Explosive!

[Bobbly]

Ok, so new horse is a little shy and like to trust you but has settled in well and has started lunging process to which she has also taken well in that she's happy to wear cavesson and boots and will quietly lunge in walk and trot and will slow and halt when asked. Then introduced roller, pad, breastplate and loose girth (at least just around her tum not cinched up), then when asked to move she immediately goes into bronc mode, I send her forward and usually she then settles and will work on. I'm assuming its the girth she's objecting to, she's done it every time so far. How can I get her to accept it? Not looking forward to the backing process at this rate!! Any ideas please? never had one do this before in my 40 years......

 

[ridefast]

Might be a bit late now, but a good thing to do with a youngster when first having the feel of something around their tummy is backing up. That way they are moving and having the feel of it there whilst moving but if not going forward then you're not triggering the flight response. I know some people think it's good for them to buck it out, I personally don't, so I go with backing up and small circles in hand, progressing to a step or 2 forward before circling again, thus disengaging the hindquarters before they get upset

 

[Bobbly]

I did do that one morning, and she was fine and I thought I cracked it but the following morning it didn't work....I shall try that again, yesterday she was ok with an elastic roller, I think she thinks I'm mad as I bounce about around her in the stable, hugging and patting all over as I go, bless her she is really very sweet with her huge ears!