Horse evading contact - any advice??

[jules9203]

A cob at my yard was driven for several years. It is now owned by an older lady who rides him. He can work nicely but has a habit of leaning on the bit, putting his head down or into his chest and running when she does canter work and when she tries to do pole work. He has had back, teeth, tack checked and recently had a bit expert out. He's currently in a NS bit with a lozenge. The rider isn't that balanced, which I realise will not help. I've never come across a horse that does this before and wondered if anyone had any advice? She isn't looking at competing at all but would like to feel she has some control.

 

[MidChristmasCrisis]

Lessons with a good trainer to reschool off the forehand and time.

 

[Pearlsacarolsinger]

Let go of the mouth. If the horse has nothing to lean on, it will learn to hold itself up.

 

[Sarah Lewis]

A cob at my yard was driven for several years. It is now owned by an older lady who rides him. He can work nicely but has a habit of leaning on the bit, putting his head down or into his chest and running when she does canter work and when she tries to do pole work. He has had back, teeth, tack checked and recently had a bit expert out. He's currently in a NS bit with a lozenge. The rider isn't that balanced, which I realise will not help. I've never come across a horse that does this before and wondered if anyone had any advice? She isn't looking at competing at all but would like to feel she has some control.

I had one that did the same with me often, I gave up in the end, maybe has some underlying issue with contact?

 

[paddi22]

she would have to go back to basics with a good dressage trainer to reeducate herself and the horse. with cobs like that most have just learnt to have all their weight on their forehand and lean into to contact and pull like that. if she wants to fix it she will have to go back to the start with it and teach it to get off it's forehand and balance itself, as well as her improving her balance. there's no quick fix, it's a total re-education of horse and rider.

 

[Sossigpoker]

More leg! You need twice as much leg as you use your hand. So the horse needs to learn to not go behind the bit and the way he will learn is by being told to do so by the leg. At the same time the hand mustn't be restrictive.
If the rider can't do this then I'd get a pro involved to teach both horse and rider.

 

[jules9203]

Thank you everyone. Absolutely understand what you have all said. Will have a chat with the rider. I know she is not capable of riding well enough to do what has been suggested but she may be open to getting a pro rider to re-school. XX