Feeling like an epic fail.. or young horse blues

[pippa553]

So I'm feeling like crap tonight. I have a four year old who recently came back to me from being backed. The second time I rode him he went for about 5 minutes at the trot and then would not budge, like a mule. I figured I needed to do more ground work and get a him forward, maybe instill some stronger voice commands, etc.. (My background has always been with forward tb's so this balkiness is very new to me). Tonight I was working him at the canter on the lunge and he lost balance and fell. He wouldn't move at all after he got up. I'm pretty sure he was shook up and a bit scared. I try to start lunging again but he won't budge. So I tell him it's ok and start leading him in the circle to try and get him lunging. He walks ok but as soon as I let him go into his own circle he stops again and turns into me. I point the lunge and his hip and ask firmer but he just won't give me enough space. So I switch directions and he's like "ok, I can do this side", and does it well. So I switch back to the fall direction and he won't leave me again. I feel like it's probably bad to end this way so I just start cracking the whip to get him out there. I really had to go after him, wave my arms, what not. He finally did go out, did WTC transitions once and when finished I gave him a lot of praise, but he still seemed mentally off.
I can't help but wonder if I'm going about this all wrong and giving him a bad taste of riding. I don't have a lot of young horse experience but I've been riding for over 20 years. Thought please. Thanks.
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[BigRuss1996]

What was his training routine where you sent him to be started? Have you called that trainer to ask what you might be doing differently? What breed is he?
He may be either confused (you are doing something diffently then how he was recently taught), he may just have the non TB baby stubborns (some other breeds can be quite stubborn....not in a mean way), or he could just be testing you...babies will do this with new people.

[LeightonFarm]

From your description it sounds like something is bothering him on that side, especially since he fell going that direction. Even something like being cast or kicked, when you didn't see it, that caused soreness on that side. Then there's the epm, lymes route. It doesn't necessarily mean he'd show obvious lameness. Good luck, but don't feel like crap, horses are made to drive us crazy, but we love them just the same.

[meupatdoes]

Hopefully you have already done this, but if you have not already I would have the fit of the saddle evaluated by a pro fitter, with the flocking adjusted to suit him.

While EVERY horse should have a saddle that fits him, it is especially important for one who is just learning.

[Eventer55]

Did you talk to the person who backed him for you? That would be a start and maybe you can work with the trainer for a few days to get a feel for what they did and how they did it.

No one should feel bad about trying to do the right thing and it sounds like you're trying to do the right thing. Remember everyone takes lessons even olympic riders! It's the ones that don't take lessons that are scary.