New Project Horse, Please help :) Options

[Sunny06]

Well, I haven't been getting any answers or comments anywhere else so I'll try here :)

I got a new project horse named Cricket. She is a 5 year old QH mare about 14.3-14 hands. She is totally inexperienced and was originally ridden by a little girl who knew zip about riding.

When I went to test drive her, her reins weren't even connected to the bit correctly, but the bridel itself! So this tells me she hasn't been pulled on her mouth too much. And it shows. She's ridden in a snaffle D ring and is very sensitive. But when you go to stop she hauls to a stop reluctantly and dosen't like to stand still for long. She also just hangs her head idolly when we ride. I'd like her to be balanced and more collected-ish. Another thing is she dosen't like to turn. It's really weird but you have to really crank her head around and I REALLY don't want to inadvertantly effect her already relatively softish mouth.

The other day, just to see what happened, I rode her in a straight bar snaffle and she did maybe even better. Is a straight bar more harsh or less harsh or equivalant to a reg. snaffle?

I'm very pleased to see how responsive and such a QUICK learner she is! 30 minutes in the ring and she was already responding very well to my leg cues (right, left, go, etc).

I really like her. She seems to be very docile and willing to try whatever is in front of her or what I ask her.

So the questions arise:

-I'd like to get her balanced. So how do you get a trotting horse balanced?

-She is iffy turning right as mentioned. Do I just continue to turn her getting her used to flexing? Serpentines, figure 8s, etc?

And hereis a picture of her. My riding was the pitts so I covered myself up entirely. Maybe if I can get some better pics later of us in sync I'll post them ;) I have more.



Here's her head position:



And I haven't officially introduced myself :) I work mostly with gaited horses, so trotting horses are very different to me when compared to gaiteds.

[historyrider]

Well now, that's a first for me. I've never seen anyone blot themselves out of a critic photo before.

I think you've addressed a few of your own questions Sunny. This horse has never likely been ridden correctly, never with legs since being started and even then who knows. She isn't used to being guided effectively. What do you want her to learn and how long do you have?

If you are a good rider and ride a horse using your seat, legs and hands in harmony, then just see what happens with a few rides on her. It sounds like she is really happy understanding what you want. This might be a first for her and she could really be a gem.

I'll check back.

William (historyrider)

[Sunny06]

Well now, that's a first for me. I've never seen anyone blot themselves out of a critic photo before.

Yeah, wasn't kidding when I said it was some bad riding! Chair seat, toes more down than up, piano hands, etc.

What do you want her to learn and how long do you have?

No particular deadline. But somewhat soon. See questions. Those are what she/I needs work on. ;)


She seems to be a gem on the trail, however, I'm training her to be a lesson horse (for our lesson string). We seem to have a big problem with turning and stopping.

This post has been edited by Sunny06: Nov 3 2009, 08:30 PM

[Hibiscus]

Hey Sunny.. Good to see you over here.

[DiluteMe]

Well, the little girl that rode her before... is that the only riders/ training she's ever had?

Because if so you really just need to start like it's a new horse. She doesn't know bit pressure, or what to do with it. She doesn't know seat movements, leg pressure, any of it.

I'd start on the ground and probably stay there more or less until I've gotten good gaits out of her at all speeds. Longe, ground driving, roundpen work. Work on verbal cues so whoa is more of a hearing stop than a physical pull on your mouth stop. She basically doesn't know what that thing in her mouth is there for.

As for her head placement it simply tells me she hasn't got her balance. She's putting her head there at that angle to help herself.

Just needs back to basics and lots more hours on her. Considering she's how she is now I don't think it'll take too long. I mean considering the little girl hauling around on her now really knowing anything and she was kind enough to try and not throw her.

[Sunny06]

Hey Sunny.. Good to see you over here.

Hello! Haven't seen you lately.

[Sunny06]

Well, the little girl that rode her before... is that the only riders/ training she's ever had?

No. They got her when she was 3. She is 5 now.


Thanks, I will continue to work with her this way. I'm determined to train her the RIGHT way, contrary to the old-fashioned gaited way Im used to.

[r_beau]

Well, the little girl that rode her before... is that the only riders/ training she's ever had?

Because if so you really just need to start like it's a new horse. She doesn't know bit pressure, or what to do with it. She doesn't know seat movements, leg pressure, any of it.

I'd start on the ground and probably stay there more or less until I've gotten good gaits out of her at all speeds. Longe, ground driving, roundpen work. Work on verbal cues so whoa is more of a hearing stop than a physical pull on your mouth stop. She basically doesn't know what that thing in her mouth is there for.

As for her head placement it simply tells me she hasn't got her balance. She's putting her head there at that angle to help herself.

Just needs back to basics and lots more hours on her. Considering she's how she is now I don't think it'll take too long. I mean considering the little girl hauling around on her now really knowing anything and she was kind enough to try and not throw her.

I completely agree.

There is nothing wrong with treating this horse as if she is a clean slate and doesn't know a saddle from a hay bale.

Start working with her on the ground. Learn how she moves; how she learns, how she responds. Ask her to collect on the lunge line before you can ever expect her to collect under the saddle.

If she has truly been trained a bit, you should be back to riding her in no time; even by starting her from scratch. But if you aren't, then it was a big red flag that she was NOT ready to be riding in the first place.

So yea, start from SQUARE ONE. Then move on.

[Sunny06]

I would like some pointers or exercises for turning and whoaing. Know any?