Story and a question

I was supposed to be leasing a horse when I moved to NC next month, but I overlooked a tiny but crucial detail, and the barn where the horse is is much farther away than I had anticipated. *sigh* After looking around some more for a better option, I came up with nothing. There were some great opportunities, but they were also so far away. I NEED to be able to ride to keep my sanity. With my husband deploying, I need some sort of outlet to keep me level. Riding will also give me time to focus on myself and my goals. Taking care of the baby and going back to school will keep me busy, but as for calming me down...Not so much.

What I think I'm going to have to do now is to just take lessons. I'll be right outside of Fort Bragg, and on post they have what looks like a gorgeous facility, Smith Lake Riding Stables. They don't have barrel racing instructors, so it's back to English I go, not that I have a problem with that

I've always ridden school horses, and while no matter what horse I rode we always seemed to connect well enough to work together, how do I build a relationship that's strong enough so we excel, with a horse that is ridden by multiple riders every day?

It is possible! Several years ago I used to ride an RS horse who was like a surley teenager - you couldn't get him to do anything, he ignored every aid and did as he pleased. One day I seriously lost my temper with him -complete Red Rage- and I was on the verge of giving him a beating he wouldn't forget
He knew he'd annoyed me and for the rest of the lesson he behaved perfectly -and I hadn't laid a finger on him!

He always knew who I was after that, he'd be sneering at everyone and when he'd see me his head would go down and he'd look like he was going to cry I never did hit him, or do anything cruel to him, I just made him work when I rode him, he was actually a very good horse to ride once you could get him to work for you - his piece de resistance was a damn good half pass!

Another horse that I rode at the same place used to go like a block of wood, he'd walk, trot and canter as per the 'routine' on the lesson and he'd 'stand' on the jumps ... somehow or other I managed to bond with him and he knew who I was when I got on him, his head would come up and he'd prick his ears and go very very nicely for me, and I learnt (after 20 years of riding!) how to get and keep a contact! And I was able to get him to jump without kicking the fence out of the way first!

Well, that's comforting to know that it is possible. I want to be "that" person for the horse, not just another rider that he has to work with. Anybody have any specific suggestions or advice to help create that bond?

Spend as much time with it as possible. Groom it that helps to build a bond I think. I groom mine a lot and that helps to just relax them and makes them want to be with me because they have a pleasant time with me.

Also, once you start riding there they might have the option for leasing.

Equus, I thought about the grooming too. I just hope this school isn't a place that just encourages a quick brush and then just wants you to hop on and go. I also considered asking them if they would allow me to come on non-lessons days to just spend time with him/her, but then I thought about the legalities of it (liability in case of injury, etc.)...

Alwaysbehind, they charge $25 a day to lease their horses...$750 a month, and that's not including lessons, use of their trails, feed and care. I wish I could lease, but no way is that happening at that price.

That is kind of pricey. Is that how much board there is?

Since they have a per day price it sounds like they are more pricing it for people to use a horse for a ride and that is it. Maybe once you are there you will learn that have other options for people who actually lesson/ride there.

Are there any private boarders there that might offer a lower price?

Why not just lease/part board a schoolie or get to know the boarders at the barn and perhaps lease/part board one of them?

The barn I ride at has a few project horses, and it's nice that my coach allows people to kinda pick which they wanna work with. I have no horse of my own yet (time constraints) and to be able to go up and have a horse to myself that I connect with is nice.

Quick question... which sites did you check out?

Try the Sanford area. My sister and her family lived there while at Bragg and my niece had a couple of horses she worked with while there.