I’ve recently decided that I would like to transition from hunter/jumper (which I’ve done all my life) to eventing and I’m in the process of potentially getting a horse from a professional 4-star eventer and then training with him… however, I’m a little fearful of my own skills. One of the most basic things for training level is contact… I feel like I’m really terrible at that! I tried out the horse to think about buying him and I was only able to get him to engage in contact a few times while trotting during our entire ride. The professional (obviously) had no problem getting the horse to perform as well as he physically could in his training at the time.
The horse wouldn’t drop his head and accept my hands, the bit or contact, and I’m worried if I’ll ever be able to really understand how to activate the hind end. He’s a very sweet and willing horse though, just fairly green. And I’m used to green horses. But apparently not contact.
I am very out of shape though. I haven’t been consistently riding in probably over a year. I have ridden quite a few times in the last year, but nothing’s been consistent enough for me to re-develop my skills or muscles.
I’m especially worried about the dressage aspect of eventing for the reasons stated above. I feel fairly confident in my natural and trained ability in jumping and am confident I will be able to learn well under the tutelage of the professional. I’m not saying I’m perfect at jumping, just that I need to focus more on strengthening the dressage aspect for now.
Any suggestions?
Sounds like you’re on the right track in looking for a professional to help you develop the weaker areas of your riding.
I might suggest finding a bit more of a been there/done that kind for your first evening mount, green + green can sometimes = black and blue! Eventing is pretty different from H/J and while I’m sure your jumping skills are fine, it would be nice to have a steady eddy to get you going.
As far as dressage goes, well, even Steffen Peters still takes lessons from other pros. It’s a lifelong pursuit so don’t expect to “get it” completely from a few months or even years of lessons.
Most importantly, have fun! Eventers are a great group of people. Welcome!
I’ve a niece who grew up doing hunters that occasionally comes to my farm and rides out on one of my eventers and she has the exact same problem. For her it’s a question of being comfortable with feeling 5 pounds in her hands instead of a couple ounces! So if it makes you feel better I think you issue is pretty common.
It is wonderful that you will be working with a good trainer! My first suggestion would be to get your riding muscles going again and as soon as possible try to make arrangements to ride a schoolmaster in dressage–even just once and I think as an already competent rider that getting to experience what it should feel like you’ll come around pretty quickly. And yeah, if you aren’t fit enough it can be somewhat exhausting, because if you are doing it right you are not pulling the horse’s head down, but instead pushing him into the bit. It is harder to push than pull!
Keep an open mind about the jumping. Most converts I’ve seen have really underestimated the difference in the equitation demands of riding on a perfect surface over perfect jumps compared to riding over terrain jumping a variety of obstacles. There is a safety element in play because hunters generally don’t have much–if any experience–with a defensive jumping position. It can be hard to grasp when you get a perfect distance with a lovely effort and it felt great that you made some serious errors because of the “causalness” of your position.
Thank you! I requested taking every other lesson on a more “been there, done that” horse and so I’ve got that in my favor! I’m not sure yet if I’m buying the horse but since he has some of the professional training under his belt and since he’s so forgiving and calm and easily trainable, I think it’s my best bet and budget-wise, I can’t afford to buy a more experienced or high level horse unfortunately.
But since I will be riding more experienced horses, I’m hoping they’ll help me learn the skills better!
I have ridden my friend’s green horse a few times over the past few months and I’ve been able to communicate with her fairly well so I’m hoping it’ll come with more training.
But I still don’t know some of the key steps to asking for contact. I was told to use more calf to really ask the horse to come up into the bridle but my legs are either too weak still, or I was asking improperly because it didn’t quite happen the way it was supposed to…although like I said he accepted contact a few times. He’s not a great mover, and not as good a mover as my friend’s horse but I like his trot, and I love his canter.
Fortunately I’ve schooled quite a lot cross country and I’ve ridden so many “bad” horses I’ve learned to ride out almost anything to the jumps so I hope that’s in my favor!!
To give a little more background: my current horse is recovering from a suspensory injury and so she can’t be ridden and I’m desperate to have the experience of furthering my riding… I’m open to not owning, but I really want to compete and the only way I can do that I think is by owning.
So ideally, I might try to find an experienced horse to lease. I’m a bit surprised the 4* eventer has the more affordable horses, usually if I am looking for a good first event horse, who is not expensive or fancy but has a good brain and will be a good teacher, I go with the local pony club or a lower level trainer. Usually you can get more bang for your buck, IMO.
However, if you do end up getting him, I think learning the timing is a lot of it. Knowing when to put on your leg (within the stride, so you are telling him to engage rather than speed up), when to keep the contact (even if its increasing) and when to soften. With a green horse it’s hard because you might get resistance from him, and at this point you won’t know if its due to the way you are asking or if he’s just being green and you need to ride through it. So I would spend a bit of time getting to know him, flat him like you would a hunter and build your strength. Then see about getting several lessons from the eventer or from a good dressage trainer.
And riding the more experienced horses every other lesson is a great idea. At this point, I might shelve the jumping for a few months (you need to get stronger anyway) and just focus completely on the dressage.
Also, maybe consider a lease on a more experienced horse. You can show a leased horse and gain experience!
Thank you! Today I felt like at some points I couldn’t even get him to behave like a hunter because he wouldn’t do anything but trot around with his head up in the air. 
And the professional has the green horses because that’s part of what he does: bring up babies. He’s seeking a horse that has the potential to be his next 4 star horse. The horse I’m considering getting will only go to about prelim. That’s more than enough for me!
Here is a photo of the horse I’m thinking about buying.
You are doing the right thing working with a professional!! And like everything else horsey, it takes time and feel. Just remember to always sit back more, haha.
