How do you like your horses to go?

[burtie]

With all these posts on training aids and methods I'd thought I'd start my own!

I beleive that the proof of training is in the article on display (i'e how you do at what you do, even if that is just hacking!). I also believe that there is no right and wroing way and no easy answers, but I like to think I put in a similar way of going into all the horses I ride as I like them to go in a certain way. I like to look nice on the horse and can't be bothered with pull and kick so I like them to carry themselves and have light responsive mouths. If i have too kick to much I can't sit nicely so like them forward from the leg and obedient:

Over the years I have trained all sorts here is some proof of the pudding! :

Please feel free to pull apart or even better add your own ideals and aims with some photographic proof if possible (Ok so photos only show so much!)

14.3 Pure bred Arab:

Ellie IDxTB:

Ex French harness racing horse - First ever comp under saddle a little overbent and on forehand, but not a bad start!

Warmblood, this was when she was only 4 or 5 so still a baby.

 

[AmyMay]

I like a nice forward horse, that will carry itself at it's own pace, without me banging it to go.

I like it soft in my hand and inclined to go in an outline naturally (which most horses are happy to do I find).

Other than that they have to be well mannered and responsive.

Cracking photo of the Arab btw.

 

[Theresa_F]

I have ridden from TB to Clydesdale (plus lots of others inbetween) mine have (normally) stopped on the squeeze of a hand not a pull. Squeeze of the legs to move though have to confess Mr C does sometimes need a pony club special or a whipity whip on the odd occasion.

I like a horse that is very light to the aids, but this does not mean charge off on the slightest touch of the heel, just a gentle increase in pace.

I also like them to be voice trained and able to hack out on the end of the buckle without being a prat.

Now for Chancer to keep on with my wishes - starting backing him shortly.

 

[SillyMare]

I think I ride everything the same - they seem to get used to that fact and all go in a similar way.

They are all light in my hand, although they all fiddle too much with the bit rather than taking a nice positive contact so that must be my weakness.

They are all responsive to the leg, both as a forward and a lateral aid. They are used to nice positive leg aids - none of them over-react.

None of them tank off - they will all sustain a nice sensible canter out hacking, around a XC course, in a SJ ring etc.

They all tend to be a bit on the forehand and flat in the canter. Once again, that is down to me - I tend to let them run through their upward transitions.

They are all bold jumpers, none of them refuse at anything (unless Lexi is in a really funny mood) but they will all take the odd pole (or three) on a SJ track.

Anyone who rides the same as me could get on any of the horses I ride regularly and get some kind of tune.

 

[samp]

It depends on th ehorse, some I like lon g and low others I like up in the bridle - depends on conformation. I like them to be responsive ride and move forward, turn and stop when asked. I like something soft in the mouth - however i alsways seem to choose horses that tend to lean and pull you forward

 

[Tempi]

wel youve seen me riding so you know how nicely Bloss goes

yes she is a little on the forehand and i would like her to be lighter, but she never will be due to her conformation. She is however now 'carrying' herself much better and moves very nicely through from behind. She is forward going and i dont have to do anything really with my hands apart from occoasionally squeezing down the rein to keep her in a nice outline.

Archie carrys himself in a natural outline and works naturally through from behind. hes forward going, so i currently just sit and steer (just kidding!) im working with him on getting him quicker off my aids as hes still so young. I hate horses that are slow off the aids, i like to be able to move my leg in one small movement and the horse to know what im asking. with Bloss this is easy, but with Archie he is obviously still learning all this and is going to go on learning for years to come.

 

[pottamus]

I have to say that it has never occured to me to wonder whether I look 'nice' on a horse. I know I can ride and have a good understanding of how a horse should go and what effect my position etc has on a horse.
I believe that all horses are different and that to a certain extent you may have to adapt your riding and style to that of the horse and it's personallity. What works with one does not work with another.
I only have and ride one horse but with him I like him to respond to my aids and expect him to listen to me.
I do not compete at sj or dressage (we do endurance), so I am happy for my horse to have a basic level of schooling (prelim dressage). I think any ridden horse should be able to do a prelim test, as this is your basic schooling groundwork really. Just my opinion though!

