[MissHopesMom]

Originally Posted by hicklovr

Thanks everyone for your help. The person who trained her rode her everyday shes a strong little mare and yes i will cut down riding time, and i will try to lounge her, but will she still lounge good even if im not in an arena or round pen?

You should be able to. Hope was taught to lunge in an ENORMOUS outdoor ring, and since I've brought her home, I've been lunging her right in the pasture. (Don't have a round pen, don't have a ring) She's doing great, regardless of where she is.

Don't forget that lunging is hard on them too - so I wouldn't be doing a ton of that either.

As bnttyra said, she sounds quite intelligent and should catch on quickly.

My trainer also rode my horse every day, but not to the extent of 2 + hours.

[Serenity06]

I agree that she needs some time off.

But i do have some advice I started my paint as a 2yr old last year and got the basics on her and then turned her out for about 2months and brough her back up (Feburary i believe) to get her going even better. Well she got it into her head that EVERYTIME i asked her to canter or corrected ANY behavior with my legs she was going to buck and throw a fit. I had the trainer that was helping me get on her to see if it was just with me, her daughter rode her too. Yep it was JUST with ME. So for about a month and a half i carried a crop with me and EVERYTIME she even layed her ears back when i would ask her to canter or when i did anything that she would throw a fit over she would get a VERY firm swat on the butt with that crop. The first time she actually stopped dead in her tracks lol. It didn't take too long for her to get the point but i did continue to carry it with me for a while just in case. She is now one of the most willing horses i have ever ridden.

Horses will be horses and they WILL test you.

[Zypheir's Ring]

I wouldn't ride a 2 year old for 2 hours straight, and I wouldn't even ride a 2 year old everyday. Doing both? I personally would never. They are still just babies and need time to grow mentally and physically. It could be that she is feeling overworked, and bucking is her way of telling you she is tired. Give her a week off, and bring her back into riding slowly, and see if she has a better additude about being ridden.

Good luck and keep us updated

[xlilxonex]

I wouldn't ride a 2 year old for even an HOUR, it's still young give it time to grow... I wouldn't lunge her much either...

How much training? Could it be that she's simply not ready or has holes in her training or there may be to much weight on her back?

[hicklovr]

Hey everyone! Thanks so much for all the replies, yes yes I have cut down on training, I managed to lunge her (Without the roundpen or even a closed area!!) And she did great! I was really surprised!! because i've never thought they'd ''get the picture'' which was silly of me - completely undermining my horses intelligence... and i rode her for the first time in about 4 days yesterday for about half an hour - just walking and a little bit of trotting. She did wonderful. I think I'm going to hold off until the weekend to even start to think about cantering with her - were just going to take it easy. My mother and neighbor are both qualified vets and i've had them both look at her lunging with the saddle, and without the saddle on, and they both said that she didnt appear to be in any pain -- they also checked her out whilst i was sitting on her with the saddle and then checked her out wihtout me on her back. everything was fine and there was no weight problem, i know that im only about 115ilbs and it doesnt seem like it would make a difference, but it really could, couldnt it? I love my little girl Fancy and I would hate to do anything wrong to her, so I'm really taking all the advice I can

The next time I am going to ride her will probably be tomorrow afternoon.


ALSO! Come middle of november is when we will be moving her to a stable since I will be moving into the town where I'll be attending school. Its close so its not that big of a commute -- i know when I lived in England if you werent able to make it everyday to the stables, they had a sheet that you could sign permitting other people (The owners/trainers of the stable) to ride your horse.. Do they do that here in the States?

Thanks so much!!

[Lopinslow]

If i was paying for training fine, but other than that I would not let others ride my horse without me present, ESPECIALLY a youngster.

[stephanie]

Originally Posted by hicklovr

Hey everyone! Thanks so much for all the replies, yes yes I have cut down on training, I managed to lunge her (Without the roundpen or even a closed area!!) And she did great! I was really surprised!! because i've never thought they'd ''get the picture'' which was silly of me - completely undermining my horses intelligence... and i rode her for the first time in about 4 days yesterday for about half an hour - just walking and a little bit of trotting. She did wonderful. I think I'm going to hold off until the weekend to even start to think about cantering with her - were just going to take it easy. My mother and neighbor are both qualified vets and i've had them both look at her lunging with the saddle, and without the saddle on, and they both said that she didnt appear to be in any pain -- they also checked her out whilst i was sitting on her with the saddle and then checked her out wihtout me on her back. everything was fine and there was no weight problem, i know that im only about 115ilbs and it doesnt seem like it would make a difference, but it really could, couldnt it? I love my little girl Fancy and I would hate to do anything wrong to her, so I'm really taking all the advice I can

The next time I am going to ride her will probably be tomorrow afternoon.


ALSO! Come middle of november is when we will be moving her to a stable since I will be moving into the town where I'll be attending school. Its close so its not that big of a commute -- i know when I lived in England if you werent able to make it everyday to the stables, they had a sheet that you could sign permitting other people (The owners/trainers of the stable) to ride your horse.. Do they do that here in the States?

Thanks so much!!

I'm glad you had a good ride and lunging experience. Just remember she's a baby, she won't get everything the first time you ask, but she'll get there eventually

Originally Posted by Lopinslow

If i was paying for training fine, but other than that I would not let others ride my horse without me present, ESPECIALLY a youngster.

agreed

[hicklovr]

Yep I agree too.. Im just curious so that I can not have that happen Cause I really just need to be me and Fancy not anyone that I dont know or that says that they are qualified enough to ride her

[BitsnBits]

My mare never bucked when I started her at two. But the longest I would ride was and occasional hour and that was easy pasture riding. But my point was, she is going on 5 now. And I have seen some much difference in her attitude and how she takes to trying new things this last year. She's always given me 100% try but she was spastic and hurried in everything she did. Now she's more relaxed. And she didn't canter she ran. It was walk, fast trot or run. She didn't have a canter. Now we do and it's a nice one. It was like over night she found it. So give her time and go easy on her mind and body and you'll be glad you did. Some can handle to 'stress' of learning and handling their body at younger ages than others. Enjoy the ride and watching your baby develope.

[Circle C]

Welcome to the unpredictable world of 2yo's! Shes going to test you, shes going to do stupid things. I def think 2-3 hrs every day is too much riding tho. I work my 2yo maybe 3 times a week. If Im doing arena work, I work her maybe 30 min. When I ride longer than that, Im on the trail.