on here for advice and don’t have choices where they live.

So MOVE and MAKE MORE MONEY come to mind as solid advice :sigh: for most situations.

[bip]

It’s not as entertaining for us, but it’s never wrong to realize one has over shared on the internet and try to correct course.

[caryledee]

I feel bad for her too. Yes, this same advice has been offered ad nauseam on here and everywhere but there will always be newbies coming up who haven’t gotten the memo. And well meaning but struggling parents who want to please their kids and go about the purchase of a horse like they would the purchase of a first car. I bought my first saddle without consulting my instructor. It was a dressage saddle and I was doing hunters at the time. It never occurred to me or my mom that we should ask for advice. If my parents had been able to afford a horse at the time I probably would have had a similar experience.

To the OP, if you are still out there, there are no guarantees when it comes to horses. I would first go back to the former owners and see if they experienced this. Ask what he was eating, his turnout schedule, etc.You need to get a great TRAINER going forward who is used to OTTBs and their quirks. Feed choices and ulcers would be my first check if he is suddenly and abnormally spooky. Is he getting enough turnout? Saddle fit, bit choice, weather…there are so many things that can contribute to this behavior. You will not be able to figure it all out on your own.

[Jarrn]

I know the OP has deleted the post, but hopefully they are still hanging around reading this thread.

My OTTB, already a naturally hot and anxious horse, started getting very spooky. Like leap-to-the-side, take off kind of spooky every time a car drove by or the trees rustled. I tried a few different things, but the eventual issue that needed to be resolved was saddle fit. So, OP, at least take a look at the saddle, look at feed, look at possible ulcers, etc. But also take a look at your trainer; a competent trainer should either 1) realized this horse wasn’t quite what you needed or 2) been able to nip the bolting as soon as it started happening.

[findeight]

Since this OP claims she started riding 2 years ago with just Jumping once and sometimes twice a week? It’s a natural progression to end up buying a totally unsuitable 4 year old that had “Evented 4 times and had great trainers”? And OP has paid out for professional training in the 6 weeks they have had him?

Think the veracity of this very first, very dramatic post is somewhat questionable.

[chestnutmarebeware]

If I am tense, then my TBs react to that by going faster and faster, and generally acting like fools.

I would imagine the OP is tense for many reasons (new horse, hot horse, etc.) and that may be setting him off. She could try making a conscious effort to relax and loosen the reins and see if that helps. Singing out loud also helps with both relaxation and rhythm.