 

[katiejaye]

I like Louis to be consistent in his head carriage and while I do like him to be carrying his self, I do like a bit of a feel at the end of the reins (even of course!) as I would rather a horse that is pulling me forwards slightly than one that is ducking behind the bit (like Louis used to do). I like him to feel loose and supple in his neck and to be pushing through from behind rather than just poodling around in a "nice" outline that is flat. I don't like to feel that I am doing more work than Louis, I like him to be forward going and responsive without me having to kill myself pushing him forwards! This is one of my favourite piccies of how I like him to go:

 

[Scarlett]

I always seem to end up on the slower ones as I have an electric bum and can get just about anything going forward - its not always pretty but it is effective. My little Highland is a prime example, I have always been able to get him forward but I have watched other riders who arent used to that kind of pony really struggle with him... my other 2 boys are chalk and cheese, my TB is 4, green and currently I am teaching him to respond straight away to my leg aids so that I dont have to work as hard. My IDx is 5 and can be too forward going at times - it took me a long while to learn to ride horses like him but we are now getting somewhere - he works into the bit himself with the right contact and we are finally finding the brakes!!

For me they must be responsive, whether its slowing down or speeding up. Outline isnt that important to me as long as they are forward and supple and obedient...

 

[burtie]

[ QUOTE ]
Cracking photo of the Arab btw.

[/ QUOTE ]

He was adorable, first pure bred I'd ridden and nothing like people make them out to be! He wasn't mine, he had a real talent for Dressage and with a smaller/shorter rider could have gone a long way, I was clearly not to heavy for him but found once we got to elementary level training, my long legs were making it hard for me to give precise aids!

I too find a lot of horse have a good natural outline but not all.

 

[katiejaye]

[ QUOTE ]
wel youve seen me riding so you know how nicely Bloss goes

yes she is a little on the forehand and i would like her to be lighter, but she never will be due to her conformation.

[/ QUOTE ]

Louis has a lovely natural outline but too has always been naturally lower/heavier on the forehand. It never occured to me that it was to do with his conformation until a specialist who was up at our yard teaching one day commented that while he had a lovely conformation, his front legs are very slightly shorter than they should be so he is natural head carriage will be slightly lower and down hill.

 

[burtie]

[ QUOTE ]
I also like them to be voice trained and able to hack out on the end of the buckle without being a prat.

[/ QUOTE ]

I'm a big fan of voice training, all mine stop to a wooah, or slow down to steady. I've been picked up for it in Dressage a few times!

For pure dressage though I don't really use the reins at all to change pace(up or down), the seat is used to actually change pace. Of course in the real world this does not always work so reins need to be applied as a back up plan on occaisions, just not when things are all going well!

 

[burtie]

[ QUOTE ]
however i alsways seem to choose horses that tend to lean and pull you forward


[/ QUOTE ]

I'm a great believer in the saying it takes 2 to pull, but I fully understand your comment, the warmblood in the last picture always goes much better on to a much firmer contact than I like and there are some horses that seem to be happier and more secure with a bit more pressure on the bit.

 

[burtie]

PG, I thought you rode Bloss superbly certainly don't look like you are working hard and to me that is the aim(I'm sure you are working hard though!!).

 

[burtie]

katiejaye, that looks pretty perfect to me, what a lovely horse and photo.

 

[burtie]

[ QUOTE ]
I have to say that it has never occured to me to wonder whether I look 'nice' on a horse.

[/ QUOTE ]

Possibly not the best word, by nice I mean not flapping around, sitting quietly and carring myself. If we expect the horse to be in 'self carriage' so I believe the rider should be too, I am not strong enough as a rider to sit in self carriage and be kicking/pulling hard!

