RE: little horse TOUGH MOUTH

[sungoldens <sungold@ionet.net>]

<lurk mode /off>...  I have always found it's a great thing to teach
them "whoa" from the ground before ever getting on their back.  That way
you have the "verbal" reinforcement along with your cues as referenced
by Heidi.  <lurk mode /on>

Cheers!
Susan and the Sundance Gang

> Tough mouths are developed when people try to stop horses simply by pulling
> back.  To get a horse to stop properly, he needs to shift his weight onto his
> rear legs.  To accomplish this, the rider needs to sit firmly down, use the
> legs to cause the horse to drive the rear legs up underneath himself, and use
> the bit only as a barrier to forward progress, not as something to cause the
> stop in the first place.  Imagine that the bit is remaining in one place as
> you drive the horse onto it from the rear.  This may take some practice, and
> if you have difficulty visualizing it, you may need some help from someone who
> understands how this is done.  Someone correct me if I am wrong--I have not
> been to a Donna Snyder-Smith clinic, but I understand that she is very good at
> explaining this.  If so, you might want to consider attending next time she is
> in your area....
>
> Heidi
>