I could use some feedback.

[amby]

Alrighty, the last few weeks with Casper have been like a roller coaster! Some days (like today) ARE GREAT!! Then some like yesterday are ok, and some are just horrible. I feel like I am going in circles. Yesterday, my trainer even said that Casper doesn't trust me, b/c she had his head and he jumped when I touched his neck. This is a horse who comes when I call, follows me freely off the lead, will let me lead him up to scary things (except trash bags), worked freely with side reins (for the 2nd time) today, and who nickers and looks for me as soon as I drive up or walk into the barn. Is that not trust and a bond???
She and my other trainer both agree that my horse should belong to a professional. But how do you become a professional? By working with difficult horses?? Then maybe I am working on an accelerated track but I'm willing to work hard.
Julie (lady who doesn't like my horse) even said today that I am an amazing person to have stuck with him so long, but she (as well as my parents) don't want me to sink more time and money into a horse who won't amount to what I want him to. She says it shouldn't be this hard, I have worked harder then anyone, and I shouldn't have to. But nothing worthwhile is ever easy, is it?

On a happy note, Monday, my trainer said Casper moved beautifully and even chooses and English trot. So if he looks like an english horse, acts like an english horse, and LOVES the english tack (maybe not the side reins so much), why can't he amount to a nice Dressage horse.

So gals and guys, what do you think? Is he too sensitive and complicated for me? If I stick it out should it work? And if he was yours what would you do? (minus a month of pro training at 800 a month) I just don't have that (in fact we're trying to get enough for side reins and a bridle ) so we can quit borrowing stuff.

Thanks for the feedback.

[horsewoman1965]

My only suggestion is this, follow your heart. If you feel he's worth it, then keep him. Everyone has bad days. And $800 a month for a trainer??? I hope for that price they are some kind of world champion! Multiple at that. Also, just because they get results with him doesn't mean you will get the same results.
If he doesn't trust you, what are you doing? Are you sending him mixed signals? Approach him slower and don't look him in the eye and see how he responds. Calm, quiet, and slow. And make sure that you are taking nice slow deep breaths ( you know keep yourself calm).Try that for a start and let us know how he responds.
You can e-mail me if you want. I can give you a list of books or videos to help you along.

[chrystalpaths]

Casper has some issues of trust. I only get that briefly from glancing at his pic in your sig. How long have you owned him?

[amby]

I have had him since June 06. Those pics were taken in May (on Graduation Day) and the day after his accident in June (middle pic).

[amby]

Girls we had the BEST lesson today (just me and him). I had groomed and tacked him and we were walking to the arena and I heard him sigh. After that we started walking it was the first time we have ever walked for ten minutes with out trying to go up gaits. Then we did a bit of trot work, he started to feel his oats and tried to move up, but came back down. Then I put the side reins on him and it was PERFECT. He really put his head down and leaned into the bit. I was SOOOOO excited. (On the inside only) The trainer said I should work hard to not show my emotions on the outside. Its getting better.
I love him so much, I don't think he'll be going anywhere anytime soon (like in the next 30 years) He's my baby, and through God's grace it will stay that way.

[ClevengerPaints]

Keep him, unless he turns out to be to dangerous and you get hurt. He is your horse your decision if your happy with him then keep him. Others may not like him but that is just an opinion. Its best to stick to one horse and grow with them over the years you will become a team. I might suggest getting a diffrent trainer.. 800 a month is rediculous unless that includes like OUTSTANDING board and lessons and 30 days of ACTUAL riding time. I am a "trainer" I take outside horses by no means am I a profressional just have been there done that and am a coygirl. I only charge 250 a month and my clients are very satisified with the training and care there horses receive. Keep your chin up no one has perfect days every day with there horse. I have a filly I have had for 2 years I have done all the training she has sat more than I have ridden her though.. well I have decided to sell her and get a broodmare to ad to my broodmare band instead. I have good days with this filly and bad days with her we but heads at times but we love each other and get along and are a team when it counts. Not every horse is perfect. Just love him and do what works well for you both! Hope this helps..

