have I made a mistake

[Erika George]

With regard to being tense when you ride him, this will almost certainly be making him tense too which is why the instructor is finding this to be the case as well.
I have had the same problem with George, I was able to ride him fine out on hacks, but he would get quite anxious in the school and would head back to his friends (in trot) and was quite a handful. Once he realised that what I was asking wasn't difficult he started to relax and enjoy his work more. He lacked confidence in his ability to do what was asked of him, was so desperate to please that he wound himself up. I have learnt that I have to be really patient when I ask him to do anything new otherwise he does put his "I can't do this" head on and then stops listening and even now gets quite anxious. My husband did not get on at all with him for the first 2 years because they were both so tense but now they too have bonded really well.
You will get to read your horse's mind, but it is not something that will happen in a week, or even a month. Some horses are very sensitive and, like George, become very anxious when they don't know what is expected of them. Get right back to basics even if this means just walking, halting and half-halting. Once you have some common ground then you always have something to go back to.
Good luck
Erika & George

[Jane Hulbert]

Hi All,
I have been watching this thread. I have had my horse Cass, for 5 years. I've had several horses previously, competed at dressage & endurance but Cass has completely deskilled me. We neither have confidence in the other.
The good news is that I am taking him to Avril next week for training, so watch this space. I am really excited about this.

Jane

[em]

Hi jane

Good luck with cass i am sure all will be well Avril has my daughters pony Briar and she is just blossoming...keep us posted

em x x

[ange]

Jane - that's such a good word for it - deskilled - it really does explain the way it makes you feel when you go through this situation!

Wibbly - are you being dominant enough with your horse when you are handling him - I don't mean that you have to be nasty, but you can be 'too nice' and not set clear boundaries and expectations for him - its more about being firm - you need to expect him to do it when asked - its quite often about your mindset - think positive - you can then be really nice and praise him lots when he does it, so he will then think its a good thing!

[em]

Hey Huntingcharliehunt

Just wanted to let you know my first order for simple systems foods is being delivered on thurday... following your post i went on their web and i just thought their system fitted so closely to what i believe about feeding... anyway with four here and four diffferent requirements I can really give it a good trial.. I have odered the lunar eclipse additive for TESS as she is an itchy person ... will let you know what i think..

thanks for the heads up x x x

[huntingcharliehunt]

Hi Em

I shall be very interested to see what you think!
I feed it to all 3 of my cobs,+ our much adored laminitic 11hh grandchildren's pony.

All my cobs hunt 2-3 times a week,and never come home early,and the going is tough as Essex has a lot of heavy clay!

I use the pellets for all of them,adding purabeet,and red grass pellets to all except the pony. I also use the total eclipse and linseed,on a daily basis.
They never get silly,look really good,even at this stage of the season,and can keep up with the thoroughbreds, most of the time! Also,I really believe it is the way horses should be fed,as it seems so much more natural to me, and the way horses were designed to eat.

If you want any thoughts on quantities fed, pm me.I just give a big bucket full in the evening,to each horse in their stable, which is all gone in the morning, a scoopful each in the morning before letting them out,and add lib haylage. The day following hunting,I usually leave a big trug full in the yard,which they help themselves to,as they feel inclined.

Do introduce it slowly,unless yours are the eat anything kind!

[em]

Hi Huntingcharliehunt

Thanks for your post... I have just had such a funny experience ringing simple systems because Jane van Lennep (the lady who owns it) was my trainer when i was 17yrs training for my BHS exams... I didnt realise i was talking to her to start with... what is so funny is that this is going back over 25yrs and on her Arab stud outside Rayleigh ( I think the place was called Rawreth Arabian stud but not sure) she used to feed all the broodmares on lucerne nuts and beet but it was in fact a cattle feed then and this is how simple systems started.... and i can vouch for how well the Arabs looked.. what a blast from the past..

Will let you know how i get on x x

[lisandsaf]

Hi Hunting charliehunt

ive noticed from your posts that you come from essex and hunt regularly,, i am interested in hunting but no sure i have the confidence,, althou i did hunt years ago,, where do you hunt and how often do you meet,, any info much appreciated.

Lisa an Saf

[huntingcharliehunt]

Hi Lisa

E-mail me and I will send our phone number and give you all the information you need (my details are in the members section)
Most horses love hunting, some take a while to settle, but most get there in the end. I would suggest leaving it for this season, which has almost ended, and perhaps start with some Autumn hunting, which is quieter and shorter.
Everyone is nervous to start with, but everyone is very helpful and newcomers are always welcomed. The secret is to take a horse new to it, quietly at the back for the first few times, so they don't think it is only galloping about!
It would be unlikely that a horse used mainly for hacking would be fit enough to start now, and a tired horse can often misbehave in the same way as a child does. Do give me a ring.

[nellie]

I too have been having lovely conversations with Simple System Foods, but by email in my case with Helen who has been really helpful and lovely. She mentioned that she has been helping someone else from here too and so has been on the site and forum for a little look around .

I have now got my first order and am just finishing up Mina's old balancer and chaff (which is taking ages as she has so little!) but have started with LuciePellets in her feedball. The good news is that Mina is hoovering them up and doesn't appear to notice they are not sweetened so hopefully the move to the rest will be straightforward too.

I will be very interested to see how we get on. I've got the Total Eclipse balancer, additional linseed, the LucieStalks and the pellets. I have my fingers crossed that this move to non-sweetened food will really help as the midges reappear and the spring grass comes through...

Many thanks for the recommendation, HuntingCharlieHunt .

And, Em, I so agree about it fitting in with what I want for Mina, not just the sugar free but the animal product free bit too. And how funny you finding you know the lady in charge. I know her name as she writes in one of the horsey mags but hadn't connected her to Simple Systems Feeds.

[angelac]

Hmmm Don't like the idea of animal products in horse feed.
Must have a look on my bags. Presume it will be listed or perhaps it should have the vegetarian symbol.?
Need to do a bit of homework!
Thanks for mentioning it Nellie

[chattysmum]

Hi Wibbly

Wondered how you are getting on with your boy

[huntingcharliehunt]

Hi Nellie
Glad to hear you have become intersted in Symple System feeding.I find it excellent and you wouldn't believe how well my 3 cobs look at the end of the hunting season. I feel quite worried about giving them time off at grass, as I fear they will become enormous! One of the many advantages is being able to ride straight after feeding. It seems to me such a common sense way of feeding a horse.I do hope Mina does well on it.