But the fact is that he hates it.
are you sure he hates dressage, or maybe he just hates the fact that you expect him to wander around on a loose rein with no direction for long periods of time? I can’t imagine that most horses like wandering around in an arena aimlessly “on the buckle”? what are they supposed to do? Maybe he just hates the lack of direction you give him. Perhaps you could re-think this whole “on the buckle” thing. Dressage horses don’t ride “on the buckle”. No one rides “on the buckle”, really, it’s not proper riding. Maybe try telling him what to do.
[QUOTE=Snowflake;7841421]
The circumstances that I got this guy were unique. He was assumed injured and thought that his jumping days were over. Instead of an injury, he simply had a bad shoeing job and once that was corrected, he’s been 100% sound. The “injury” is why I didn’t ride him prior to bringing him home. .[/QUOTE]
Place him for sale with the trainer that suggested you do just that - forget trading him! get a nice fund so you can buy which ever next horse, rather than being limited by the trade scenario.
[QUOTE=alto;7843046]
Place him for sale with the trainer that suggested you do just that - forget trading him! get a nice fund so you can buy which ever next horse, rather than being limited by the trade scenario.[/QUOTE]
This is a very good suggestion! Don’t feel guilty that it did not work out…you solved some major issues and gave him a chance to do the job he loves again. I have a number of horses, most of whom I bred or bought as babies. One, much as I love her, I do not feel comfortable riding. Not her fault, not my fault. I can ride her but she a tad too small and quick, too much a workaholic. I love riding her older brother, feel like I can do anything… I loaned the mare to a teenager who is hunting and showing her…kid and mare are joyful and it is fun to see. Your horse deserves someone who loves to ride him as much as you deserve a horse you love to ride. Move on as you have done your part for this nice horse and you should feel good about it 
!!
I did one of the best things I could have done for the situation last night. I had my best friend over to ride him. My bestie has known me my entire life and we’ve been riding buddies for 20+ years. She knows my skills and abilities and knows the horses I have ridden in the past. She got on him and just LOVED him. She told me he’s really not that complicated but that he rides like a hunter. She showed me some things that really made a huge difference. For starters, my hands were too wide. This just seemingly threw him off. She showed me how he didn’t need a lot of contact and would ride in a soft draped rein and if I did this, just how to support him with my leg and my seat. She actually had him in a working trot and dropped his reins and he stayed in frame. It’s different than my dressage background so she suggested I haul him out for lessons at a good hunter barn and learn to ride him in the language he understands then take those skills and apply them in the dressage ring. She said that he can be soft and he can flex but that you have to ask for it in hunter-speak. She clearly showed how we just weren’t speaking the same language. She gave me some tough love and made me hop on him, against all my protests. She said that I have to start having small victories and work through my issues because he is capable of doing everything I want to do. I rode in her County Warmblood Eventer - OMG! Totally different feel with that saddle. I didn’t feel pitched forward and confined and he moved much nicer in it. She left that and a Passier for me to play with to see what works for us. She checked the Rembrandt and agreed that it looked like it fit in all aspects but clearly something was up with it if it threw me out of balance that much on him. She knows this saddle and has ridden in it herself many times and couldn’t explain what was up with it but that if it isn’t working don’t try to force the issue. So, all in all it was a good night. I’ve got a lot of work to do on myself if I’m going to make this work but she did show me that he can go relaxed but I just have to know how to ask for it. I was just going about things all wrong for him.
Here’s a video of him from last night with my friend riding (forgive the casual clothing - Friend is preggers and carrying the kid all up front): https://scontent-b.xx.fbcdn.net/hvideo-xpa1/v/t42.1790-2/10481880_10152095402763078_2022430104_n.mp4?oh=f1f2ef485157eb7ad84d0eb9c53d5fb1&oe=545BBB4D This is his YouTube feed of show rounds: http://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLFbdDpZIhbM6OVX6qS7axLfI2QVn_Kch0
He looks like a very sweet boy. I’m glad you got some input from someone who’s had a chance to ride the horse and also knows you and how you ride very well. Good luck!
