Kentucky Mountain Horses

[ducks4you]

Anybody else on the forum own these, besides me?

 

[Karrie13]

I think they are beautiful and plan to own one someday, right now I am down to just one quarter horse. Do you have any pictures of yours?

 

[gaited horse]

I have one

 

[Chicks_N_Horses]

I have QHs - I have never even seen one of those in person - just on the web and magazines.


ah hemm Where are your pics???? We want pics!!

 

[ducks4you]

Tried to load photos from photobucket, but, sorry, I understand that they are having hacker problems--I'll try tomorrow.

I wanted to know if you gaited horseowners have ever had my problem. (With apologies to 4hooves&featheredfriends, who I've already PM's about this,) I have been contacting STRANGERS on the web--my mamma warned me about strangers!!!. Suffice to say, they are more interested in selling me a book than discussing my horse training. Here goes:

I have recently purchased a 3 yr. old Kentucky Mountain Horse gelding. I bought him because I had bought (last year) and love an 11 year old mare, same breed. At 3, this 16'3hh colt has been sold by the breeder, trained by a trainer, not the 2nd owner, bought back, then sold to me (3rd owner.) He is definitely green-broke. The breeder rode him with a wonderbit. I have never used one. My training was hunter-jumper, and I have retrained many of my horses, and broken only two, ALL beginning with either an egg-butt snaffle, D-ring snaffle, full-cheek snaffle, or Dr. Bristol full-cheek. However, (despite owning several finished gaited horses), I have never broken a gaited horse. The fact that this horse flexes so easily flies in the face of what I am used to. When we are not trail-riding--what he currently does best--he chews and focuses on the bit until we've been working for about 1/2 hour. I recently discovered that he knows how to lunge--the breeder suggested that he would be bored lunging---BUT I intend to lunge him under saddle for 30 minutes before I ride again to relax him.

I ride my mare with a curb and can control her with my fingers, because she is so light, so I know that they are training this breed to be sensitive and to bend around your leg, as she does.

I found the following, which suggests to me that retraining to a snaffle would correct his problems.
http://www.gaitedhorses.net/Articles/Contact/Contact.shtml

What bit would you suggest I use? An comments would be helpful because I am frustrated. Thanks so much!-Betty Dedman

Answer:
Hi Betty, for myself, I would take this horse out of a bit totally and restart him with a sidepull or rope halter (in a safe place, of course).

Some of these gaited horses have very low palates and not much room in the mouth. Also, they need not carry their heads (or have their heads "set") like dressage horses. They need the use of their heads and necks, especially youngsters for balance.

Too much restriction from the hands or bit at a young age will build in resistance and stiffness.

Judy

AGREED. What kind of bit should I try AFTER I retrain to halt, walk-on and (since I've begin to train him to park), park?

I should add that my farrier, who is also a trainer, put 30 minutes on him(last Friday), and he was safe for him. I have had had some issues since I've been thrown 4 times over the last few years from unmanageable horses. He's affectionate and safe on the ground.

Please, horse trainers, give me some advice. I want to keep him 'cause my DH needs a tall horse.
THANKS!!!

 

[ducks4you]

Fine!! here's a few pics--give ya more later AFTER I get my answers!!

My 11 yr old mare, "Moon Eyes", (Reg. Cindy's Warren) in the Black Hills, June, 2009

"Trogdor, Jr." (Reg. Long Arm of the Law)--Ironic, that, since DH is an Attorney

Trogdor, Jr., phoro #2--both taken in the Black Hills, June, 2009
I'll get you better ones, later.
**ducks4you points duck-tommy gun to procure responses**

 

[Chickerdoodle13]

Beautiful horses!

As for the bit question, I think I would definitely switch him to a very mild snaffle bit, especially if he is so sensitive in the mouth. Typically the bit should just be used for a little bit of extra contact, but a well trained horse should rely more on leg pressure and body movements.

I switched over to a snaffle after years of using a tom thumb. I didn't realize how horrible of bit a tom thumb really was for a horse until I started to research. I don't have any true gaited horses (Although I have a mix who likes to do a running walk) and he has a super sensitive mouth. The only reason I keep a bit in this horse is so I feel safe, but he would probably ride fine in a halter. He seems to tolerate a snaffle bit very well though. I'm not so knowledgeable about the subtle differences in the snaffles, so I can't suggest which one to use for your purpose. We actually have a few different ones here and they all seem to work about the same. I haven't found my horses to prefer one over the other.

Lunging for that purpose sounds fine to me. Some horses need some light activity before a ride to get them nice and relaxed. Based upon the advice of someone on this forum and backyard herds, I've been trotting my mare around in circles to get her to slow down. These repetitive circles really do work. I've seen her relax and slow down and I think some horses need this. Now I usually don't lunge my horse, but I do have a round pen that I work them in before riding. I do this mostly for respect training, but it calms them as well and I can usually judge their mood before getting on the horse's back.

You might want to check out backyard herds. We have some very knowledgeable horse people there and they may be able to help you out better than I can. Hopefully I was able to help you out a little bit!

 

[gaited horse]

Mine has been so abused trained he needs alot of self asteam

 

[ducks4you]

Thanks, Chickerdoodle13
She is BY FAR the best mare I have ever owned.
Re: using a Tom Thumb, I can't get my head around it's advantage, but what did have you discovered about this bit? It seems as if i have seen it used more and more, but I have never used one. Where in their mouth does it hurt them?...curious...