I fell off at a horse show yesterday?

Question

So, yesterday I was competing at a horse show and I tumbled to the ground during my class after my horse bucked like a ton. So, I got back on and I know that rule and I cantered in the warm up ring.

Then my trainer was like ok your next class in in 2. I felt out of control my entire first class and I was sore from the fall so I opted out of the second class. MY TRAINER FREAKED OUT! She took the horse from me and untacked him.....Then my dad heard her say I was out for the season......she was REALLY mad. Did I make the right choice??? And my confidence for the next show is really down....if there is a next show.....Its not the first time Ive fallen off and its not the first time the horse has bucked at a show.

Also, any tips for keeping him inline at right lead canter? He is off the track so he gets crazy

Answer 1

She probably is frightened that you will not want to show again.  I understand though, if you feel alittle sore and just don't feel confident enough to do it then dont.  You made the right decision.  Ignore your trainer.  Dont feel bad.

Answer 2

I don't think your problem is YOU, your problem is your TRAINER! She's very unreasonable. It's OKAY if you make a mistake, my goodness! I think you made the right decision. If your horse is bucking, your trainer should be smart enough to know that you're both not ready! My advice is to get a new trainer! If you had a good trainer to begin with, you wouldn't be on a horse that bucks. Good luck and keep your chin up!

Answer 3

If you said you were just SORE, then you should have gotten into that ring and won! But if you were dizzy, then that would be a good excuse. If you were scared....you have to get over the fear/embarrassment. I get embarrassed when I fall, but I get right back on unless I hurt my head or something.

Answer 4

Simple!  Fire the trainer and get another horse

Answer 5

Your trainer was out of line even though it is her horse you still have a half lease she can not tell you that you can not compete on a horse that you bought a half lease in. however I would seriously consider going to another trainer because she didn't know that horse wasn't in line.

Answer 6

trainer wise, if you were uncomfortable, she had absolutely no right to push you, trainers like that are not dworth having, in the long run it would be best to get rid of her, and if you arre the horses owner, you could turn her in for taking your horse, let alone, touching him at all and untacking him, she has no right to tell you your out for the season, and trust me, falling off isnt a bad thing, it keeps you humble, embarrasing yes, humbling yes, bad, no. and practice at home when you feel him speed up and stick his nose up, pull him into a circle until he calms down take him back out on the rail and try again, and just do this until he stops running off, and doing this in a class is better than being out of control, judges respect this, if you can go out in a class and respectfully school your horse, and not be embarrassed or get frustrated, and just focus on you r horse and not what others think, judges really respect that, i know that, because my mom i s and aqha certified judge and my dad judges rodeo queen contests, and we have alot of judge friends, and going out for the experience and earning a judges respect is more important than placing, just remember that, good luck, and i would talk to your trainer and tell her she made you that uncomfortable and that you didnt appreciate that, and if i were you, telll her if she does it again, shes out of a job, but thats just me, a rodeo cowgirl with a temper to boot ; )

Answer 7

i wouldnt call her a trainer if she did that. she took her anger out on the student and the horse(i've seen made owners at shows lead their horses away angery, and it's never nice for the horse to get ripped around by the briddle for something that they dont understand)

i've had good days and bad days, fallen off, all sorts of things, but my trainers were always there being supportive/teaching me.

one show, me and one other boy didnt place at all the first day, where as my trainer's other students did place.  at the end of the day, me and that boy were taking care of our horses/cleaning up around our stable area, while the others were out having fun at dinner/party.  our trainer had few words for the other kids on how they didnt treat their horses that helped them win as good as me and the other kid did when we shouldve been the upset ones.  trainers are spose to help and teach you about horses, and about how to do what's right for you're horse.  with you're trainer she took the horse away and untacked it, prob not checking to see if the horse was okay.

i think you should get a new trainer that cares about if you're hurt or not and about their/you're horses.  as for cantering, ask a trainer who can show you in person/give you pointers, i could do it, but it's hard for me to write it down, where as if you see it, you may get it better.

good luck, and good on you for knowing you're limits/making you're own choices.  dont second guess yourself when you know you're own body better then someone else (when it hurts and doesnt)

Answer 8

Your trainer was absolutely wrong. You did the right thing -- got back on and cantered settled the whole matter.

For one thing you should never get on a horse, particularly a horse that has been acting bad (ie bucking) when you are nervous or scared. Horses are very inteligent and can sense this. It will just make matters worse.

Secondly, your trainer should then be the one getting back on this horse and finding what the problem is and fixing it not you.

If he's having lots of problems with the right lead (many off the track horses do) he needs lots of work in that lead. Lots of transisions to build up the correct muscles, from the ground not with you on his back. Bucking could be a sign of pain as well. If he does it on the lungeline I'd have him seen by a chiropractor.

Answer 9

Wtf can she do that?? She can't take your horse away from you and not let u compete for the season. She's not the boss of you. You can do whatever you want. It's your horse. I don't even think she can do that with a lesson horse. That was sooo immature for her.

