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| Discussion on Bit Problems | |
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Posted on Friday, Aug 11, 2000 - 4:55 pm: Hi Kandi I am assuming that since you say both you and your husband are inexperienced riders and you bought this horse to start riding that in most respects he is well-behaved. With that in mind ... From what you've described, it sounds as if he's leaning on you (usually called "on the forehand") all the time. A lot of time when you're just starting to ride, your first response when he leans on you is to pull back. The same with the stop, you use too much hand and not enough body to ask him to stop. Keep in mind that your hands are your weakest aid. The only thing your hands normally control are the horse's face. The rest of his body should be controlled with your leg and seat. Have you ever tried to turn your horse (or watched someone else do this) ... you have his head cranked around in the direction you want to go, but his body is still travelling in the direction he wants to go? It's a good example of trying to control with hands rather than leg and seat. Next, remember that horses are like Volkswagons ... the engines are in the back In order to get your horse to stop leaning on you, you need to get him to start pushing with his back end rather than pulling with his front end. With that said, if your horse doesn't understand voice commands, that is the first thing I'd teach him. Voice commands can be invaluable once you climb back on. Next, start with walk-halt. When first trying to learn a good halt, I like to do it in three pieces: 1) Settle your weight down into the saddle and lean slightly back (about 5 degrees) (This is preparatory. Your horse will learn that when he feels your weight shift down and back, you're about to ask him to downshift in some way and he will start to prepare, too). 2) Set your hand and gave a slight squeeze with your leg (yes, I really mean a squeeze ... about 2-3 pounds of pressure). By setting your hand, I don't mean pull back ... I mean you firm it up, so your hand and arm become like a wall. Also, you should have light contact with his mouth (5 pounds or less). The slight squeeze with your leg should take your engine (the back end) and push it into the wall (your hand and arm), so, in essence, the horse's back end pushes his front end into the bit and he stops himself. 3) As you set your hand and give the slight squeeze with your leg, use your voice and tell him to Whoa (or whatever word you decide to use ). Whatever you say should be one syllable and very definite. Eventually, you shouldn't have to use your voice. If he doesn't stop, squeeze your hands and as a last resort, pull back, but when you pull back try not to pull back steadily with both hands. I like to tell people to "milk the cow". It's an alternating squeeze with your hands that helps to relax his jaw and prevent that hard-jawed, nose in the air response you might get if he is resistent. Once ya'll have the walk-halt nailed, move on to the trot-walk. Same approach. As a starting rider, getting him off his forehand may be pretty tough for you. (I know it was for me(grin)). You're still worrying about your own balance and now you're trying to help him with his, too. What needs to be done is to get him to engage his back end and carry his weight in the back rather than the front. To do this, you need to set your hand and push with your leg and seat to encourage him to reach up father with his back legs. As he starts to bring up the right rear, you use a little right leg pressure ... left rear, left leg. If your husband can watch from the ground, what he should see when it works is the toe of horse's hind hoof prints will be in front of the front hoof prints ... and when he's really working, the entire back hoofprint will be in front of the front. From his back, you should feel the bridle get lighter and all of a sudden you'll feel like your horse has 10x the power he did before. It's very cool when it happens . Again, start at the walk and as you both gain confidence, move into other gaits. Lastly, if you have access to a trainer, I'd definitely take some lessons. It's so hard to try to do all this on your own ... especially if you're not quite sure what's right and what's wrong. Anyway, hope this is of some help. Good luck! Nancy |
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