My coblets playing up

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Hannah1Pie

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I have been working my cob on the bit for a while now and he has been doing so well, ive been hacking him out regulally as well as schooling but am maybe overdoing it a bit on the schooling simply because i dont want him to loose the outline. He has been going so well and seemed to be really softening nicely and looking great and not forcing himself against my hands.
It had been going so well and then I introduced the outline into my canter, he was great the first few times but now hes just getting soo annoyed with me and has started forcing himself against my hands when he goes into outline in trot. I realised this may be because i was over doing it on the schooling him so i went back to doing a bit of everything a bit more often and schooling maybe 3 times in the week, but still he seems to be getting so strong a stroppy when i get him down on the bit.
I'm thinking now that it might be a good idea to give him a few days to a week off schooling so that he can mellow out a bit again and not be so stroppy with me in the hope that it might stop him from refusing to into outline and forcing his mouth against the bit.
Do you think that would be a good idea or do you think that if i give him this time off that when i go back to schooling him on the bit he will just refuse to go into outline all together?
 
Nothing really constructive to add, but I think this is an issue best addressed by someone who is actually watching you ride. I read recently though a good test to make sure you're not being too strong in the hand - reverse your rein, so instead of it sitting between third and fourth fingers, in runs over the top of your first finger, and out the bottom of your hand. It's a strange feeling, but definitely makes for a more sensitive contact - worth a try!?
 
I may try that on my inside rein - just to butt in
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I'm awful at holding onto it and if i can make it more sensitive it would do me wonders!
 
The way STR describes holding the reins is called a 'mexican rein' i think and it really does make you more aware of how much contact you have. I find it best if you don't ask for an 'outline' as such and instead just maintain a forwards pace from behind and encourage stretching, making sure as soon as the horse stops leaning you soften your hands. It's not easy but if you keep at it that's what i have found works best. Also try to keep your hands really really soft all the time, with no tension from your arms (in fact whole body- concentrate on breathing and relaxing everything) which will encourage your horse to use himself better and relax more than if he meets resistance anywhere.

FWIW i would forget about his outline, if he is getting annoyed then it sounds like you are either doing too much for his muscles to cope with or are 'nagging'. There should be no 'asking' for an outline by wiggling hands/ playing with reins. Once he is going properly and can stretch down he will probably hold himself in an 'outline' naturally.

Bit of an essay but hopefully can help.
 
I appreciate the info but im not nagging him down, hes a stubbourn cob that u just have to tweak once to give him the idea that he should be down on the bit and then he goes down on his own and works nicely, what im saying is that hes been getting heavy on my hands the last few weeks relying on me to hold him up and ive needed to tweak more than once to keep telling him to go down and then he seems to be getting annoyed with me wen i ask, i just wanna no, do u think it would be a good idea to leave the schooling for a week or so to chill him out a bit ?
 
I think that depends on the horse, frank doesnt do well to have a break for too long as he gets stiff and awkward. but then I only school twice a week max anyway.
 
Sounds like youv'e tweaked a bit to much, you say he's a cob. Is he light medium or heavy. Sounds like you are pushing him into he's uncomforable with take it down a peg
 
Ide say hes bout a medium cob, just my point though that I had him at a point that i only needed to give him one light tweak at the start of schooling then he was fine, but now hes got a tad stroppy and it seems like he needs reminding
 
I would say its not unusual for a horse thats coming on to become obstructive at times and try it on. I also think your right, they do get fed up. I'm reschooling a cob and i'm guilty of getting carried away with the schooling and not giving her enough variation. Maybe bringing some more variation into the schooling might cause a distraction and keep his interest, maybe some dressage tests, plenty of circles, serpentines, transitions, figures of 8 etc. I know you said you are having probs on 20m circles but maybe plenty in walk initially on a longer rein will encourage the bend.
I would be tempted to back off a little bit, maybe mix in some light lungeing, loose schooling, trotting poles etc and if still no luck i would try a couple of days off just to keep him sane! Good luck hope your problem improves
 
Thanks thats great help
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i will definately back off the serious schooling and do some different stuff with him, give him a break from it all
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