Getting there but still need some suggestions!

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littlen

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Well horse is improving, but still is having some issues I need some ideas to help me if anyone has any please? :)

He has now stopped rearing thank god and has also not bucked for a long time :)
He still gets very excited and strong though, leans on my hands and also is hard to stop in company. He is also very very unconfident and spooks at everything which unnerves me, even things we have seen a million times. He is also quite rude and will not stand when asked/slow down when asked when hacking although he does in the school. He is pretty unbalanced and I have been working on schooling but am finding it difficult to ride more than once or twice a week due to no facilities and weather!

When I do ride he is, as I said very excitable but I plan to start to seriously school him once light nights come.

I am thinking of changing his tack to see if that improves and wondered if anyone has some suggestions?

Firslty, he is in a flash noseband due to opening his mouth to evade. I am thinking of trying a drop though as he seems to not like the flash at all. Would it stop him doing this?

He is also in a market harborough as he chucks his head very high when annoyed (has hit me in the face) but would a running martingale do the same job as it looks less harsh...

Finally, he is in a snaffle which he does like however I dont have much control, would there be alternatives I could try?
 
Has he had back and teeth checked??

Lunging is good for improving balance and getting him to listen to your voice and gaining trust !

Also if he is leaning D ring copper roller snaffles are good for leaners and they have a bit of extra control

Also a running martingale prevents the horse getting their head above the point of control as it stops running as soon as their head goes up too high but then it gives as soon as they put it back into a more controllable position :)

Good luck
 
How old is he? What kind of snaffle is he in?

Know how you feel with finding it difficult to ride, it's a nightmare in this cold and dark with no facilities :(
 
After all the checks have been done, I would try and drop noseband or a grackle type. The Nueue Schule (sp) verbindend snaffle is very good, it is curved to the horse's mouth so sits nicer in there, it also has a lozenge instead of nutcracker action and it is something that you can lift them up through their shoulder. It has worked on every leaner I've had. I don't personally like market harboroughs and would definitely try a running martingale.
 
Sounds like you have made massive progress!

The other probs you mention sound like a bit of an ignorant horse trying to exert his will! If you had a mare I would have thought you had pinched mine when I first got her!

He can only lean if you let him. If he goes to lean, leg on (a transition to trot is no prob, if he is excitable you might get that instead of a nice walk!) and a slight squeeze with almost instant release to the inside rein - must be done in conjunction with leg on though.

When he is spooky, do you feel a little nervous or tense too? A chilled pat on his neck, a nice confident nudge forwards, or maybe you could sing to make sure you remember to breath might help both of you?

Unless you are planning on using a standing martingale I wouldn't bother with a flash. A drop might be great, lots of horses get on well with them. Perhaps see if you can borrow one first to see how you go? A grakle might be worth a try too? Was enough to stop my mare just sticking her mouth open when she disagreed with that I was asking!

I would try a running martingale instead. I too had a go with the market harbrough with my mare as seeing her nose in front of you was nerve racking to say the least (esp when it was coupled with tripping as she wasn't paying attention!). Even on a v loose setting she hated it and jogged and tucked her head right in or fought it. A running martingale was heaps better. She didn't seem to feel stressed or constrained by it at all, but it did help with the nose in the air prob!

Could you try a fulmer/full cheek instead (still with the french link), if you can get him off the bit and not leaning then I think he would be easier to stop. The full cheeks should give you a little more say with direction without being too strong for him. If he is prone to rearing then I would go for less rather than more bitting. Forwards is better than rearing I think.

When he won't stand when you ask he is just being an ignorant pig. Make him halt, even if just for a second. Then ask him to walk on and praise him. Pick odd places on a hack and ask him to halt for just a second, then carry on with praise, like it is a totally normal thing to do. Just ask calmly, but insist on it. (again, my mare did exactly this - what she wanted was WAAAAAY more important than anything I asked. Just took time to get what I asked every time. Usually because that to do what I wanted, got her what she wanted sooner - head in tea bucket usually! Fussing and not halting when asked makes it take loads longer to get home rather than standing for a moment when requested! She will now halt anywhere and stand on a loose rein until asked to walk on, handy manners to have so do stick with it!).

