Horse Talk

[PeepersMama]

This is Titan.... And he loves making faces!

SO CUTE!!!

 

[ChickenLover200]

Anyone have advice?
Monday I rode my Qh mare and had to really get after her to lope in the round pen. Was the first I got her to lope in the round pen because it feels so small and one side gets really wet, so she trips if I don't keep her at a trot or slower on that side. Thing is, I rode yesterday too and she keeps trying to move while I mount. Also, she starts walking as soon as my rear is in the saddle. And she just takes off at an extended trot, then lope before I tell her to and pulling back, saying "whoa" don't work. The only way to slow her down is do a one rein stop, but then she speeds right back up again. This isn't like her. I've been making her stand still while I mount and stand still once I'm on. Do you think it would help to have someone lead her while I rode to back up my commands? She seems fine on the ground with walkingand most of the time listens to whoa.

 

[Kusanar]

Anyone have advice?
Monday I rode my Qh mare and had to really get after her to lope in the round pen. Was the first I got her to lope in the round pen because it feels so small and one side gets really wet, so she trips if I don't keep her at a trot or slower on that side. Thing is, I rode yesterday too and she keeps trying to move while I mount. Also, she starts walking as soon as my rear is in the saddle. And she just takes off at an extended trot, then lope before I tell her to and pulling back, saying "whoa" don't work. The only way to slow her down is do a one rein stop, but then she speeds right back up again. This isn't like her. I've been making her stand still while I mount and stand still once I'm on. Do you think it would help to have someone lead her while I rode to back up my commands? She seems fine on the ground with walkingand most of the time listens to whoa.

Ok, I'm a Clinton Anderson fan, so most of my advice is going to be slanted toward his method.

Generally horses are lazy creatures, but they move and move fast when pressured. It sounds to me like your mare is feeling "pressured" by something when you are mounting.

If she was mine and I had a round pen, I would do longing for respect with her for a bit to get her attention/respect and get her slightly out of breath so she would like to stand still for a second, then I would tie my reins up somehow (thread them through a breastcollar etc) so they won't get around her legs if I chase her around. I would then go over to her to mount as usual with the reins LOOSE to give her a chance to move, if she moves ONE foot (not to adjust balance but to move), then step back down and drive her off HARD, make her do lots of direction changes and then once she's really wanting to come back in to you, let her and repeat, if you can get a foot in the stirrup and step up without her moving, then don't swing your leg over, just wait a second and step back down, rub on her and let her have a second. Do it again, step up and down a few times and always step down and drive her off if she moves. This will teach her that it is MUCH easier to stand still while you mount than to walk off. Once she is good for that, then flex her around (essentially in a 1 rein stop position at a halt) and step up and all the way on. keep her flexed around with her nose on your toe. If she tries to move, let her spin, she'll stop probably before she makes 3 circles but do not let her straighten her neck out.

You also need to work on your breaks at all 3 gaits if she isn't responding to whoa or you pulling back. To do that, walk her off, sit deep, say whoa and one rein stop (the reason for the 1 rein stop is that a horse cannot brace against it like they can if you pull back with both reins), once she has stopped, hold her flexed until she relaxes her neck and isn't bracing against you, then allow her to straighten and walk off again, go a little ways and 1 rein stop her but flex her the other way, this way you are also limbering up her neck and spine by making her flex both ways. Repeat at all 3 gaits.

The problem with having someone lead you is that it is a crutch, when a horse feels pressure they feel like they have to move, if someone is leading her and she feels that pressure, she will try to move to get away from it, which could be bucking, rearing, or spinning, or even bolting even though someone is leading her. It could make it more dangerous. If you take the time to teach her to stand still on her own and to deal with things on her own, she will be safer to ride.


Does that make ANY sense?

 

[abigalerose]

Any advice for getting the horses not to be buddy sour? They're seperated right now but I have no way to keep them completely apart, they can still come up to each other at the fence. It's making them a pain to work with.
Also I'm selling Reno and think I might sell Indie too

 

[ChickenLover200]

Anyone have advice?

Monday I rode my Qh mare and had to really get after her to lope in the round pen. Was the first I got her to lope in the round pen because it feels so small and one side gets really wet, so she trips if I don't keep her at a trot or slower on that side. Thing is, I rode yesterday too and she keeps trying to move while I mount. Also, she starts walking as soon as my rear is in the saddle. And she just takes off at an extended trot, then lope before I tell her to and pulling back, saying "whoa" don't work. The only way to slow her down is do a one rein stop, but then she speeds right back up again. This isn't like her. I've been making her stand still while I mount and stand still once I'm on. Do you think it would help to have someone lead her while I rode to back up my commands? She seems fine on the ground with walkingand most of the time listens to whoa.

Ok, I'm a Clinton Anderson fan, so most of my advice is going to be slanted toward his method.

Generally horses are lazy creatures, but they move and move fast when pressured. It sounds to me like your mare is feeling "pressured" by something when you are mounting.

If she was mine and I had a round pen, I would do longing for respect with her for a bit to get her attention/respect and get her slightly out of breath so she would like to stand still for a second, then I would tie my reins up somehow (thread them through a breastcollar etc) so they won't get around her legs if I chase her around. I would then go over to her to mount as usual with the reins LOOSE to give her a chance to move, if she moves ONE foot (not to adjust balance but to move), then step back down and drive her off HARD, make her do lots of direction changes and then once she's really wanting to come back in to you, let her and repeat, if you can get a foot in the stirrup and step up without her moving, then don't swing your leg over, just wait a second and step back down, rub on her and let her have a second. Do it again, step up and down a few times and always step down and drive her off if she moves. This will teach her that it is MUCH easier to stand still while you mount than to walk off. Once she is good for that, then flex her around (essentially in a 1 rein stop position at a halt) and step up and all the way on. keep her flexed around with her nose on your toe. If she tries to move, let her spin, she'll stop probably before she makes 3 circles but do not let her straighten her neck out.

You also need to work on your breaks at all 3 gaits if she isn't responding to whoa or you pulling back. To do that, walk her off, sit deep, say whoa and one rein stop (the reason for the 1 rein stop is that a horse cannot brace against it like they can if you pull back with both reins), once she has stopped, hold her flexed until she relaxes her neck and isn't bracing against you, then allow her to straighten and walk off again, go a little ways and 1 rein stop her but flex her the other way, this way you are also limbering up her neck and spine by making her flex both ways. Repeat at all 3 gaits.

The problem with having someone lead you is that it is a crutch, when a horse feels pressure they feel like they have to move, if someone is leading her and she feels that pressure, she will try to move to get away from it, which could be bucking, rearing, or spinning, or even bolting even though someone is leading her. It could make it more dangerous. If you take the time to teach her to stand still on her own and to deal with things on her own, she will be safer to ride.


Does that make ANY sense?

Absolutely! Thanks!

Any advice for getting the horses not to be buddy sour? They're seperated right now but I have no way to keep them completely apart, they can still come up to each other at the fence. It's making them a pain to work with.
Also I'm selling Reno and think I might sell Indie too

Who are Reno and indie?

 

[abigalerose]

@ChickenLover200
Reno

Indie

 

[TheKindaFarmGal]

@ChickenLover200
Reno

Indie

They're so pretty!! Why are you selling (if you don't mind me asking)? :/

 

[abigalerose]

I just wanna focus on my other two, they don't deserve to fall to the back burner

 

[ShrekDawg]

Oh just saw your answer haha sorry

 

[TheKindaFarmGal]

I just wanna focus on my other two, they don't deserve to fall to the back burner

Oh ok, makes sense. It's a shame, though. :/