Help and advice with new pony please, think I might need a hand!!

R2R

R2R

Well-Known Member
Joined
7 August 2009
Messages
1,455
Visit site
New horsey is lovely
smile.gif
but I have a bit of an issue with him concentrating 100% I feel like he is not going fully into the contact, and sort of "holding on" to the bit a bit!! Alot of this is schooling, but I have done 4 dressage tests now and they all say he is a bit looky and not fully submissive.

I have weekly lessons and my instructor is of the opinion that becasue he is flash, and has mostly showjumped, he has been left to go in 'his way' meaning he is trotting round looking flash and pretty but not actually working that hard!!!

I schooled him last night, as advised by instructor kept it interesting, and rode in sequence so he had to think about what he was doing - so instead of staying on a circle or repeating one movement, I combine three movements at a time eg 15m circle, shoulder in up long side, change of rein and tempo doing some medium trot on diagonal, same in other direction etc, so I get him thinking and concentrating. Also lots of transitions etc.

The trouble is, I never feel he is 100% there with me, he is not spooky but looky and it feels like he is only 90% concentrating and the rest is in la la land. Also, whilst I ride from my seat and leg, he does not feel right in the contact - as I said earlier it is like he is holding back by holding on to the bit, a bit.

I was wondering if a change of bit woudl help to get him thinking about the contact? He is currently ridden in a warm metal (I dont know what but it is gold) loose ring snaffle, and a crank noseband with flash. I ride in roller spurs and with a schooling whip.

Can anyone give me any tips or ideas that might help please? I know I have only had him a month but small steps!!!
grin.gif
 
Sounds like you're doing well just try and keep him interested, he should get better. Also when he starts looking around bending him to the inside slightly might help. I wouldn't change the bit yet, although your instructor would know better. Is the horse young?
 
No he is 9, but whilst he does everything, I think he has been let to go around looking pretty and not actually using that prettiness to become effective!

It is a nightmare, I got consistent 6's and 7's in last test, apart from the 3 and 4 I got half way through when he decided to have a look at the judges car and run off with his head in the air.

I was sort of powerless to stop it - its things like that where I mean the 10% of him is elsewhere...he goes really nicely, but always has something up his sleve!!
 
my instructor always says you should 'have the horses ears' - in other words if they are forward he is not listening to you and concentrating on you - they should be to the side.
If they arent i touch her sides very lightly to say hey ears listen to me - keep repeating til she listens to me - you can create whatever aid it takes to 'get the ears' and praise once he has done it - its difficult when they dont concentrate.
 
Heya
smile.gif


My old mare could be a bit like this, it seemed best to try to be really calm and methodical to get her to concentrate. If I tried to be really still and calm, she would calm down and relax more, then she would listen and become a lot steadier in the contact. She was a lot more submissive when she was relaxed, and was then no way near as tense and 'looky'. Maybe if your a bit tense your taking his concentration away? Maybe your trying a bit too hard and just need to go with the flow of him a bit more?

He might also be a bit better in an eggbutt to make him feel more secure.. could be worth playing with a few different snaffles to see if he improves.
 
My mare used to be quite look too, and like you I went with the keeping attention by varying what I was doing which seemed to help.

I also tried singing and laughing. It's odd but you could be anticipating the looks so be a little tense, which is only going to make him more tense and looky. Try singing/laughing quietly when riding round. It forces the body to relax a bit and may make a difference.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Top