[traceyclydeowner]

i have seen this so many times and i have personally read some of the posts from this thread and some others that you had ..this is my take on this..some horse are just not cut out for what it is we think they should be...i know from personal experience not every horse dreams to be what us as owners want them to be..it's not in their make up,but stillwe insist apon pushing them to the point that they either stop responding or start to resent us and our efforts..sometimes they just need a well deserved break from the rigorous daily workouts the boredom of the lessons and the great physical demands of their body..maybe somethin hurts ,maybe they are just tired ,maybe they just don't want to do it and are being forced to the point it is breaking their spirit...so i say if you love this horse and it sounds like you do so much,how bout just gettin back to the basics..go see him ,break up the monotony and go for a trail ride or better yet go on a long quiet walk without the bit and for godsakes without the trainer..get back to the basics of your love and relationship...maybe he does mistrust you for putting him in the trainers hands...but you have the ability to take control and make the decisions he relies on you for...and you know what horse do not understand being good and bad they understand easy and hard and for the most part just try to please ..so think about that phrase..i read somewhere horse instincts are so in tune that they can pick up signals of energy up to 600 yards away,that is how they have survived and they know your mood and attitude before you ever even step in that barn and if they sense stress it makes them nervous and a bit cautious of yor intent so next time you enter the barn take a deep breath and exhale go to the stall give a long hug and go for a trail ride...after all when you were a small girl isn't that all you really knew about ridin was just go out and enjoy the outdoors..no collection,no trainin aids,and no round pen or arena..try it for a few weeks i guarantee you will have a whole new horse...

[Dianne(GodMommy2Max)]

WQow i just read your post and you remind me of the other day when I Had the statevet out to look at Sir in order to get his Halter off (which they did NOT help with) i had to go it along after a month of trying!Sir is a rescue who for 5 yrs went from a home that a person chased him daily with a 4 wheeler and then to a home where a lady put his first halter on knew it was to small but left it I got him in Jan . when the state vet seen him she told me " your in over your head" , "hes a lot of horse" .... "I have 30 yrs experiance and wouldnt attempt trainning him" .. BUt Sirs been with me a month i have rubbed his nose Kissed his nose lunged him and yes even got the dang halter off when no VET no RESCUE no one would help me sedate him they all said hes wild and dangerous! I say what i did to the state vet.. NEVER under estimate a horses Spirit and will .. If your asking a horse to do something and he panics maybe you asked him the wrong way maybe he got signals confused maybe he just didnt fully understand what you wanted him to do .
I WILL NOT give up on Sir. i just wont take traceys advise for ge the trainners and all Some people still see Horse for money reasons only they see them as wild and there for they MUST need someone more profession so that we can force them into what they arent. Horses are horse and We can oush and pull and guide and plead and beg but we must accept as Humans we can GENTEL a horse we can not BREAK a horse unless you want to be violent about it, Please ditch your trainers and let him be what he is a horse and you be what you are a careing gentel person who hasnt given up
We are human we all want to change something intot what we want what we see what we think , But if i took my autistic son out and told him YOU MUST BE NORMAL NOW, you must interact this way, you must speak how I think you should ... all hell would break lose tantrums would starts and I WOULD LOSE .
Now with all that rambling note I HAVENT SLEPT IN DAYS SO IF IT MAKES NO SENSE>>> my neighbour wrote it blame her! hahaha

[amby]