(before I get jumped on, obv ensure no pain etc!).
 
Thankyou everyone!

Everything possible has been checked, he is just being a pig! I have had an instructor out who said he was too intelligent for his own good and is also one of those very nervous natured horses, hence the rearing as he is not confident enough to go forwards so goes up in protest.

I think I may try a running martingale with drop then, seems nicer than flash and MH as I do feel they are both quite harsh.

In all honestly I still havnt dared canter in the open yet after my experience last year when he literally exploded and bronced for about half a mile before I came off, but I am hoping to build my confidence in the school a little before I try again as I am nervous of him now.
I do feel nervous when he is spooky (which is all the time!) as in the past he has gone up, ran backwards and span me off and I am scared of him still, but I always manage to get him past it in the end...sometimes I get off and lead past?

I am currently looking at bits for him as I am not sure what he should be in!! At the moment he is in a curved eggbutt snaffle with joint. I have tried a french link and he hated that, I have also tried a pelham which worked but I felt it was too strong? and also I have tried a hanging cheek snaffle which did very little.

He is a nightmare to lunge and charges around me for 20mins not listening to a word I say, but its something I have put on my new years resoloution list...lunge more lol! I really need a good instructor in the spring to help me with him but at the moment I cannot find a decent one I get on with!

He is around about 12, and is an arab so it makes it even more difficult as he is constantly bouncing about with his nose in the air!
 
oh hun I feel for you he sounds so difficult

have you tried mag ox ?? it may just take the edge off him and its so cheap I get mine from ebay for around £10 lasts nearly 3 months

I know a lot of horsey people hate strong bits!! However when it becomes dangerous or too difficult then I don't see the problem

My lad is very good on the flat, very responsive to ALL aids etc However this goes out the window For jumping and pole work so I recently put him in a sweet iron, cherry roller tom thumb. at first he hated it because I had got him, he tried throwing his head up but the running martingale stopped him. then he tried snaking his neck. Then he just gave up, actually heard him 'blow to say give up' It mean't he didn't pull me forward out of the saddle or charge around over the ground poles on his forehand, he listened!!!

My hope is that once he understands what i want I will come back to his normal HC snaffle. I did similar with a WCXTB put him in an american gag he was so strong, I only used it half a dozen times, then maybe once very occasionally to remind him
 
Thanks soulfull, he is pretty difficult, just wish I could actually enjoy riding rather than fighting him!

At the moment he is okay in his snaffle but when he goes thats it, I have no control. Hence thinking a drop and martingale may help?
I feel safer in the pelham but I have some issues in that I cant ride in 2 reins, and also that I couldnt attatch the martingale on it, and finally I cant use it with a flash or drop as he will open his mouth so its a little bit of a catch 22, harsher bit but less control maybe? I never did dare take him out in the pelham as I knew I didnt have the noseband etc... bit embarrasing really!

A few people have suggested something like a waterford but I dont think he will accept that? I am leaning towards sticking him back into the pelham but could I really use a martingale with it? and what about the opening mouth to evade issue?

ah its all very confusing :)
 
I would def change from a single joint, esp if you are using a noseband that shuts the mouth to some extent. Some horses can find that a french link gives too much tongue pressure. The NS verbind is just brilliant (like Lochpearl says!) and gets away from the tongue pressure prob from a french link. Without a doubt I would try that.

With the lunging, do you try and stop him or do you allow him to carry on until he stops? If he decides what you are asking isn't to his liking and tarts off, then keep him at it. With you ensuring he carries on at the speed he chooses it will stop being such fun! When he gives you signs that he is ready to drop down a pace I would keep him on for another couple of laps before asking for a drop in pace. Each time he buggers off insist he continues at that pace for longer than he would like (I'm not talking beasting him, just keep him going even when it isn't exactly what he wants)! It will stop being such fun very quickly indeed and then you should get some work out of him. Try and keep it interesting for him though. Changes of pace when he settles to keep him listening and not trying to predict what you will ask next.
 
try a copper roller d ring snaffle they are fab and i have one on the rather rude fresian I ride he used to lean but not any more and u have breaks without being harsh !! also if you dont mind me asking where are u based
 
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