What’s wrong with my horse?!

[kayleenoelle14]

Okay so let’s start off; May 6, 2017 when I got my horse from Lily Pond Foal Rescue. When I first rode my horse “Stella” she wouldn’t even walk and she kicked a lot. Soon, I got her walking good. Then, I tried to get some of her trotting picked up, she would buck every time or just keep her head down. In about a month, I took her to a gymkhana class and she wouldn’t walk or trot. So then, I put on a pair ofspurs and she did really good. But I felt spurs were not the way to go. So then, adter a few months she started trotting. Then, I tried to get a canter. She again, bucked and kept her head down. She wasn’t really kicking anymore though. Then, I took her to another gymkhana and she bucked and refused to even turn. After a few more months, I started riding her bareback and I found that was the best way. I know because we were jumping big oxers and cantering bareback. But then, I went to a show and she was terrible! I just don’t know what to do. Everyone wants me to sell her and get a new horse. But our bond is unbreakable and I love her so much. I really don’t know what to do, I just need as much feedback as I can get!

 

[Dona Worry]

Get some lessons, pronto. You should have had a trainer of some kind lined up when you brought her home, but oh well, better late than never.
You need boots on the ground to coach you.

 

[res]

I live near Lily Pond and know the owner. While I agree you definitely need a trainer, you also need to have your saddle fit checked, even before you invest $ into your first lesson. If you can trailer her to St. Mary's county, there is a fantastic shop that can fit English saddles (Mennonite) and another that does Western (Amish). If you cannot trailer her, there are local saddle fitters that can come to you, but most charge several hundred dollars per fitting.

Depending on where you live, I can also recommend a trainer and/or lesson program. Ideally, you want a program that works with you AND your mare, not just trains your mare for 30-60-90 days and hands her back to you.

 

[Bunnylady]

The fact that she acted up under saddle, but seemed to work happily bareback sure sounds like a discomfort issue.

x2 what @res said about saddle fitting. I suppose you might also get a vet or an equine chiropractor to look at her; a tender area on her back that the saddle hits but your seat bones don't may have a physiological cause.

 

[chickens really]

Possibly saddle fit or she is sore in the withers. Lots of times it's a balance issue too. Trotting and cantering with a rider requires the horse to balance. If your not balanced either it can cause bucking.
Definitely get a trainer.

 

[DobieLover]

Okay so let’s start off; May 6, 2017 when I got my horse from Lily Pond Foal Rescue. When I first rode my horse “Stella” she wouldn’t even walk and she kicked a lot. Soon, I got her walking good. Then, I tried to get some of her trotting picked up, she would buck every time or just keep her head down. In about a month, I took her to a gymkhana class and she wouldn’t walk or trot. So then, I put on a pair ofspurs and she did really good. But I felt spurs were not the way to go. So then, adter a few months she started trotting. Then, I tried to get a canter. She again, bucked and kept her head down. She wasn’t really kicking anymore though. Then, I took her to another gymkhana and she bucked and refused to even turn. After a few more months, I started riding her bareback and I found that was the best way. I know because we were jumping big oxers and cantering bareback. But then, I went to a show and she was terrible! I just don’t know what to do. Everyone wants me to sell her and get a new horse. But our bond is unbreakable and I love her so much. I really don’t know what to do, I just need as much feedback as I can get!

How well does her saddle fit? What kind of pad are you using? Is her cinch in good shape? Does the skin under the cinch roll and pinch when you tighten the girth? Does she balk in the ties when you are saddling her up?
If she willingly does everything you ask of her bareback and only gives you issues under saddle, start looking at what is making her uncomfortable or in pain when you saddle her up.

 

[New2Chicks97]

In addition to what others have stated about saddle issues.....
Some horses just do not like working in enclosed spaces like arenas. I have had many horses that loved trail riding and being in the open and behaved perfectly fine in those scenarios but HATED going into an arena or any enclosed space.

 

[kayleenoelle14]

UOTE="DobieLover, post: 20614700, member: 520744"]How well does her saddle fit? What kind of pad are you using? Is her cinch in good shape? Does the skin under the cinch roll and pinch when you tighten the girth? Does she balk in the ties when you are saddling her up?
If she willingly does everything you ask of her bareback and only gives you issues under saddle, start looking at what is making her uncomfortable or in pain when you saddle her up.[/QUOTE]

Possibly saddle fit or she is sore in the withers. Lots of times it's a balance issue too. Trotting and cantering with a rider requires the horse to balance. If your not balanced either it can cause bucking.
Definitely get a trainer.

thanks!

 

[kayleenoelle14]

In addition to what others have stated about saddle issues.....
Some horses just do not like working in enclosed spaces like arenas. I have had many horses that loved trail riding and being in the open and behaved perfectly fine in those scenarios but HATED going into an arena or any enclosed space.

thanks