Any Ideas?

[Lyndz]

We are just teaching our boy to lunge, however, we have one small problem in the fact that he won't trot, just sticks his neck out,walks a bit faster and looks at us as if to say what one earth are you doing? We have had him trot once when he was a baby, obviously by making a noise behind him and at the same time asking him to Trrot, or words to that effect, However, once he realised it was me, it was a case of "Oh, your one of mine, you are't going to hurt me!" and stopped. As he was only 10 months ish we didn't pursue it much, which in hindsight was probably the wrong thing to do! We don't really want to bully him into it as we don't want to change how he is! He's known us since he was a week and a half old, so he trusts us with anything! Well done if you've got this far!Any suggestions?

 

[ajn1610]

It is lovely that your horse is comfortable with you but you don't want him to become disrespectful. I'm afraid I think you need to be a bit tougher with him. He must learn to move forward when asked, it is the basis of everything else you will do with him. By getting him focused on you, listening and responsive now you will have a much easier time when you back him later on.
You could try long lining and ground work to help him get the idea but he has got to move when you tell him. You need to make it very clear what your instructions mean, he has no innate understand of "trot" or a leg aid you have to make it black and white for him.

 

[Cop-Pop]

Does he walk and trot in hand ok?

 

[Ezme]

I'm following zalacca's thought here, get him trotting in hand and attatch your "trrot" to it, then have another go on lunge, you may need to get a bit tough with him but give him chance to try to understand

 

[Paint it Lucky]

I would get someone to help by running next to him whilst you lunge him so they trot with him then he might get the idea.

 

[Lyndz]

Thanks guys! We had a bit of a breakthough at the weekend, ended up with me behind, partner in front with the commands and me pushing him along! It was definately a sight! Worked quite well though really, even though not ideal!