 

[vic07]

they must be soft light, responsive and very bendy. I sometimes for eventing have them too responsive. I like my horses to be very round as feel this makes them stronger physically and this is what i like riding. All my horses go very similarly but they are all very different types.

But quite often dressage is about producing the correct picture - only the rider knows how bl***** awful it feels. I have done tests like that and achieved much better marks than the completely correct test. Problems with dressage!

 

[Greyhound]

I like S to go forward and in an outline, as I keep getting told if you dont have forward movement you have nothing lol, she is obediant off the leg so no flapping or banging from me, I like her light in the hand and powerful and energetic from the back. To be light in the hand I have to let go of the handbrake otherwise we get heavier and heavier which isnt fun. I have to be relaxed so I am not bracing the movement and stopping her from going forwards.

Havent explained myself very well there oops.

Gh

 

[icestationzebra]

Lovely photos - and an interesting post. Ellie looks a lot of horse to hold together - v. interested to hear how you did so without as you mention before tugging and flapping! I have a big horse and am working hard to sit as light and quiet as possible with her doing the work and not me!

 

[vic07]

I also like them very forward. This is my intro. Still needs loads of work as has a tendency to be too low and over bent - (she also has a shortish neck which doesn't help the picture) feel it is a stage in her training but like horses to be uphill - much nicer to ride.

 

[SSM]

Donkey are you reading - I like a horse that goes forward and is not just happy to stand and stare into space daydreaming!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! No she is actually starting to track up from behind and it is a lot less effort to keep her going as her fitness levels increase. Hate it when a horse leans on the forehand

 

[pottamus]

Yeah, don't worry I realise what you mean by 'nice'!

 

[Tempi]

you obviously never see the colour of my face after my tests!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

 

[icestationzebra]

Hey! I've seen your horse going forward.... at speed!
She'll go even faster once shes clipped too

Good luck with that this weekend.
X

 

[katiejaye]

[ QUOTE ]
katiejaye, that looks pretty perfect to me, what a lovely horse and photo.

[/ QUOTE ]

Thanks, your piccies are Gorgeous too, especially the arab

It has taken a lot of work get Louis going like that over the last year but he's very giving and works hard. I am still working on strengthening him up behind and raising his head carriage slightly.

 

[JaneMBE]

I like mine to go forward and on four feet

 

[vicijp]

I like mine to go fast and jump brave - just like this:

Seriously, I like all my horses to work properly when they are meant to be working. I have no understanding of an 'outline' but I expect a horse to accept the bit and work from behind at all times, except when cooling off/walking in. Nothing does my head in more than seeing someone walking in between a canter, letting the horse loll all over the place - every minute of work counts towards fitness in my book.

 

[teapot]

Have to be off my leg, when I say go, I mean go now, not 5 strides later and preferably not downhill

Rode a cob for ages which was so downhill it was unbelieveable but he'd been able to lean so he'd learnt that he could get out of working properly by moving all his weight forward.

He didn't do as much after I dropped the contact and he nearly went down on his nose, got some lovely collection afterwards too

 

[burtie]

[ QUOTE ]
Ellie looks a lot of horse to hold together - v. interested to hear how you did so without as you mention before tugging and flapping!

[/ QUOTE ]

She was a lot of horse and a bit long in the back, ironically though she always had a lovely mouth and even though I bought her to hack on the forest having done no real Dressage or serious schooling she is the one that really converted me to a Dresaage fan. Fate meant that 2 weeks after buying her foot and mouth hit and we where stuck in the school for 6 months with no hacking. She loved it and was very trainable. I cannot deny when teaching new movements such as walk to canter and counter canter she could get a bit strong, so intially I would use draw reins just for riding these movements so that I didn't have to pull and she couldn't pull me out the saddle, as soon as she got they idea they were no longer used.

Sadly (and another story) at her last ever comp she won an affiliated Novice and part qualified for the regionals.

 

[icestationzebra]

Thanks for that - v interesting - she looks to have a lovely attitude from the photo. Do you still have her?