Charging
Q. I really want to take riding lessons, but I can’t afford it! I’m not very good at riding, but I can saddle bridle and kind of ride a horse western. I will work extremely hard to pay for lessons. I just want to be around horses and learn everything I can!
It’s been icy where I am, and the horse I ride has messed up all his training. He absolutely hates his halter and is biting (or trying to) more and more! If I show my horse’s best bud the halter, he runs out into the field, then runs back and charges us! I need help with both of them!
A. I’m sorry to hear you can’t take riding lessons. It sounds like you really need some professional help with your mount. Visit all the stables in your area that offer riding lessons and let the owners/managers/instructors know you’re willing to work in exchange for lessons. You may just find someone willing to take you up on the offer, particularly if you’re a reliable and hard worker.
I’m not sure what you mean by your horse having messed up his training, and what does being icy have to do with it? I’m very worried about you. You’re clearly overfaced with these horses – first the horse you’re riding, and now his pasture mate. Since I’m not there to see the interaction between you and these horses, I can only guess at what’s going on. I don’t have a clear idea of why your horse is biting at you unless there is some physical reason why he doesn’t want to be ridden. As far as his buddy is concerned, it sounds like he is an alpha personality and is being very possessive of his pasture, your horse, or both. You are in harm’s way, and you’re going to get hurt unless you can lock the other horse out of the pasture while you work with your mount!!! You must not allow yourself to be charged by this horse, and if you can not remove him from the situation, you MUST remove yourself before you get badly injured. A horse who charges a human being must absolutely be taken seriously! You do not have the skills to handle this sort of horse safely, and I most certainly can not give you the necessary skills over the internet. If these horses can not be kept separated, you should not enter the pasture with them AT ALL! PERIOD! I’m sorry to sound so strong about this, but I fear for your safety in this situation. I am amazed the farm owner would allow you to enter a pasture with a horse as potentially dangerous as your mount’s pasture mate. It is a lawsuit in the making.
Please do not allow yourself to get hurt for the sake of spending time with an animal who does not treat you safely. I know you are eager to spend time with horses. I completely understand. I spent my entire youth wanting the same thing and occasionally putting myself in unsafe situations to achieve it. I was lucky. I never got badly hurt. I do not believe you will continue to be so lucky if you keep exposing yourself to these particular horses.
It’s time for you to find a safer and more supervised equestrian environment. As difficult a concept as it is for an enthusiastic young equestrian to accept, please realize that just because someone allows you to spend time with their horse doesn’t mean that the experience will be advantageous … or even safe … for you. Perhaps you should consider, instead, spending your free time doing jobs to earn money for riding lessons so you can learn the skills you need to enjoy horses safely.