How can i stop my spanish being so spanish

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puss

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I have Andulsian born and trained in spain my biggest problem hes so spanish he never relaxes he always on the bit even lungeing no rein contact hacking. I would like him to work long and low he wont refuses to come of the bit even going over troting poles dosent even look at them stays on the bit and then hits them panic and bolt still on the bit. Hes like a coiled spring it cant be good for him not to be able to lower is head be truthfull hes behind the bit very very soft month i even seen him running round the field with his mates as if hes on the bit. I know its natural for these horse but hes extreme. Iv tried chambon he explodes as he couldnt cope with having his head down Any ideas i could try he was badly abused in spain so very sharp and can panic alot he only seven so dont think its to late to change him even a little oh and if i put my legs on to push him upto the bit he really tucks his nose in deeper
 
Have you tried carrot stretches? that will help loosen his neck muscles off while not riding.
Its not so much natural for these horses more beaten into them that its what's expected.
 
I have no experiance with Spanish horse but have two thoughts.
The first is is he built very uphill because if he is it's important to remember its extremely difficult for him to work long and low and even if calm would take time.
The second if the tension in the temperament time should help this the poles are a good idea but I could do it in hand in walk for a while dot the poles round the school some could be raised at one side and work from awake on the ground.I have been retraining a driving horse whose natural working position was exactly like this it has taken three years to get him relaxing and stretching while hacking its a long haul.
The carrot stretchs are a great idea to and having a physio to work on his muscles.
Also a trainer who is used to these horses would be invaluable .
 
Thanks I do have a spanish trainer as hes not an easy horse and i have walked him over poles he still wont look at them his poor neck is soild when ridden stuck in his postion it must hurt carrot training i do which hes good at it very flexable. Hes so tense in his neck i try and rub his neck he will put it down a little which i praise but as soon as i sit up again hes back to how he always is i even got his snack a ball in school when he lowered his head praised him. As soon as you take it away hes back to being tight. I think its just sad he looks like hes been forced in this position not by me
 
Start right at the beginning with in hand work - slow everything down. Spanish trained horses are always go go go and have been ridden by heavy hands on riders - usually male.

I wouldnt be doing anything except inland and walk work to begin with - and when you get to trot make sure its slow not like a sewing machine. Start lateral work in walk and make sure its perfect before moving up to trot.

Id also try giving him some rescue remedy before riding to try and help calm him a little. On board carrot stretches would be useful and lots of bending around poles, your leg etc anything but straight lines where he can set his neck.
 
I think it is worth bearing in mind that he is what he is!!! He will find it hard to go long and low and there are schools of thought that say you shouldn't be insisting. He is built to be in an uphill frame, he will find his own comfort zone.
You worrying about it and asking him is possibly creating a problem, as you found out with the chambon. You may not get the same feel of him being in the hand, so long as you work on straightness and rythm then the settling into the bridle should come.
He may be a buzzy horse by nature, maybe the best solution is lots of low key work. Although people believe that horses learn to trust by calm, non event type activity, many will learn to trust and relax by doing demanding activity and having their confidence built up. My youngster is happiest and calmest when he is schooling and being stimulated, he can get tense and stuffy when he has no input from the rider, he likes his hand held all the time effectively.
If I were in your place I would be doing lots and lots of hacking, up hill and down dale, and would crack on with the schooling, if yours is anything like our Iberian, he needs work on rythym first and foremost, so lots of loops and transitions. We then have to get the horse even in his body and straight so lateral work. I wouldn't worry about where his head is and just have a light contact & wait for him to work into it.
 
I have no experience with spanish horses, but if he's as tight as you say - perhaps combine his training with regular sports therapy massages?
 
My friesian mare had a typical friesian high head carriage when I got her. But she has been trained to go long and low by the lady schooling her. Now's the bit where I admit I don't really know how she taught it (numpty I know), but I've been taught to have a very light contact and praise her when she stretches her neck out.

The point of this post is to say it is possible, rather than being able to explain exactly how.

Sorry - bit rubbish.

Paula
 
Thanks everyone i would have a trainer to get on him and see if they could try but he point blank refuses to let anyone put his bridle or get on him. We have tried he gets very stressed and will rear and strike out at them which is not like him he just gets really scared. Its taken me two years to stay on him just. The first year i had him he put me in hospital eight times hes been the hardest horse iv ever owned none off them his fault all mine as had to learn to ride properly and not be sloppy with my Aids. I had my last horse seventeen years we just got used to each other and i got sloppy. My spanish taught me some of my hardest lessons and had to go into how they spanish train their horses and try and convert nicely into English way its been harder than i thought
 
I had this problem with Rio (andalusian from spain) he is very uphill as thats how he is built and has been taught to go but hes slowely learning to relax (only had him 8 weeks so not a huge amount of time to make a difference). Being a stallion makes him perform even more but i have also used it to get him to work lower by allowing him to sniff along the floor when ridden out which he has now learnt that he can go along with his head low although it takes about 45mins of walking to get this. i dont ask him to do anything - actually on hacks hes starting to get very lazy :o as i only walk with him at the moment getting him to relax under saddle and with the bit too :) for the first 20mins of riding he is very up tight and jogs has his head clamped to his chest but once i relax and let go of the reins (i hold the buckle) and then he walks normally but with head still on his chest then he slowely relaxes his neck until he has a very low carrage. i hack him out for about an hour each time and i only walk and i walk out with Taz my other horse who is very chilled too as this chills Rio out :) i dont know if you have done any of this but it seems to work for me :)
 
Hi mine a late cute stallion what bit are you in at the moment im in a straight bar rubber snaffle i never ride him in more than just touch mouth even if i have him on the buckle his head never moves an inch. I do take him out with my old boy he only walks the same as you lazy he never going to be if he gets worried he just canters on the spot i say he bolts but its only a few stride soon as any contact on mouth does a dead stop then panic as if youre going to smack him im always patting him or stroking him which he does respond to alot when hes good or worried he has never tried to sniff or eat grass or put his neck out of postion when riding him even when my other horse does.
 
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