Problem Horse/rider

» jude12 - personality change

Bought a 12 yr. old TB gelding(ex racer & pony horse but stood in field for at least 1year &1/2) in Oct. Came home quiet and sweet. We started flat work w/ my trainer and he did well in lessons. Started jumping training (new for both of us) with xrails and eventually up to 2 ft. He seemed to love jumping (me too). Then one night my trainer had us doing a gymnastic (3 at 1.3 ft) with 2ft poles set to each side of the series to keep horses from running out to the side (it was a group lesson). Sebastian jumped sideways (cleared it) and I came off. I got back up and completed the gymnastic. A few weeks later we came off a xrail and he bolted with me (my fault -i lost position and goosed him with my leg moving back) and i came off. Trainer got on him that time, i was pretty frazzled. Then my trainer had my drop irons on a xrail to fix my position and i leaned forward too much and he took off again and i fell AGAIN. Now, I am so nervous about jumping him. I'm ok on other horses. He has now started demonstrating a bizarre right brain act of backing up very fast, spinning, and wanting to go back to the other horses in lessons. We've had some really scary moments during this and now I'm a nervous wreck. He usually starts out quiet but then goes severely right brain and I can't get him back to me. My riding friends say he looks crazy. My trainer says this behavior is a direct result of my pulling on him a lot when jumping and that he is really mad and frustrated. I dont deny hanging on to him too much, but had been working really hard not to do that (crest release and all). He does the same behavior with her. To make things worse my trainer decided that discipline was needed and rode him for an hour &1/2 after another "episode" with a crop. I know the purpose of a crop and have no problems with appropriate discipline, but Sebastian came in with many welts and 2 cuts, one bleeding, from the "training". I am lost. Do i sell and get a horse i can ride? Do i trust my trainer? Ireally did before this. I've never seen her cruel before. What has happened to us? I truly don't trust Sebastian now, but still love him. HELP!

-- posted by jude12

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