Moving off the leg?...

[Honeypots]

Can anyone suggest some effective exercises for teaching a horse that is old enough to know better but has been badly schooled/or not at all, to move off the leg?
He is 9yrs old and seems to have been ridden with heavy hands and little or no leg so goes around with his nose in the air and shoots off from the leg when it is used.

 

[alicedove]

That will take patience, time and above all else.... consistence...

All rein contact is the same and you have to mean it, try longe in side reins, to start with he will go all horrible but you have to persevere and keep after him, until he settles and feels more comfortable and goes round more "round" and a bit more relaxed. Do this quite often, even every day for ten days to really sort out the message for contact and the balance. Of course reward with undoing the reins when he gives in, for his cool off.

For the bend, ride, keep the contact, this horse sounds very off-the-leg which can be a lovely ride! Take up the contact and give leg with as much pressure as is required to make him go "forward" either into the contact at the stand still, or into the walk, but round. Always make him round when you have a contact and always make the horse think forwards, either at walk or trot or whatever.

If he shoots forward then too much leg was used, you may only need a slight shift in your seat, or just that little bit of calf pressure. Some horses move off with just a change in your balance. That's a lovely way to ride. He sounds as though he will be really nice, so forward!

I expect you have made sure his teeth and back are okay.

 

[xxcharlottexx]

Im trying to teach my youngster that leg doesnt always mean go faster an sometimes means to move over so were doing lots of leg yield and turn on the forehand/turn about the forehand

in my lesson on friday instructor made me turn up the centre line, leg yield left to the quarter line, do a left turn on the forehand, lef yield back to the centre line, leg yield right to the quarter line, then do a right turn on the forehand, then back to the centre line

When first doing TOTFH he would have a paddy and walk backwards at 100mph then shoot foreward when i asked him to stop going back.or just turn around. So we first started with turnabout the forehand and he soon realised it was him who was using the extra energy not me , so learned to listen to my leg and do a perect TOTFH

sorry that probably wasnt much use to you

 

[icestationzebra]

Sounds as though this horse has been ridden roughly - he is poking his nose to avoid rough hands and has probably been kicked to go forward which is why he shoots forward. When you ride ensure your hands are soft - but do take a contact. If you keep a bend in your elbow it will help you to have a sympathetic contact - if your hands drop and your arms straighten you will fix and he will evade you. Ensure your legs are wrapped softly around his sides at all times - that way when you do squeeze to ask him to move forward it is subtle and not unexpected. It is all about keeping the lines of communication open - if your hands are legs are already there when you give aids they won't come as a shock. There is nothing worse than jabbing hands and flapping legs

It will take lots of sympathetic and consistant riding but your horse will learn to trust the aids you are giving and will become softer and more responsive. Sounds as though his way of going has been cultivated by self preservation by perhaps heavy handed riding in his past. Be patient.....

 

[icestationzebra]

I'm sorry AleeDee I can't agree with you on lunging a horse in side reins that is not used to them every day for 10 days. That could cause really sore muscles and do more harm than good

 

[BethH]

Try some long reining, that will get him listening to your voice and body language and give you a bond on the ground that can then be continued when you are on his back.

I agree with both sentiments by icestationzebra, I think he is so used to being over-ridden that he runs away from the contact and it will take a bit for him to learn he can trust his new rider. My old horse was like that as was used to people getting on him, booting him to go faster and then jabbing him in the mouth for brakes. He was a very very sensitive 23yr old Arab cross and with the help of a very sympathetic instructor we reschooled him and he turned in to one of the most lovely light horses I have ever ridden, he didn't like leg contact but once he got used to have my leg around him then a gentle aid with my calf and movement of hip and off he went.

You don't need loads of tack to get what you need just a lot of patience and consistent light aids.