Do your horses go in an outline consistently everytime you ride?

[Perfect_Pirouette]

It's really frustrating as G does go sooo nicely a lot of the time, especially recently. The last month or so he's been really working from behind and is very forward which is making it easier for him to go into a nice outline, which he has been doing more and more recently.

However, there's times like last night and my last stressage test, ggrr where he's forward etc but is constantly hollowing and WON'T accept the contact. It really frustrates me as i know how nice he can go.

Does anyone else have this problem, days where the horse just wants to be a giraffe etc or is it just something i'm doing on certain days which i'm not on others?

 

[bhpride]

yes I have this exact problem. One day Tia goes beautifully, the next day there's no hope because god forbid it's windy. My instructor says it's like a relationship - up and down

I'm getting used to it now, thankfully the bad days tend to happen once every 3 weeks lol

 

[only_me]

dont forget horses also have off days

It could just be that you need to tweet your reins? Do you school every day?

fwiw I dont always ride in an outline but it depends on what Im doing - fitness cantering in arena he is on a loose rein, and jumping I dont make him go in an outline but it depends on what we are doing jumping wise

hacking we have a deal - he walks on a loose rein but must trot on the bit

I think horses need to stretch and use every muscle in body, not just the ones that hold the outline

 

[jumpthemoon]

Definitely have this problem

Some days my horse goes beautifully and some days he just doesn't want to know.

Generally he will work in a consistent outline just working round the school, it's when I want to do shoulder in for example, or polework, or jumpng that he can be different on different days. i think it just comes with work, as he used to be like it when just doing laps of the school, but is now more consistent iyswim?

Try not to get frustrated (I know it's hard!) as this tends to make it worse. If he starts to go hollow, I tend to work long and low for a while instead. I find this relaxes him and me!

 

[ellieplatt]

my mare is the same, sometimes she goes lovely in a perfect outline, then somedays she just wants to run and stick her head in the air and get to close to the mirro's in the menarge and wack my knee agaist them! those days are very hard not to get angry with! - but in canter my mare always works on the bit, even if im cantering to the jump, she just seems to prefer it, and jump nicer like that, so if she's comfy with it like tht, then so be it.

 

[Perfect_Pirouette]

That's funny cos G does exactly the same thing, on the right rein he'll constantly try to push me up against the fence and trap my leg when he's having 'one of those days' Grr and he also seems to drop into an outline in canter a lot easier too!

 

[charlie55]

My boy goes in an outline everytime i ask him, but i dont ride him all the time in an outline, if we go hacking, i dont ask him at all, i ride on the buckle.

Try various things, do some circles in an outline then go large and let him stretch his neck. Just so he knows he will get a good stretch 'if' he does what hes asked.

Also, it is so important to praise the horse when hes going well, even if its a quick touch of the withers with a finger!!

Add poles, do figure of 8's, leg yielding, etc, keep schooling interesting x

 

[Honeypots]

Nope....I never ride mine in an outline

 

[millitiger]

yep, if i ask for an outline i get one- but i have had my lot since they were babies so they are very tuned into my riding.

i don't ask for an outline out hacking as a rule but they are in front of the leg and with a responsive contact as i hate slopping along.

 

[Coffee_Bean]

Paha I wish

 

[amandaco2]

she does if i ask.
shes very obliging.
we do lots of on the bit,long an low and on a loose rein too for variety and to work all the muscles.

 

[golddustsara]

Erm no to put it bluntly! I have a stubborn native so its when he feels like it

I'm more of a happy hacker though with the occassional bout of dressage so I need to be more consistent with schooling.

 

[charlie76]

Yes, he is mostly the same to ride every day. I tend to hack him long and low.

 

[Brummyrat]

It comes in various degrees with my old native but that depends on how much Im prepared to work for it! If I have a lot of time so I can spend about 30 minutes in walk, doing sideways stuff etc, and then pick him up then yes, he's wonderful, but during the week after work I have to be satisfied with an outline, but not the "through" thing that stressage riders talk about. I accept that we both need more time though, coz i wont see 40 again! so don't worry about it too much, if I haven't got loads of time and sense an argument I aim on getting some good stuff in walk and leave it at that!

 

[chestnut cob]

[ QUOTE ]
on the right rein he'll constantly try to push me up against the fence and trap my leg when he's having 'one of those days'

[/ QUOTE ]

Check your outside aids are correct if he does this. Horses don't think to themselves "let's look for a way to pi££ her off today", they respond to what you are telling/asking them. If, for example, you don't sit straight and don't have enough outside leg on the right rein, he might be interpreting that as "go sideways". Make sure you are giving him the correct aids.

Do you have lessons? The only real way to get your horse (and you!) going more consistently is lessons with a good instructor who can give you pointers.

Do lots of work on transistions with him - if your transistion from walk to trot is good then the trot itself will be better. I struggle to keep mine in an outline from trot to canter so have been working on the transistions themselves...when the transistion is good, the canter is better.

And no, mine doesn't consistently go in an outline. He has off days, he gets bored with doing the same things (I have to keep my schooling sessions interesting, lots of transistions, lateral work, changes of rein, different paces, all sorts) and some days he is purely just cocky and thinks he knows best

 

[bumblelion]

no, I have an exracer so we have to work at it constantly. Some days after a couple of mins of asking he'll soften and work in an outline but not for long and other days I could be battling for over 20 mins! He'd much rather stick his nose in the air n tug me around the arena! Patience and slowly building the correct muscle slowly is the key with mine.

 

[CBAnglo]

I think it depends on what you mean by outline.

If you mean with good hock action and working well and lifting through the back and light in hand then that is what I aim for every time I school. Whether we achieve all of that is dependent on the day.

My horse can go in a lovely "false" outline where his poll is the highest part and look very pretty - its only when he is asked to work in a true outline that we get resistence mostly because it is hard work and secondly because he has a damaged ligament so finds this difficult.

I aim to ride him in a true outline to build up topline as he needs this to support himself because of his injuries. Even out hacking I ride in an outline however we do work deeper through the neck as well getting to stretch etc, its not all work.