'Show Off!'

I was fishing through an old pony magazine when I saw an advert for an Arab Anglo. She was 16hh and a stunning grey. She loved XC, SJ and even entered Working Hunter classes. I was only a novice rider but I wanted a horse much bigger and better than anyone else's in the yard. I showed my parents the advert and they agreed to phone up the horses owners. Mum said we could look at her to see if she was suitable.

A week later and she was all mine!! I had promised to pay for feed, rugs and things horses often needed. I had tried her out and she was as good as gold. At the yard it took a long time for her to settle in the field. At first she charged round the field, bucking, galloping and even biting the other horses. When I got on her it was even worse. I rode her in walk and trot and she broke into canter without myself even asking her to. My friends suggested I should get a qualified instructor to help me but I said I could handle her pretty well. My mare just ignored me and got worse and worse until I was too scared to ride her. 

Then came the show. It was only a week away and I had to practice-fast. I steadied my mare and rode her better than ever until the show. She went hyperactive and reared, tanking off with me. Before we even entered the jumping class my mare was in a good sweat. At the first fence she spooked so I had to ride her at it again. She jumped it the second time and threw me at the second. I thought I was OK so I made to get up until my horse knelt down and rolled over my leg. I was in hospital for weeks and my parents came to visit me. One day my mum said to me: "Your horse is too much for you. Look what she's done. Don't you think she's better off with someone else?" It took me a long time to think about it but I realized I was just a big show off when I couldn't even manage my own horse. My mare is now settled in a good competing home where someone really has got the time and patience to look after her. 

By Anna Sterrett  starfiisch@hotmail.com

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