New horse - testing the boundries or is there a problem?

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Tayto

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Hey guys,

I am looking for some more advice.

When we are hacking, Tash tends to snatch the reins from my hands. She also has started coughing when we do any trot work. Also, she always wants to leave the track. For example, last night, we started trotting along the track and she shot off the track to the right and almost went into a tree! If I give her a completely loose rein, she will wander off the track, into the trees. Is this napping or is she just nosey and wants to explore?!

This behaviour has been building up over the last few weeks but I kept thinking that its just cos she was testing me and it would get better but now I am starting to worry there is something wrong with her?!

She is in a french link full cheek snaffle. She has quite a fat tongue, I am wondering if this bit is maybe irritating her hence the snatching of the reins.

OR - she is still testing the boundries and just when I think all is going well she likes to mix it up a bit and keep me on my toes?!

Oh dear - it feels like 1 step forward and 2 steps back sometimes! :confused:

PS - her teeth are up to date and had the physio out the other week who gave her a full body check and said she was in tip top condition
 
The rein snatching is often a bit problem , along with the cough . Sometimes , esp when doing faster work , the horse will pull its tongue towards the back of the mouth to evade the joint sitting on its tongue this makes him cough .
My horse will often wander off track/route purely out of interest .
 
If she's coughing frequently, she needs a vet check.
The snatching sounds like discomfort which could be caused by the bit or the rider's hands, The wandering around is because she isn't listening to you. You should really be able to steer her with just your seat and legs. I suggest you get recommended RI to watch you ride and help you both to improve.
 
Thanks. I just started having fortnightly lessons. My instructor rode her and said that she is very green so we are working on this in lessons. When she shot off the track last night this was probably my fault as I was busy yapping to my friend behind me and not paying proper attention :-/
 
Are you actually RIDING the horse? Or just letting her do what she likes?
She cant 'test the boundaries' if you don't give her any!!
How is she meant to know she's to keep on a track if you don't steer her, and your reins are loose? Horses don't think 'oohh a track I'm meant to stay on that' - they think 'theres no grass under my nose better wander to the side there might be some there' !!
And as for pulling the reins out of your hands- try holding the reins a bit tighter so she cant do it- when she realises she cant do it she'll probably stop trying to do it. Hold the reins in a good contact and kick on firmly when she does it.
As for the coughing- are you sure she's not grabbing bits of grass or tree as you pass if your reins are loose and she's dawdling? This could make her cough. Or a lot of horses cough a bit in the first few minutes theyr out, possibly due to hay dust. Otherwise you shud get a vet/dentist to check her out, and if they ok her, ride her forward when she does it.
 
Stormox, I only have her the reins cos I wanted to see what she did because she always seems interested in going off track. I don't ride with loose reins normally! The tracks are quite dusty so it could be the dust irritating her. I will keep an eye on it and get the vet to check her over as a precaution.
Ridefast, I haven't had myself checked - should I?! As mentioned, I am having lessons and my instructor said my position is fine.....
 
Sometimes, just being more tense down one side will affect the horse even if your position is considered fine. Physio or Chiro would be my first port of call to fix anything glaringly obvious, but actually have alexander lessons has made me a lot more aware of what my body is doing subconsciously and how it's affecting my horse. If she's persistently drifting off to the side it's because I'm more tense in one hip and leg than the other. If you know a centred riding instructor locally, they work along the same lines as the Alexander technique just they teach it while you're on horse back
 
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