Hello from Mary

[maryp]

Hi, I've just joined this forum as I have a bit of time spare, it's new year's day and raining outside.
I have long been a keen viewer of the mysafecobs videos on You tube and have learned quite a bit from the sensible advice contained in them, I enjoy accompanying the horse and rider on their rides, with the helpful commentary, it's like having a chat with someone knowledgable while,out on a hack!
Don't have a horse of my own but ride a friend's New Forest pony regularly, out hacking with them in lovely countryside on the Isle of Wight where I live. Although nine, he had not done much at all before I started riding him a year ago. He had been backed and ridden occasionally but was really a bit surplus to their requirements, they have six horses and ponies and very limited time to ride and my friend now has a little boy ( now aged three). So she was pregnant then very busy soon after he was backed
He is quite spooky and green, I try to give him confidence and ride quietly.
His ground manners are atrocious, he runs off when being led in the yard, is very fidgety etc, is actually better behaved under saddle but quite nervous of most things!!
So I am glad of all the mysafecobs advice ;D

[avril]

Hi Mary, Happy New Year and thank you for joining the forum, it's great to have a new member. I don't expect you've been able to do much riding lately, the weather has been so bad with most of the mainland covered in water. Well done for trying to give the pony confidence he needs by being a quiet rider, it will help him listen to you and begin to wait for instructions before going into shying mode. We are so pleased to hear how much you have learned from the website and videos, thank you for the feedback. I'm sure that with time and patience his ground manners will improve and that he will grow into a reliable fellow under saddle. Keep up the good work and let us know how you get on.

[daisymay]

Mary

I read your post with interest. I too am new to My Safe Cobs and stumbled across Avril through a livery yard member who had bought a lovely horse from them (Howie). I too have since been watching all the youtube videos with great interest and find them incredibly motivating.

Anyway a little about me. I own a 14 year old Dutch Warmblood mare who is incredibly sensitive and dominant in her nature, both on the ground and whilst riding. She's not spooky per se, it just depends when it suits her (or so it appears) for example she will hack past a lorry, buses, lawn mowers, dogs yet when schooling if her mind just isn't in it she goes backwards (this is usually more an evasion that I appear to have tackled) however she has been known to leap in the air and it all begins to spiral.

She also gets incredibly worked up on country tracks, to the point she cant decide whether to turn round or go forward (this has only ever happened once and is not something I wish to repeat as we literally got the works - bronching, backing up, spinning)......all in all she's a very tricky, sensitive ride. Where possible I try to sit quietly and allow her to figure it out by keeping my leg on to send her forwards but its incredibly tricky when she's reversing backwards to the nearest ditch!

Oh and she does have the added complexity of only one eye. She had it removed approximately 6 years ago so she's well adjusted to a certain degree.

Having seen all the videos on youtube and looked at the courses I am incredibly keen on seeing the 2014 calendar of events as would love to strengthen our bond and tackle her issues. I am slowly working my way through the videos and find them great!