Cob won't stretch into contact

G

gill84

Well-Known Member
Joined
31 July 2011
Messages
221
Visit site
Hi, me and my mums cob did out first ever intro dressage the other day. We got a good score of 69% and won and he got all 7's and 8's apart from 2 6's which he got for his free walk and his allowing them to stretch on a 20m circle. Baring in mind I only stole him from my mum 3 weeks ago and starting schooling him. Before then he was a happy ploddy hack so I think he's doing brilliantly. How can I get him to stretch down into the contact for these moves. He puts his head down but he's "not looking to seek contact" as my comment says. Any exercises to get him working long and low? He does use his back end pretty well and we've been working alot on transistions and changes of rein as well as some leg yielding to get his bum working but need to get this long rein malarkey sorted
 
Open your hands wide and low and ask him to stretch down into the contact, gradually allowing more rein as they seek the contact deeper and lower. Start in walk then build up to trot and canter. They may break or throw their head up during the transitions to start with but thats only as its hard work for them.

Well done with such fab scores though :smile3:
 
Last edited:
Canter?? Good grief he won't canter, not for more than about 5 strides anyway lol. That's something else I need to work on. So just keep loosening contact with open hands but ride him forwards into the contact and he should gradually get lower and lower?
 
Lol at canter comment ! Start with your normal length of rein and as he starts to lower and maintain the contact gradually lengthen the reins, you'll just know when to lengthen by how he feels in your hand. Don't tip forward or let him pull you forward. Use your seat to slow him down if he gets to onward.
I did this exercise in a lesson on a baby hoss this week and she really 'got it' eventually doing it in canter just a couple of circles each rein.
 
Excellent thank you. Any thoughts any how to get a lazy cob to canter lol. He's from the RSPCA origanally and for whatever reason he was trained to voice. We've had him 3 years now and with my mum riding him its never been a problem shouting aaannnndd caaaannnttteeerr at him when riding across an open field. He was the same with halt walk and trot but I've cured that. Doesn't help that unless he's in an open field he's pretty much impossible to get into canter. Bring back my oversensitive ID lol. Never had a lazy horse even as a kid and have no idea how to motivate him
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Top