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 Elite Veteran
Posts: 889
  
Location: on the fine line between insanity and geniusness | Always remember when you're riding her in a snaffle especially, )horses learn from the RELEASE of pressure. The second she gets soft and comes to your hand LET HER GO. that's why bitting her up will work because she has the opportunity to figure out on her own how to carry her body to release that pressure. So many people think PULL PULL PULL when they want one soft, in that instance- you don't ever reward them for doing what you ask. I used to think draw reins were the answer for everything, until I started watching my fiancé ride colts. His are like butter!! You can move any part of their body with a finger. I then realized the error of my ways before and started soaking up what he did like a sponge. It takes time and the patience of Job, but she will figure out when you pick her up to come into your hands.
Edited by Ashley Lynn 2017-04-26 7:51 AM
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Veteran
Posts: 217
| I have two horses off the track, a Standardbred and a Quarter Horse. I taught both of them to flex while standing, move their hindquarters, and move their shoulders separate. The QH is more flexible than the STB when it came to these exercises.
The STB was far easier to train because she is a very reactive horse. I taught her to drop her head on the ground and once she figured out how to do it with me on her back, she softened right up. I also had to be more exaggerated and think about "opening up my body" to get her to understand how to move her body and relax.
The QH on the other hand sounds like yours. She had a bad case of ulcers, but those are clearing up. She is very laid back and lazy until she gets to lope the pattern or breeze. It has taken a lot longer to teach her to drop her head on the ground and she is finally getting it under saddle. I tried the Five Bit on her last night with a thin twist mouth and that is the softest she has ever felt. Only other two she is alright in is an A Bit, and a Myler with a higher port. I've tried o-rings, hackamores, chain mouth pieces, and she became a dolphin flipping her nose.
Does your mare have a thicker tongue or low palate? Try a different mouth piece?
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 Expert
Posts: 1612
Location: Cocoa, Florida | FLITASTIC - 2017-04-25 2:54 PM
merdth6 - 2017-04-25 12:27 PM
Ok guys thanks for the advice,but this horse is not sore. I've had her looked at  and teeth are done.  She is still learning and the person that broke her out did not teach her how to be soft correctly.  This horse is still new and learning.  She is not sore and no teeth issues.  I have already got her flexing better than when I first bought her but I need more advice.  Horses don't come out of the womb already flexing and soft, at least not all of them and need to be taught.Â
Your so right, and not all humans are built the same so why would we expect ALL HORSES to be built the same, soft, and work a pattern the same. This is why I am a firm believer in guiding a horse to work in a style that fits them. I bought a colt that was started as a cutter. All hind end, not much bend in the front, wants to keep head low like your cutting a cow. I am not going to spend hours and hours and drill after drill making him bend his head back to my knee. No way. He likes to be a little stiff in the neck, thats fine. I will train him to be a push style ( Tons of whoa ) and roll back pretty much. I love that style anyway and he will sure be happier doing it.
This!!!
I have a cutting bred gelding whom rides exactly like yours, head to the ground when exercising, all hind end, very snappy and straight/square as a board. Perfectly capable of bending, flexing, soft in poll but chooses this style and I'm not going to fight it. Problem is, it's not my favorite style and I'm not sure ill ever get with him. He's soooo turny, I ride to the fence in slow work, so if you want him let know lol! But seriously i agree, you cannot change a horses natural style. | |
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Expert
Posts: 1599
| I have a tough mare that I just got that is nervous and stiff- just found out that draw reins are her friend! We've been through all the basics breaking the body parts loose on the ground and in saddle, but she likes the soft pressure of the draw reins. Its a tool, not a crutch, so she won't stay in them forever obviously, but for now they are the way to go! ETA: The pressure should come from your legs driving into the draw reins, not from your hands. The quicker you release when you feel them soften the softer they will get!
I had a friend that had a mare that was wicked fast but you could not touch her face. It took her a couple years, but she's finished 1D horse and def rollback style- my friend doesn't touch her face with inside rein at all. Just check and some outside rein to finish her turn. Not always pretty but she works!
Edited by lopnaround 2017-04-26 4:03 PM
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 Accident Prone
Posts: 22277
 
Location: 100 miles from Nowhere, AR | I'm training one that didn't want his head handled at all when I got him. You touched him, and he would either shake it or jerk it down between his knees and try to stop. Loping a circle, he would lead with his shoulder with his head to the outside--beyond stiff. He just didn't know because no one ever taught him.
First thing I did was get his body right. He's fairly sensitive, so that was easy. I got him moving forward from the rear, bending around my inside leg. The head part was tricky, it took lots of soft give and take with properly timed releases, kicking his butt between his shoulder blades and making him MOVE when he tried to fight. He will still try me just a tad every once in a while when I pressure him or if he's really fresh, but he doesn't ride like the same horse at all.
Gimmicks or bits won't fix this, but good horsemanship and saddle time will.  | |
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