Adjusting to New Horses

Josie: “Hi guys! I am here with Quincy (@baysovergrays123) to talk about some tips for adjusting to new horses. Quincy, can you tell us a little bit about yourself?”

Quincy: “Yes! I am an equestrian youtuber. I own a horse and I half lease another. In May I stopped leasing my heart horse Lasso, and it has been very hard getting used to other horses. They are all slightly different and tough to adjust to. When I found the horse that I am half leasing right now, I knew he would be easier because he felt more like Lasso than any of the other horses. I didn’t have to adjust to him as much as the others.”

Josie: “Can you tell me about your other horse, Quentario?”

Quincy: “After I stopped leasing Lasso, I started trying other horses. I bought a horse called Quentario that I loved, but he was very hard to adjust to after Lasso. He is more of a hunter than an eq horse, and he did not ride like Lasso did. I could hardly sit on him, and it was very frustrating.”

Josie: “Can you tell me how you worked on adjusting to Quentario?”

Quincy: “I have a big problem with overthinking. I think the most helpful tip is that when my brain starts overthinking—like worrying about falling off, chipping, or messing up—I catch myself in that moment and talk myself back into thinking things like: this could be a learning opportunity, I could train my horse through this, or I could even do really well. It’s hard to think like that when you’re stressed, but it always helps.”

Josie: “Are there any other methods you use?”

Quincy: “If I am about to show or about to ride, I picture in my head how I want it to go. It helps me know how to ride and sets me up for success. Horses can feel what you feel, and if you are confident, your horse will be too. You cannot control everything, but you can make the best of the things you can control. I think it just takes time and riding miles to adjust to new horses. You have to believe in them and yourself, and you have to have a lot of patience.”

Josie: “Great! Thank you so much for joining me today and giving such great advice!”

Quincy: “Of course! Thank you for having me!”