Home Current News News Archive Shop/Advertise Ridecamp Classified Events Learn/AERC
Endurance.Net Home Ridecamp Archives
ridecamp@endurance.net
[Archives Index]   [Date Index]   [Thread Index]   [Author Index]   [Subject Index]

[RC] re: Affecting horse-Barbara's description - Teresa Van Hove

 So if I'm trying to trot along and he's got his brakes on all 
the time, how do I relax so I can get him to relax.  So far, in 
order to save myself, I've been holding on to his mane for 
balance.  When he's looking for trouble, his trot is 
stiff-legged and upward, rather than relaxed and 
forward.>>>>>>>>>>>


What Steph said was true and Jan's advice on massaging the crest
sounds good too-tho I dont know if I could implement it well
myself.  Plus the advise to sing.  (When Shade is being really silly
I'll sometimes sing 'she'll be spooking down the trail as she
goes...', to the tune of coming round the mountain. I cant carry a
tune in a bucket so I dont sing a lot; but it does help at times.)

I would also add in Barbara's case: instead of trying to get a
faster more forward trot - try getting a collected dressage trot. 
Asking them to bend  -hmmm dont know if thats correct terminology
-but asking for them to swing their right side out away from your
left leg while bending the neck just a bit to the left --yielding to
a left direct rein (alternating sides) is a trick that will often
get them to relax and round their backs and gets rid of the
stiff-legged feel.  Concentrating on getting the bending you want
will also give you a focus other than 'when is he going to hit the
brakes.'  And also I think its easier to stay secure in the saddle
at a lope than at a bouncy trot so perhaps you might want to do more
loping to start instead of trying to get a faster trot -in line with
Jean Wonsers advise.  

I have had good results with horses taking things in stride simply
because I assumed that of course they would take things in stride
--but both my horses will also spook at stuff I never took any
notice of.  With Grey a few are real and many are a game to see if
I'm paying attention/riding centered up there.  With Shade some are
real and some feel like "I wonder if I can get out of working today
if I act real scared and scary" --though this has never worked for
her.  

Cheers,
Teresa and Grey Moun and Shade.

=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=

http://www.endurance.net/ads/seabiscuit.html

Ridecamp is a service of Endurance Net, http://www.endurance.net.
Information, Policy, Disclaimer: http://www.endurance.net/Ridecamp
Subscribe/Unsubscribe http://www.endurance.net/ridecamp/logon.asp

Ride Long and Ride Safe!!

=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=