Hmmm...backing question?

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Cedars

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Hi all!

So I sat on Puzzle for the second time today, got on absolutely no problems at all, she was fabulous. No saddle still. We walked around for a bit with her being led, practicing STAND and WALK ON, with me squeezing legs/squeezing reins as appropriate (well, more pulling reins as they were attached to a headcollar). Then my leader went away and I asked for the same.

Well the good news is that she moves her feet when I say walk on, and stops when I say stand! Problem is she goes BACKWARDS.....She still stops when I ask her to, just only goes backwards! But with the leader by her head she goes forward?

Just wondering how I encourage forward motion? I am imagining its because I'm sat on her back so therefore her movement is backwards? Do I need to just keep continuing with someone leading?

Also, she's very mouthy when she's 'working'. I don't wanna say she's bitey, because she's not, but she seems to need to have something in her mouth, like a leadrope/piece of coat. Is this normal?! I'm imagining its a comfort thing, although she's totally chilled out!

Help would be appreciated! Will speak to my instructor later :)

Hannah xx (and Puzzle, who can't understand why she got lumbered with her stupid mother..!)
 
Does she walk on when you tell her when you long rein, it is much the same, make sure she is going well on the long reins and keep doing more to help her understand.
When you have someone walking with you tell them that they should not move until Puzzle does. Often the horse is responding to the body language of the person on the ground so be clear with your aids, repeat many times and she will start to listen.

At her age she will probably still be teething so mouthy behaviour is a combination of this and being unsure of herself, they usually grow out of it.

Is there a reason for not using a bit?
 
She HATES having a bit in her mouth at the moment...chews and mouths on it constantly and just won't settle with it in...she was bitted for her show last year, but she really really hates it this year. Dentist is due out soon, and I think she needs a proper bridle rather than a synthetic one because i think tbf that encourages quite a bit of movement in the bit which she doesn't like, so we're sticking to headcollar for the moment! About to order a bridle for her now :) Do you think a bit would help? Happy to wait til dentist etc has been to carry on if so.

She responds totally to my commands on lunge/long rein, will walk on with my voice, its just as soon as I'm sat on her back she comes backwards!

I will try making sure that my friend on the ground doesn't move first but waits for Puz even to suggest she's going. I got off after 5mins of being on her because I was pleased that we'd mastered stand, and she understood that squeeze = go! xx
 
We backed our yougster last year, and found this helped. Instead of asking for forward movement with both legs, which can be confusing and constricting, ask one leg at a time. We used to go kick with left leg, then kick with right etc etc until she moved forward, then of course lots of praise. We then refined this over the noxt couple of months so moving off in walk came from a slight nudge.
 
Mine knew walk in command having spent a year long reining. So once on I could use same words taught long reining. Has she done any long reining out and about? I find its excellent for bonding, confidence and teaching them commands.
 
I would look at how you're sitting on her - whether you're blocking forward momentum - as being young she may well be very sensitive to your weight and you may be unconsciously sending her backwards.

Nuno Oliveira recommends (or rather, recommended, I guess) riding horses away in a headcollar during early sessions, so I don't think that's a bad idea.
 
She's just lacking confidence. Get rid of the bit until teeth done (or leave it in and don't use it - but I'd suggest putting reins on the side rings of lunging cavesson rather than headcollar) We ride all our backers with two reins - one on the cavesson and one on the bit - protects the mouth if you HAVE to pull!)

This chap was 2nd day ridden off the lunge

Woodie2.jpg


Get your foot soldier to keep walking in front and to the side - and gradually move further away! (And take comfort from the fact that horses can't buck going backwards!!) We always have a foot soldier with a lunge whip to encourage horse forward so rider doesn't HAVE to kick - saves deadening the horse's sides while he's learning the aids.
 
Ooh Janet I was hoping youd reply! She hasn't bucked or reared so far, although she did have a little foot stamp/kick out thing but nothing awful! I think I did too much too soon with her-need to go back to having my foot soldier (LOL) right by her head and slowly moving away again.

What bit would you guys have her in? I had her in a straight bar today and she hated it...
 
I f she is being fussy in her mouth l would not put a bit in until you have had her teeth done. I had my youngsters done before she was backed so l knew there would be no issues.
 
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