horses just been broken in

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caroline23

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do they usually have soft mouths or hard mouths that you have to school to make them soft? i have just gotton a 4 1/2yr old and he is quite hard mouthed although only ever been ridden in a snaffle. is this a typical youngster thing?
 
Not hard, just uneducated. Gets better when they finally start to realise what steering's all about....

Get lunging and long reining and loads of steering...
 
tend to have lovely mouths, but don't always 'get' what you mean/want....

Although I brought on a 4yr old mare for a friend who had been trekked since I don't know what age, and her mouth was dreadful, so barely touched it, just taught her to use her backend properly, get up off her shoulders etc. would stop go etc from seat aids... very rewarding! ;);)

Becky
 
Depends partly on the confo of their mouths. I have one who has always been extra sensitive about contact despite all good experiences etc (fine in a rubber snaffle but anything harsher and v unhappy), two who are 'normal', and one who needs a thinner snaffle or she doesn't respect it. All trained by same person.
 
Maybe he's not really 'hard mouthed' but seems that way because he is newly backed and unschooled and therefore doesn't understand the aids properly yet.

Also a snaffle is only as gentle as the hands on the end of the reins.

I would suggest having him schooled by a professional or you could have some lessons on him.
 
yeah thats what i mean uneducated! didnt know how best to describe it...!

my friend says she can stop or slow her horse down from her seat alone, how would you go about doing this? is it a natural reaction or something that has to be taught?

i am having some lessons fortnightly with him so this is something we can work on was just wondering what i can do till then as lesson isnt for another two weeks
 
caroline23 said:
do they usually have soft mouths or hard mouths that you have to school to make them soft? i have just gotton a 4 1/2yr old and he is quite hard mouthed although only ever been ridden in a snaffle. is this a typical youngster thing?
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What makes you think he is 'hard mouthed' rather than just uneducated?
The old horsemen/ women - used to spend many weeks 'mouthing' a horse (key bits, rubber snaffles (the thick ones) and masses of long reining - as well as using draw reins for 30 mins or so in the stable - i.e. tied back to the girth, not some ham fisted hands.
A youngster would have to have been really badly ridden to have a 'hard mouth'.
 
i've just broken my 3 and a half year old, and even though he's had the same amount of lungeing, driving etc on both reins, he is very resistant on the right rein, but goes very well on the left. I'm not fantastic or anything like that, but am good at mouthing a horse, I take longer than your average person, but it seems to work.
Maybe try putting back on the breaking tack, and drive him for a while, see how that work, it should soften his mouth a bit!!!! (Pardon the pun!!)
 
caroline23 said:
yeah thats what i mean uneducated! didnt know how best to describe it...

my friend says she can stop or slow her horse down from her seat alone, how would you go about doing this? is it a natural reaction or something that has to be taught?
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Something which rider has to be taught, I have a fabulous classical trainer, body has an amazing ability to control a horse in ways you don't even think about! You use your body to influence the horses movement... Just some food for thought really...

Becky x
 
A youngster which has just been broken in will not have a hard mouth. (Or if it has I would be concerned) It is probably more that he is very green and a bit confused as to what you are asking of him. It is best to leave his mouth alone for now and ride him on a long contact if possible until he gets used to carrying a rider and learning to go forwards from your voice and leg so that you don't confuse him.
 
just a quick update, i now ride him on a long rein and can stop/slow him by taking a big breath in and slowly releasing it so my weight drops in saddle and he seemed to pick this up very quickly so no pull on the mouth necessary :)
 
caroline23 said:
just a quick update, i now ride him on a long rein and can stop/slow him by taking a big breath in and slowly releasing it so my weight drops in saddle and he seemed to pick this up very quickly so no pull on the mouth necessary :)
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Wish I'd seen this sooner... There is not big mystery about stopping with the seat - just clench your bum cheeks. If this doesn't work clench your bum cheeks and your thighs.

People rant on about 'ride with your body' but don't actually say how :( Probably because they don't really know how ;)
 
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