----- Original Message -----
Sent: Friday, August 02, 2002 10:05 PM
Subject: [RC] Super-sensitive, young horse
I need some advice...I am currently conditioning a horse for a friend of mine. She seems like she will be a good candidate for competitive trail or endurance because all she wants to do is go, go, go and her gaits are very smooth. We are going to try her in a 25 mile ctr in September. I don't know very much about her background, but she is about 6 and she has had basic training (leading, standing tied, saddling, bridling, carrying a rider, stop, go, turn right, turn left) and that is it. She is very inexperienced on the trail, so I have been taking her out often but for short periods and exposing her to branches touching her flanks, walking through long grass, etc. and she is very, very sensitive. The two main issues are the following:
1) She wants to go and hates being asked to slow down. She responds to a very light touch to stop or slow down about 80% of the time, but is constantly wanting to speed up. Additional pressure on the reins if she does not listen, results in her trying to "plough through" the aids to stop and she goes faster and faster. I think she gets scared about any pressure in her mouth. I do lots of small "pull and release" rather than a steady pull but this does not always work, she still tries to "run away". Some of the trails are narrow and winding with forest all around and she tends to speed up a lot at these times, when she is being asked to go right, left, right...she tries to rush it. And I am very careful about barely touching the reins to tell her to go right or left, but she still rushes and tries to get quicker and quicker.
2) She often "over-responds" to aids. I love a horse that responds to a light touch, but sometimes her reactions are 'drastic'. For example, asking for a right turn with a light touch and she will sometimes do a "lovely but definitely uncalled for" reiner's 180 degree turn. She is very quick on her feet and athletic which is great, but I would like to be able to direct her energy better (and more safely). Another example, is that she wants to take off at any touch on her side or flank area. This includes my leg, heel, branches, etc. She is getting better with the leaves and branches, but she is still super sensitive to my leg. I brushed a mosquito off of my leg and my heel touched her side and she jumped into a run. I am not afraid or anything when I am in an open field, and I can circle her alot out in the open which works well, but the situation can get a little difficult when it is in the woods - I am working on desensitizing her to stuff on her body and flanks (except for leg pressure from my calf), but it will ta ke time of course.
Any suggestions or training ideas would be appreciated. The first time I rode her I tried to work with her on giving to the bit (John Lyons way), but a little touch on the right rein and she makes a sharp right turn rather than move her nose. Any ideas on this also?
Lysane
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