backing a horse

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zanope

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i am backing my 3 1/2 yr old , we re doing really well but we have trouble moving forward when i dont have someone in the middle of the school with a lunge whip. i dont want to over do the leg, my instructor is suggesting using a whip but im not sure about this, any ideas please. thanks
 
Have you done any groundwork with this horse? I personally wouldn't be backing until the horse understands voice commands from the ground. Walk, trot,stand. You can then use these in connection with the leg aids.
 
My mare was lightly backed when we got her but she didn't seem to understand going forward from my leg so we used a flat whip and sorta flapped it down her shoulder, more as an annoyance than anything else then at the moment she moved away from it we applied the leg aid. This way I wasn't nagging at her with my legs but it didn't have someone on the ground pushing her forward
 
How is he with groundwork?
Does he lunge well and understand the voice aids rather than using a lunge whip?

What stage are you at with him ridden?
If he is safe enough, have you tried hacking him with another horse to get him a bit more enthusiastic?
I've always felt young horses can sometimes not get the point in doing the same circles all of the time and don't see why they should do it at a faster pace!

If he understands voice aids and you can't hack/ get another horse to help, I would look at using something like a wipwop rather than a whip to encourage him forwards- I have used them before to great effect with getting horses to travel a bit more freely forwards and they don't seem to offend youngsters into bucking/being sour like a whip can.
 
When I backed my 3.5 year old arab (a long time ago lol) I did everything from the ground - for months I just walked her like a huuuge dog walking everywhere ... like the other said walk, trot, stand (ooh and canter at times down the bridles with me legging it!!!). So the day I actually got on her she just went off voice command and we've never had an issue with her - go back a few steps :D
 
Agree with the others, go back a step, long reining really encourages them to move towards off voice aids without anyone being at their head. As soon as they're happy to walk, trot and halt from long reining, I would get on them and take them straight out hacking to encourage then to go forwards. Once walk, trot and canter are established out hacking then schooling starts
 
I'm a the exact same stage with my youngster. She's three and half years old. I sat on her in the summer and brought her back in a few weeks ago to start her up properly. I long reined her to death practically haha! In the indoor school, in the outdoor school, over poles around the farm, up the driveway etc in walk and trot until she was 100% off my voice aids. Then I long reined her as usual one morning and then got on her and did all the things I usually do with her on the long reins so she wasn't taken by surprise and knew the drill. I had a helper walk at her head the first couple of times to give her confidence and give her clues if she got confused with the leg aids. She's been wonderful because she had a very solid foundation of ground work. We've quickly moved onto the stage where we don't need a helper at her head because she works so well from voice aids, so it's just case now of matching leg aids to voice aids and taking it slowly.

Often youngsters refuse to move due to lack of confidence and lack of balance. I agree with others about the hacking out. Your horse will find it far easier to balance on straight lines and should be more interested and enthusiastic about moving forward. It's all about repetition and building confidence, balance and trust at this stage so don't rush it and don't expect too much too soon. I only do 20 minutes at a time at the moment, it's tiring mentally and physically for them when they're so young. Defo go back a stage and long rein until your horse is super obedient and confident before getting on again.
 
thank you all, she normally is good to voice aids but i agree i think i will go back and reinforce the voice with long reining again and try a little hacking. i def dont want to be harsh or hurried . great advice thanks
 
Couldnt agree more with ground work!

I lightly backed my girl last August/September but she wasnt mentally or quite physically there yet so turned her away till now :)

She has done a bit of loose schooling/lunging to keep her ticking over or she gets bored.

I lunged her with 2 lines and snuck behind her and hey presto we were long reining!! She did really well and got used to steering and brakes. She already extremely good to lunge with voice aids and clicked very quickly to the voice coming form behind her and not really being able to see me ( Bless her)

I have found riding with a whip is easier than riding without, You dont need to use it much, just a tickle to encourage them to walk on ifneeded. I have found as she gets more confident that she is doing the right thing she becomes easier off my leg. Shes really got to grips with steering and stopping, shes having shoes on Monday and we shall start hacking :)

Good luck!
 
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