Getting frustrated now!

C

Cupcakes and Horses

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Okay got my new boy last September as a five year old he is now six. Had a few teething problems with general baby-ness and temper tantrums have worked through all that (well mostly!) he was very hollow and reluctant to take any contact put him in the NS eggbutt to give him confidence which it has done and he is very much lower than he was and is even round at times in walk. Have worked a lot on getting him more forwards which he is hacking but less so schooling. Doing lots of flexing, bending, circles etc but he just WILL NOT take contact in trot and only very occasionally in canter. I have now put him in the NS team up bit as its meant to encourage them to stretch down have tried working him on a constant long rein to help with this, taking up the reins a bit, hands higher, lower, sponging inside rein, both reins, alternate reins, totally still hands whilst all the time pushing him forwards but still nothing! He has done it a couple of times, both when he was very excited and completely in front of my leg so I'm thinking that's the main problem but spurs and whips just make him tense spooky and even more hollow so how do I get him more in front of my leg without using something for help? As far as schooling whip goes even just holding one upsets him I haven't actually got to use it when on normally end up dropping it although I have kept trying as he's okay if I use it from the floor. Any thoughts or experiences or bit ideas welcome!

I have started lunging him in a Pessoa which he does go well on as long as I don't over do it, we even get saliva!
 
I think the lunging will be your key. I was struggling to make progress with my baby who I broke in myself, admittedly not very well at times! THe 3 things that have improved his way of going beyond belief this summer is a physio session, he's done loads of hillwork and is the fittest he's ever been and I've started lunging him with a bungy passed over his head and between his front legs. I think the lunging has had the biggest effect on his way of going. I think the pessoa sounds like you're heading in the right direction, then it's just time and balance.
 
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