If you don't want to compete, don't compete. If you feel like something's going to go wrong, it's so much better to be safe than sorry.

About the canter, idk. maybe just squeeze with your inside leg and pull your right rein to the left.

Answer 10

Let me just say a few things. If I was you and my trainer took my horse from me and started to untack him/her I would be FUMING! You have the right to decide whether or not you want todo the second class and you have the right to decide when you want to show again, if you want to show again. And you have the righ tot untack your horse when you want to untack him/her. Your trainer should not have acted that way.

sorry I don't know what to tell you about keeping him inline at a right lead canter.

Answer 11

Dont worry about your trainer. She should not have done that to you and I can also relate to the same thing its happened to the best of us. But what you should really do to help your horse with his canter so that he wont do that to you is, use a cersingle (or however you spell it) and side reins connected to either a halter or a bridle and just lunge, lunge, lunge that horse and believe me you'll see a difference. If you do that you will see him more rounded and balenced and you wont be afraid anymore.

Answer 12

Shame on your trainer to behave that way.

If you were too shaken to continue, there's nothing wrong with that and there will be plenty of other shows this season to get back into.

Your horse is not balanced- (he's crooked) and he needs to be straight and even in order to remain forward and balanced in the canter.

PS-- If your "trainer's" horse is that crooked-- DEFINITELY time for another trainer because it shows she doesn't know how to train!!!

GET A NEW TRAINER.

Answer 13

you should consider which barn you ride @. A trainer should be encouraging and not so rude. Horses buck because of pain or their just fresh and its her job to make sure the horses are healthy and on a balanced diet. If he was fresh then feed him less grain and exersize him more but remember that any diet changes have to be introduced gradually, if he wasnt fresh then it was because he was in pain so its her job to know that. She should be calling the vet, if she doesnt then speak to the barn owner to see if the vet can come out and have a look @ him/her. Make sure their saddle is fitting and you are using a kind bit such as a full cheek or D ring that is french linked for comfort. Dont let her make you feel like its your fault. You are going to have to learn to make choices for your self especially @ shows if you want to go pro or make it a career. and his lead...again call the vet maybe pain(probably pain)

Answer 14

That is so mean of the teacher!! How dare she do that, if you did it again then you could have knocked your confidence even more, see how she likes it then when you refuse to go to a show at all! I would advise getting a new trainer, she obviosly doesn't respect you and your feelings.

Don't worry about the next show, do what you feel is right - stay calm and remember to breath!!

If you want to keep in line, then get his body straight and squeeze with your inside leg and hand to push him over but keep his body straight at the same time

Answer 15

Your trainer's reaction was wrong.  She has no reason to get so angry over your decision not to compete in the second class.  She was out of line.  If she believed that it was truly in your best interest to ride in the second class, she should have calmly talked about it with you and encouraged you, all the while emphasizing that it is your choice.  Competing at a horse show is supposed to be fun.

As to his issue with the right lead, you need to work him on it in an environment that is not stressful.  A horse show isn't the  place to work on keeping him in line.

Answer 16

I just got back from a clinic with Olympic gold medalist David O'Conner. He said that if you are having a bad day, then its just not your day. Go home, and try again another time. I thought that was pretty good advice.

I don't know who your trainer is, but she was way out of line.

Answer 17

Why would your dad say your out for the season?  And your trainer as all have said was WAY out of line...  I would find another trainer and lease horse.  You got back on after the fall, and weren't comfy to finish that's smart if your nervous he's gonna be more upset, he's already in a bad mood.  You did the right thing and your trainer did not.  Don't understand your dad thou.

Answer 18

Geez, what a dumb &$%^ your trainer is.  If you were sore from a fall (and no one can make that call but you!) then you were absolutely correct to opt out.  It's your body, your show and your (half leased) horse.  Don't worry too much about it.  If a trainer did that to me, boy would I have a few words for them...

If your horse is bucking and you're falling off, then maybe this horse isn't the right fit for you.  A bucker is no fun to ride, and he is not your horse to have retrained, so there's not too much you can do other than grin and bear it and hope you don't get hurt.  Honestly, I suggest a different horse AND a different trainer.  Riding (and showing) are supposed to be about fun and learning, not keeping your fingers crossed that you don't get hurt.

Answer 19

I think your trainer was in the wrong.  You got back on, but opted out of the show due to soreness.  Also,  you need a trainer who will work with you to teach the horse to keep inline at a canter.  Your horse is probably the one not ready for shows if he is not taking the correct lead and is bucking.  So, try to get a better trainer (one who can keep her temper) one who can help you work with your horse on keeping correct lead, and not bucking, and one who can give you confidence instead of taking it away.   Hopefully, you can ask work dad to help you find  a new  trainer, and only go to a show if you want.  I don't think she can pull  you out of shows for the season if you have a different trainer.  If you have a trainer that does not scare you, I think you will do better in the shows anyway.