|
|
 Veteran
Posts: 290
 
| Any other suggestions other than tying around? She flexes great to the left. Soft and walks a circle. To the right she keeps her neck straight and just crosses over. |
|
| |
|
 Expert
Posts: 2457
| Hold her in the flex until she gives you her face and stops moving. Be prepared for her to lean on you, pull on you, and act like an idiot until she does what you are asking and you can release the pressure. Once she does what you are asking, release the hold in a big way - throw away the rein/ drop the lead rope/etc -
Remember, horses learn from the release of pressure. So, if you drop it too soon, she will in turn become more stiff.
This article explains it better than I did and it has PICTURES :)
http://myhorse.com/blogs/horse-trainers/clinton-anderson/neck-flex-...
Good Luck!! |
|
| |
|
  Neat Freak
Posts: 11216
 
Location: Wonderful Wyoming | My gelding did something similar and he had a wolf tooth up top on just that side. |
|
| |
|
 Twin Sister to Queen Boobie
Posts: 13315
Location: East Tennessee but who knows?! | The first thing I do is a whole lot of flexing - if I have to pull to get their head around, they're not light enough. I want to just pick up, not pull. So I do a whole lot of flexing and following that feel before I do anything else.
Another thing I do is use inside leg for them to bend around and outside leg to keep them moving forward. If you use too much outside leg, they'll start to stiffen up. Too much inside leg, they'll drift out. I use my reins the same way -- Inside rein to keep the shoulder up & lead the nose, outside rein as a boundry.
If one is super stiff like this, I'll work them from the ground and use a whip with a small flag on the end of it.
I'll ask them to walk forward with their nose tipped to the inside and I'll use the whip right behind the shoulder to keep them bent through their body but still moving forward. I start out at a walk close up and then as they get a lot better, I'll let them further out and bump it up to a trot & then a canter.
To me, it's easier and quicker to see what they're doing from the ground. The better they get on the ground, the easier it becomes for them under saddle.
I also do a lot of lateral work to free up the shoulders & the hips and get them moving a little lighter. I do that from the ground & from the saddle. |
|
| |
|
Extreme Veteran
Posts: 330
| Fairweather - 2014-09-04 2:22 PM
The first thing I do is a whole lot of flexing - if I have to pull to get their head around, they're not light enough. I want to just pick up, not pull. So I do a whole lot of flexing and following that feel before I do anything else.
Another thing I do is use inside leg for them to bend around and outside leg to keep them moving forward. If you use too much outside leg, they'll start to stiffen up. Too much inside leg, they'll drift out. I use my reins the same way -- Inside rein to keep the shoulder up & lead the nose, outside rein as a boundry.
If one is super stiff like this, I'll work them from the ground and use a whip with a small flag on the end of it.
I'll ask them to walk forward with their nose tipped to the inside and I'll use the whip right behind the shoulder to keep them bent through their body but still moving forward. I start out at a walk close up and then as they get a lot better, I'll let them further out and bump it up to a trot & then a canter.
To me, it's easier and quicker to see what they're doing from the ground. The better they get on the ground, the easier it becomes for them under saddle.
I also do a lot of lateral work to free up the shoulders & the hips and get them moving a little lighter. I do that from the ground & from the saddle.
^This.
And please don't just tie her head around. That doesn't teach her anything. She needs to learn to be soft to your hands, not just stand with her nose tied around. |
|
| |
|
Veteran
Posts: 290
| I haven't tied her around. I've used that on my older horses. I started on the ground with her again yesterday. Calling to have her teeth checked. She was said to previously been tied around and ridden in a germane martingale but only had three rides? Guess I don't add any extra things till they know directions |
|
| |
|
 Born not Made
Posts: 2931
Location: North Dakota | The FIRST thing I would do is have a dental check and a chiro check. You have to make sure there isn't a physical issue that is causing her to be stiff.
THEN I would do what fairweather suggested.
Don't tie around. It gives the horse ZERO feedback about how to "give" when you don't have anyone on the other end of the line.
|
|
| |
|
 Ditch the Stirrups
Posts: 5369
Location: Sorrow Not! Defending against workplace bullies | I use treats. Keep a few in my pocket and hold one just out of reach. If they can flex for a treat it is not a medical issue. |
|
| |
Folks on-line