Is he trying it on now?

[Lill]

My friend and i have been backing Merlin (4yo welsh D) for about 6 weeks now.

4/5 times a week we have got him in, lunged him and then been leaning over him from both sides, with foot in stirrup and with feet out of stirrup, gradually progressing to sitting astride him but staying low down. All this has been done just with him standing still, not asking him to move.

Last weekend we had got as far as sitting up in normal riding position and being led around in walk. But now he appears to be going backwards again and only today would he let my friend sit up in normal riding position.

It is so frustrating that it is taking this long and he has been pretty difficult.

I can't work out now if he is having us on or not? Or perhaps he just has the memory of a goldfish?!

As last weekend he was ok with my friend sitting on him in normal riding position and was calm to be led around the arena slowly and then all this week he was all tense and spooky if she went to move from leaning to sitting!

 

[ofcourseyoucan]

welsh cobs can be sharp and spooky (and they are so strong, and strong minded) i would persevere, be careful, and insist on good manners from the minute you catch him. be the alpha in the relationship he needs direction from a confident source. have you long reined him at all to establish steering and brakes? i wiould also introduce a couple of poles for him to walk over to give him something to think about. no harm in going back a stage for a couple of days but he needs consitancy and confidant handlers at all time. God luck

 

[Lill]

Yes we have long reined him we did this before we taught him to lunge, and did a little again last week to refresh his steering and brakes

I have lunged him over poles which he will do after being spooky the first couple of times.

It just feels like we have been doing this forever!!

 

[Jerroboam]

I would lunge and long line before getting on him, all in the same session. I have backed a sec A who was very similar who was fine with someone on his back for two weeks and then started to freak. I made a mistake and let him get me off and he then knew that he could try it everytime! Little monster. However he is now MUCH better with LOADS of long lining, the shadow a riders body creates really can be a scary thing for some horses, also only ride in straight lines for a couple of times, just so as he isn't turning around your leg and catching a glimpse. If that fails we made a straw dummy with fish weights inside and that worked wonders too and much safer for all of us. It is so annoying, you feel like you have turned a corner and then it all goes up in arms, its so much like potty training a toddler!! Good luck and becareful!