Contact is a very difficult thing to put into words, I have taught several people, and one exercise that is really helpful is, on the ground, have trainer hold bridle with bit in one hand and be the “horse” and then you hold the reins and ask for feedback on your feel.
Overall though, the MOST important thing I’d say from your posts when coming to eventing:
FORGET ABOUT THE HORSE’S HEAD. It doesn’t matter where it is. Learn to have a consistent contact and just keep riding him forward. Seriously, don’t even think about his head beyond it being pointed straight forward. Ride his butt.
Derp. Duplicate.
Hi! I started eventing after always doing H/J too- and it’s a learning process for sure. my horse had always done hunters, but we are both slowly getting it. He’s a really reliable, sweet, kind-hearted guy, so he tolerates my mistakes and learning curve nicely.
Remember that everything is going to feel foreign for a while- position, contact, aids, exercises. Don’t sweat it. I have been looking like a hot mess, but we’re starting to come together. You will too!
by the way- dressage has been the CURE for all my jumping issues. Seriously, Once you get the hang of it, you will find your jumping will improve as well. have fun with it!
It seems a little odd to be thinking of buying another horse, particularly when you are trying to give away your mare who has a suspensory and some arthritis, (and could be the wrong person, but someone with your name is also asking for donations on gofundme to pay her veterinary bills and offering to give lessons in exchange). While it’s always great to be looking into new things to do with horses, I think it might be a better option to take a few lessons to better understand the idea of how to establish a reliable contact and bring the horse in front of your leg and up to your hand.
Luckily, lower level eventing isn’t really that different in terms of basics from low level H/J world, good horsemanship being fairly universal, and with a solid trainer and a few lessons, I’m sure you’ll make the transition in no time at all.
[QUOTE=GotSpots;7260986]
It seems a little odd to be thinking of buying another horse, particularly when you are trying to give away your mare who has a suspensory and some arthritis, (and could be the wrong person, but someone with your name is also asking for donations on gofundme to pay her veterinary bills and offering to give lessons in exchange). [/QUOTE]
http://www.gofundme.com/Help-Madonna
:no:
After seeing this, and the posts all over Facebook that you’re giving away your mare because you don’t have the money to properly care for her, I would guess your best bet is to wait until you’re more financially stable to enter into horse ownership again. Stick with lessons on seasoned horses where you don’t have the financial obligation for care, if/when your potential new horse also sustains some type of injury that would require you to post again asking for financial help for routine veterinary care.
[QUOTE=snoopy;7261005]
http://www.gofundme.com/Help-Madonna
:no:[/QUOTE]
This sure has been popping up a lot lately on Coth. Not this person specifically, but many using this website to pay their vet bills. Why the H*LL didn’t I know about this when I ran up 10k on my cc to pay my vet. Took me years to pay that off. Begging seems to be quite popular these days 
So we do not know all the details here and the OP may not be as suspect as we are assuming. Maybe her parents are buying the new horse. Maybe they’ve told her that they won’t cover the bills on the mare. We don’t know.
BTW, I think GoFundMe is a rip off. They take 10%. I was able to raise funds for a friend who needed a lift chair a few years ago and it helped a lot. But she had a large following and had serious needs and financial limitations. We raised a lot of the funds by using GoFundMe and asking for donations by check.
[QUOTE=Winding Down;7261138]
So we do not know all the details here and the OP may not be as suspect as we are assuming. Maybe her parents are buying the new horse. Maybe they’ve told her that they won’t cover the bills on the mare. We don’t know.[/QUOTE]
Thank you for trying to see all sides of the story.
I opened that website because a friend strongly suggested it (almost forced me to get the site) and in result a few family members donated because they wanted to. I didn’t think the site could hurt if there were people out there who were willing to donate on their own accord. I am also in a different financial situation now. My horse was going to receive proper care regardless of whether that site existed or not. She received and is still receiving perfect care for her issues. We are still trying to find her a more suitable home as she would be better suited for a riding life that wasn’t so intense, thus me looking for a different horse. I would like to say, however, that I am not quite in the place to pay for something extremely long-term (forever) and on-going that is that expensive, which is why I feel I am doing the responsible thing and trying to find her a different, more suitable home. She also will not be well suited for the type of riding I want to do. I would also like to say that the gofundme post is fairly old and we have done much more investigation in her condition and a lot has changed since then. I haven’t even thought of this site in quite a while!
I’m looking to get this specific horse because I have an incredible opportunity with the trainer and facility I have found. I have saved up enough money if anything were to happen to said future horse, or current horse, and my parents (and grandparents) are more than willing to help in whatever way they can to see me move forward in my riding career.
Back to the topic at hand: I’m just in need of some more consistent and thorough dressage training and I think that’s all that needs to be said. Thank you to all of you who have given me good advice on this subject.
Where are you located in Maryland? I am in southeast PA and could use someone to help ride my event horses, I work too much and have very fancy horses sitting around. Boom! There ya go. PM me and we’ll see if you are close enough.
[QUOTE=jsydney5;7261216]
Boom! There ya go. [/QUOTE]
I like your attitude!
Thank you. 
I PMed you.
[QUOTE=jsydney5;7261216]
Boom! There ya go. [/QUOTE]
I like your attitude!
Thank you.
I PMed you.
[QUOTE=Toadie’s mom;7261125]
This sure has been popping up a lot lately on Coth. Not this person specifically, but many using this website to pay their vet bills. Why the H*LL didn’t I know about this when I ran up 10k on my cc to pay my vet. Took me years to pay that off. Begging seems to be quite popular these days :([/QUOTE]
To clarify my post…
Eventing and vet bills go hand and hand. If someone is (already) having a tough time paying vet bills, I would think twice about buying another horse to take part in an already expensive sport…without even taking into account the almost certain visits from the vet.
