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  Discussion on Can't Stop!
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Posted on Sunday, Apr 29, 2001 - 3:51 pm:

Can't stop HER with a bit!
I have a 5 year old mare who hasn't been ridden in
2 years.. I took her to a round pen with a bit for control. She didn't respond to it at all
other than opening her mouth wide open when I would pull back on the reins. What should the next attempt be? A snaffle or hackamore? She didn't act up as far as bucking or rearing, just couldn't rein her or stop her. Thanks, Christi

Posted on Sunday, Apr 29, 2001 - 5:21 pm:

Hi, Wesley,

First of all, what do you mean "a bit for control?" What bit was she ridden in two years ago, and did she respond well to it? Secondly, where were you doing your riding? If you were on the trail, in the spring, on a horse that hasn't been ridden for two years, you might expect to have an excited horse. If the horse was opening her mouth on the bit when you "pulled back on the reins," she was trying to avoid the pain of the pressure in her mouth. As you may know, a horse can run away with his chin on his chest or with his head stretched out against the pressure of the pull on the bit. I am going to assume that you may be using a curb bit. If the mare is not responding to any bit pressure (and ideally, you want to use the least amount of pressure possible; as Dominique Barbier says, you want only to "feel the weight of the reins in your hands," not the weight of a horse's pulling on the bit.) I would suggest trying a medium size snaffle, a fullcheek or large ring snaffle if her opening her mouth on the bit is a consistent habit, and just using light steady pressure to see if your mare responds to the touch of the pressure on the bars of her mouth and side of her face. As I tell my students when they ask when they can canter, "If you don't have control of your horse's body at the walk, don't even think of trotting or cantering." One sign of advanced horsemanship is communication with and control of the horse's body with the lightest possible cues.

One of the things that has helped me a lot over the last several years is to throw my "plans for riding" out the window, and just try to think from the horse's point of view. If you are dealing with a horse that hasn't been worked with for awhile, the first thing you want to check is, "Does this horse listen to me, focus on me, and obey my cues when I am working with her on the ground?" If she does, then you can move on to trying to work with her from her back, but you may have to work with kindergarten skills at the walk until you are sure she is responding well to your move forward cue and your halt cue. Will she bend her neck on a light touch of the rein? If not, then don't think of being able to turn her at the trot or canter on a trail ride. You will want to start with baby steps. If she has already been through all the schooling, it will not take her long to "remember" the cues. It is very important that YOU know how to ask for each response from your horse. You must be consistent, patient and know when you have gotten the correct response; if you ask for something simple, don't give up until you get it. Your entire ride one day may be just getting your horse to always respond to a turn cue at the walk 100% of the time. That can leave you and your horse with a wonderful, confident feeling, as well as giving the horse the feeling that you both have succeeded. That success of communication will give you both more confidence for the next time you work together. {If you can get a horse to turn on cue, and keep turning and moving forward, you can eventually get the horse to stop.}

Is this mare one that YOU have ridden in the past or is she new to you? Let us know how you two are progressing. All of us who have ridden for any length of time and have worked with a number of horses know the frustration of trying to communicate with one that doesn't want to listen. Find a gentle, confident horseperson in your area, who can share his/her techniques with you and then just work slowly and consistently with your horse. If she doesn't have any physical problems prohibiting her from responding to you, and if you are dedicated to helping her feel calm and confident, I'm certain you will have good success.

Holly
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