I hate my horse today.... (rant)

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soph21

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I could have killed Bear today, he's really starting to grate on me now.

He's been broken in for 2 years and has never had any bad experiences. Lately he's been taking the pi$$ brakes wise but also with the contact.

I was trying to get him to work in an outline today for about 40 mins and by the time we were home and he still wouldn't
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I have tried loads of bits, and today he was in his straight bar happy mouth loose ring which he mouths nicely in. But he just wont come down, he walks along with his head in the air and his legs go like spaghetti cos his head is so high, I try with and with the martingale and neither make a difference with him.
Im getting to the point now that Im thinking why bother???
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Im not expecting much of him am I? He will just constantly fight me and its doing my head in
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I was really ready to lose my rag with him today but my friend told me to calm down and she'll ride him tomorrow and I'll ride her lovely WELL BEHAVED ARAB
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I haven't got the strength in my legs to keep on at him, he was actually walking out nicely today but he just wouldn't do it.
His back/tack/teeth etc etc all fine and dandy he's just a little pillock thats making me feel like selling him and buying this gorgeous 6 yr old 14.2hh skewbald gelding out of a good stallion!
I feel awful but I am so tempted, Ive never known/ridden a horse like him.

When you want a lovely chilled out hack he's as good as gold but as soon as you ask for more thats it, I let a friend ride him yesterday who has only ever ridden once and that was 3 years ago, he was so good, he didn't bat an eyelid at anything that he usually would! Abd then we had a little trot and she lost both stirrups, he stopped straight away for her. He is good with novice people, maybe he would be good for a riding school
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Anyone got any good advice?
Or looking for a 15hh cob?
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They dont set out to annoy us and whilst I know they often do manage to anyway(!), you've got to look to yourself as the root of the problem.
Do you have lessons?
 
Yeah I have lessons with him, we have them in a sand school and he is sooo hard to get going in the sand, we do pole work every time to get him to lengthen and stretch out but he still tries to evade it, Ive never had problems with any other horses I've ridden.
He's easier on grass to get going but I do most of my schooling out on hacks, usually try and do half of a hack working and the other half a mooch, I dont want a lot from him.
 
Just a thought, why not try him in a hackamore? Some horses, if they are bit and avoiding contact, will lower their heads more willingly if there is nothing in their mouth to evade or fight with. It's not something you need you use all the time if you don't want to, but it might be interesting to see if it works with him.
 
if you do decide to try a hackamore i have one if you want to try in. what about getting someone like jenna to school him a few time for you and see what he is like with them.
 
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How are you asking him to "go on the bit" as sounds to me like he's not moving forwards off your leg enough. I'd concentrate on getting him really forward and pingy off you leg before even considering what the front end is doing.....
 
Christmas Carol- I thought about not long ago, It would be interesting to see how he reacted to it, but his nose pressure isn't very responsive lol!
Its worth a try though!
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Cheers Jen I might borrow it and see, I was just reading one of Jen's posts and she said she could do with horses to school, and I was thinking of PM'ing her to see if she would come out and school him for me, I could hire out next doors school if she wanted me to.


Lexiedbh- I never ask for contact before he's using his back end, as I said in orig post he was walking out lovely toady but still wouldn't work in an outline. He's even worse in a sand school I spose its harder in sand but thats why in almost every lesson we do trotting poles before we start concentrating on anything else.
 
Well you said he was "so hard to get going in sand" to me that says he's not consistantly off your leg enough to even contemplate what the front end is doing..... if he doesnt listen to your leg he wont ever be working forward enough to achieve a nice outline.
Not sure how helpful trotting pole before a lesson would b, unless they make him more forward going.... I would try and ignore his front end, get a schooling whip and make him listen to you more. I would also suggest never doing anything for more than a few mins in the school to get him listening to you more ie: trot one circle, walk a serpentine, but stick transitions in along the way, keep his mind active as there is no point fighting with him to "bring his head in" for 40 mins!

Looks like a nice chap though, and Im sure with a bit of work you'll get there!
 
