Re: starting at a ride

[Lucy Chaplin Trumbull <elsie@calweb.com>]

Tina Hicks wrote:
> 
> ...Tony - who is 13, has been at this for 3 years, has yet 
> to start with the pack and probably never will but who is 
> now sane at the start

Karen Chaton posted a message a few months back (which can
probably be found in the archives) about hand walking one's 
fizzy-brained horse for, if necessary, the first hour of a 
ride. Sound advice.

* * *

On the subject of french snaffles/hackamores/horses pulling -
we've been working extensively on one-rein stops - because
Provo is one of those horses who lures you into hanging onto
his mouth - no matter how much you resolve to stay nice and
light. 

Now, admittedly, at the fun ride we did a few weeks ago, 
these weren't as effective as I'd hoped (he still jigged 
for 13 miles), but I suspect that part of the problem was 
my own tenseness and that, with continued use, he'd
respond well. 

I'm riding him in a full-cheeked double-jointed french 
snaffle (also called a Dr. Bristol) and am very happy - 
but the more I pull, the more he pulls, so the one-rein 
stops really helped break that bad habit/cycle.

(also worth noting, is that if I hang onto his mouth in
that bad habit way, he'd respond in kind with extensive 
head-tossing - quite a good reminder to me: "hey lady - 
you hang onto my mouth, you'll get a bloody nose"

...OK, fair enough... 

...We're both improving as time passes. <g>)
-- 
**************************************************************
Lucy Chaplin Trumbull - elsie@calweb.com
Repotted english person in Sacramento, CA 
http://www.calweb.com/~elsie

with Mouse and Provo
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