Stolen Horse--Man is BACK in jail! - Page 429

It's a bit hard to do at first, but you really are supposed to ride a stock horse more with your seat and your legs than your hands.  This is because when you are working cattle (which is what the horse is bred to do), you need your hands for other things.  In the beginning you use your hands as a reinforcement but you first ask for gait changes and direction changes with your legs and seat, give him a heartbeat to comply, and then only reinforce with your hand.  Eventually you won't need your hands at all.  Ever seen Lynn Palm ride bridle-less?  This is the basis of how that works.  To control speed, you push with your seat for more speed and you lighten your seat to slow down.  It sometimes takes a bit for him to learn the cues, but if you are consistent, he WILL learn them.

HTH


Rusty

I like the pleasant look of a Western rider but one flaw I see too often is the hand is down onto the neck, elbow to wrist downward instead of bent arms in "L" fashion which your fingers holding the reins should be light. Elbows and wrists should be horizontal.

Another flaw I see are the tightly clenched fists. Need to relax those fingers.

RoPo, you do have a good posture and I did notice you had a rough bumps but with time getting used to Max and getting some riding going on him, you should be able to 'move' with the horse.

Hes not bad at all he just needs work and time. To slow the jog, lower the head and stop some of the jarring before you go to artificial aides or anything try this.

A well balanced pleasure horses body works like an accordion. The back end is the power and pushes the horse along the front end collects and contains the power. When the back end is engaged and used for impulsion the gait is smoother and can not only collect better, but extend and also stop and turn much faster. Some horses tend to string out the back end and use the front end to drag themselves along. That makes for a faster, more jarring ride that is harder to get the horse to do anything quickly or smoothly.

When you ask for the jog or trot push the horse forward and help him engage his back end first. This will immediately feel faster but much more powerful. Sit up straight, keep your weight back on your seat bones and your legs under you when you ask the horse to go. Leaning forward and putting your weight on the front end is simply telling to horse to move forward and quickly, not exactly what your looking for. Once the back end is engaged it will feel like the horse is pulling his bum under himself and using it to push himself forward. Then gently and smoothly with your hands use half halts to collect him. A half halt is a smooth steady pull for only a second or two, feels like gently bumping to the horse. While you are still engaging the hind end and using the half halts the picture will look like this.

Push with the seat and legsengage the back endhalf haltjog jog jog.half halt.job jog jog.


It helps to keep a very steady calm voice and especially if the horse is excited talking and telling them easy and slow in a calm gentle voice. When you are not actively using a half halt the reins should be relaxed and smooth with no hanging on or unnecessary contact. With work the horse will drop the head, balance themselves and slow down a bit. Using the bridle only for the half halts and steering totally with your seat and legs also helps a bunch. When you get the impulsion from the back end and the collection and some relaxation from the front end praise the horse wildly. For my old horse anyways also the way to get his attention to work or turn to a new task is a gentle squeeze and a smooth half halt at the same time. To the horse this means drop the head, pay attention, relax and its time to get to work.


Im quite literally 9 months pregnant right now or else I could make you a very detailed video of exactly what Im talking about on my old horse. But I hope my explanation helps you a bit.

ROPO,
I lunge my 16 yr old before riding her, not a bad idea with any horse also warms up their muscles. Riding off your seat and legs will help a lot. What kind of bit are you using? I am no expert but I have changed bits before on a horse and that alone made a huge difference in how they responded to me . I rarely use my hands and am very light when I do. I can ride any of my horses without using my hands at all.

If he is working with that bit, then go with it. I always start any of mine in a ringed snaffle and go from there, of course after they are 5 they have to show in a shanked bit. Like I said before, go out there, do your best and have fun! In the meantime continue to work on him and try to get him moving off you seat and legs, I am sure you both will do fine.

I will probably get bashed for this but ROPO, dont make every engagement with Max a working "DATE" ...go out there and let MAX goof off with you!!!  Let him feel his oats and let him feel you having fun with him feeling his oats.  THEN slow him down and work hiim like you want him to be worked.  When i worked my mares, i usually ran out in the pasture and let them walk or trot or canter or whatever they wanted to do and we just rode the fences.  JUST FOR FUN.  THEN i would bring them down in the flat pasture and ran figure eights on them and started working them like they would in a show ring. 

After the workout for the show ring, i went on another fence check and we walked leisurely no hurry to get anywhere and let them cool down.  Just an idea.  Max has been boarded up without any fun or activity he is WANTING to have fun with someone he loves.  GO FOR IT!!!

That bit is a shanked bit, you are fine.

that bit looks like a Tom thumb bit.

I've always used Argentine bits and had good results but they do pinch the corners so rubber circles would prevent any rubbing or pinching. Its been so long!

The bit you have for him is just fine and glad he is not in a spoon or curb bit yet. I love the spoon and curb bits but getting young horses or green horses to get used to the bit, a snaffle mouthpiece is the way to go.