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I don't actually know how you school a youngster to get them on the bit! But can share my experience of getting my horse to work on the bit. He was a 9 yr old ex-racer when I got him. He pi**ed off with me a few times and obviously wasn't used to going in an outline as such. My instructor after a series of lessons felt that putting him in draw reins for a short schooling session was going to be beneficial. I don't remember using them that often if at all after that one time! But it did help and he will work on the bit nicely now if I have the energy to ride him forward!!! I'm not sure it would work for you or is the answer but would something like that help give him some guidence as to what you are looking for. Do horses naturally know what you're asking when you want them to come on the bit!?

Does he open his mouth? Would a flash noseband help? He sound quite cheeky to me and messes you about.
 
He is hard to get going from behind, but when he is actually doing it he just fusses when I ask him to drop his head, I dont try and aim for (just get him to tuck his head in).
Im only small and he can be bloody hard work, I think he needs long legs to wrap around him lol He's a lovely horse when he goes well but he looks awful when he's walking along with his nose in the air.
When we do pole work my instructor makes me sit to his trot and really push him through them and we get quite good results, we often do serpentines and 10/20 mtr circles ect.. and halt to trot and walk to canter transitions to make him listen and be more responsive.


runaway- I dont know if you have actually read my post but I said ''working in an outline'' NOT get him on the bit!
Is it wrong to school a 5 year old?
When a horse engages it back end it should naturally come in to a nice outline but Bear doesn't feel the need to do it!
I am going to try taking him around the block a few times in draw reins and see what he's like.
I have got him in a grackle ATM to help my brakes problem and so far so good, before he had that on yes he did open his gob sometimes.

He knows that Im only small and he can get away with it, I need my legs to grow a few more inches! And put on a couple of stone!


ETA Im going to my mates to practice for my theory that I have got booked for this Saturday so if I dont reply for a few hours Im not being ignorant lol!
The hazard perception bit is really hard
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If you are going to use draw reins please please do it in the school first, if he is so insistant on not dropping his nose you could meet all sorts of resistance, and on the road isnt the place you want that!!.....

Good luck with the theory....
 
I agree with the dont use draw reins on road for the first time, i've seen a few horses take a big dislike to them, and it's really dangerous if they decide that on the roads. Also, try and stay calm, sounds liek you're getting really worked up and he can probably tell. Maybe make your leg aids a bit more sharp but less frequent and hand aids (if any) very very soft.
 
I thought I'd ride him round the field for 10 mins 1st, And you go along 2 long lanes from our yard before you get to a quiet country lane.

Ive just come back from practising it, on the theory questions I get better and better every time, my last attempt I only go one question wrong!
The hazard perception I actually passed it TWICE!!! But failed it 3 times lol!
I'll practice it again tomorrow
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[ QUOTE ]


runaway- I dont know if you have actually read my post but I said ''working in an outline'' NOT get him on the bit!
Is it wrong to school a 5 year old?
When a horse engages it back end it should naturally come in to a nice outline but Bear doesn't feel the need to do it!
I am going to try taking him around the block a few times in draw reins and see what he's like.
I have got him in a grackle ATM to help my brakes problem and so far so good, before he had that on yes he did open his gob sometimes.


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Firstly thank you yes sophie221 I DID read you first post fully!
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Secondly I have always been taught that for a horse to be in an outline (however deep that is) it has to accept the bit and therefore would need to be on the bit!!!! I know that there are numerous levels of this, as seen in dressage. Personally from what you are saying Bear does not even accept the bit (star gazing etc), so I don't see how you can expect him to work in an outline!

and lastly I would not be taking a horse out on the road in draw reins for the first time. But then I don't know how experienced you are or anything like that and it is only my personal preference and not a personal comment on you
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(I just wanted to clear that up in case others thought that was what I was suggesting. I schooled my horse under supervision in a school the time I used draw reins.)
 
He excepts his bit fine, he always mouthes lovely. He's just taking the pi$$ out of his short arse mummy lol


I took him out for a half hour hack in the draw reins this morning and e went really well!
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He had a couple of moments but when he realised he was pulling against himself he soon stopped it!
Going to do this a few times a week for the next couple of weeks and see how we go on.
 
No advise for you sorry....
Not read any other replies, but please don't ever hate your horse!!!! You don't know how long you will be lucky enough to know him
You are riding an extremely well balanced piece of kit
 
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