Ok, I think I gave the wrong impression of what Casper and I are doing and about our trainer.
1. Currently, Casper is not safe to be ridden. He freaks out and runs off. He does not like to be ridden outside, because our barn is dropped in the middle of the city and the only time you can't see the cars is when you are in his acre pasture on the hill. And that pasture is boarded by houses. He was never properly trained, he was given 30 days by a very rough trainer as a two year old, and was sporadically trail ridden after that. This horse feels that he is the only one he can trust, and has even lost confidence in his own abilities. The extensive ground work we are doing is gradually building his confidence and building a rythm. I am not trying to make him into anything. He has shown a trot before, seems to pick one instead of his gait infact. If you saw him in the pasture two months ago he had a very ill timed trot. After the work (which he enjoys, loves to get tacked up and lunged) his at liberty trot is much better timed and much more fluid. This is thanks to my second point:
2 I have a wonderful trainer. She understands my horse for the uptight, sensitive, problem child he is. She understands me for the wound up, underexperienced stress ball I am. Yet she continually comes out to the barn for an hour every two weeks for a very MINIMAL charge to help me learn to train my horse. All that she said on Monday was that it would be GREAT if he belonged to a professional or if he could go to her place for a month to be put into full training at her barn. She currently does not have the space for him and I don't have the extra money so the point is nil. However this lady is WONDERFUL, she is calm, patient, and VERY knowledgable. To quote her "He can do dressage if HE wants to, and we can jump him if HE wants to, other wise you can do trails." You have to understand that this is a woman who retired a $30,000 horse (wonderful warmblood, FEI trained, competitive dressage trained animal) to be a pasture buddy/light trail horse, because he didn't LIKE the show atmosphere. We are not FORCING casper into a mold he doesn't fit. He LOVES to be pampered, reaches for his blanket when it is hung up, leans into the brushes and the scrathces and the hugs and the kisses, and reaches for his English saddle. Casper is a very content very healthy boy who is being helped by myself and my fabulous trainer.
I will not get rid of her. For $70 a month, which is what I pay her (35 a lesson) she is willing to work with me twice a month and respond to email questions all the time. She has also agreed to let me come watch her train her horses. She sees potential in him and I as a team that God has placed there despite what circumstances there are. She has agreed to basically teach me to train my horse because I LOVE HIM and don't want him to move to another home. However she also keeps my feet on the ground and lets me know HOW hard and HOw long this could be.
I do appreciate the kind words, and I agree that a few great trail rides would be nice, but going bitless on a horse with no breaks who is spooky, in my area is dangerous, and right now this horse HATES a western saddle, I am a very inexperienced english rider, and he is too confused right now to be ridden.
I am VERY SORRY if I gave the wrong impression of my trainer, she is WONDERFUL.

[lilpondarosamini]

Have you ever thought about using the Parelli 7games on him. I have found its not a bunch of junk and truly works. I have seen first hand how it works and anyone cam use the techniques he has and learn alot about their horse. I believe you can go far with Casper if you go back to the basics and make it fun for him as well as yourself. Horses love to play and learn when we learn how they play first.

[smid2]

Based on my experience, I'd say stick with him. My horse wasn't the easiest horse to work with when I first started with her. Our first ride we spent more time going sideways and backwards then forward. People at the barn thought I was nuts to lease her, and at first I thought they might have been right. Now she's mine and I wouldn't part with her for all the money in the world. She's made leaps and bounds worth of progress and now I'm looking forward to a summer of showing those people at the barn just what we're made of. And don't let people look down on you because you don't have the experience they think you need. The funny thing is that the only way you'll GET the experience is by working with difficult horses. The horse that steals your heart is worth all the effort in the world. People give up on horses too quickly sometimes because they can't throw them on a trailer and haul them to all the shows in the area. Kudos to you for following your heart and sticking with Casper. It may be a hard road, but I think you'll be thrilled with the end result. Just give him time. Sometimes that's the best healer. Also, ask your trainer if maybe you can take a lesson every once in a while on one of her horses. That way you'll have some time to work on your skills as an English rider while still working with Casper. It may give you some idea as to what needs to be done next with your horse as well.

[horsewoman1965]

Riding lessons for you on differant horses is an EXCELLANT! suggestion.

[amby]

Yes it is, I have been riding one of the horses that belong to the college. I ride ok in western and am practicing my english seat

[horsewoman1965]

Ride as many differant "lesson" horses as possible. English or western, just get some more experiance under your belt.

[traceyclydeowner]

nothin said about the trainer and i wasn't talkin about riding i was talking about taking a nice quiet walk without sadle without bridle..i was talkin a lead rope and halter.walking beside the horse and taking in the surroundings ...just a quiet walk and if he can not deal with the surroundings away from the barn how bout a walk around the barn...get back to you and your horse.no stress no wrong way...