Schooling - two steps forward, three steps back. Why ? ? ?

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Muddywellies

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Not literally two steps forward and three back....
but why, when things have been going well, does your horse suddendly decide he hasn't got a clue ??
I ended up riding till 11 o clock (in the dark - no lights - tho it wasn't totally pitch black) as i couldn't get through to my horse. I must have attached his reins to his noseband by mistake. How silly of me not to notice.
He was a bit tense right from when I saddled him up - flies were the problem i think. And the entire time i was riding, he was clearly somewhere else. I became soooo frustrated with him, and actually didn't find a good note to end on.
Why does this hppen ?? Ive been so proud of him, and now i feel really gutted. Like months of hard work were for nothing.
Ive just had a thought........ i put on some new breeches for the first time, and was really uncomfortable - i hate them. Could that actually affect your riding (wierd or what), or do these horses do this to us sometimes (forget everything)
Oh - another thought.........i got him a new bit a few weeks ago - a lovely aurigan mouthpiece with a lozenge. Whilst he got used to it, i removed his flash. Hes been going brilliantly in it, so last night put the flash back on. I wonder if he has got used to not having the flash, and prefers not having it ?
 
Think you've answered your own question. If he was going well with his new bit without the flash why put it back on? I'd be tempted to have his teeth checked as it could be that by keeping his mouth clamped shut with a flash it is causing him discomfort inside his mouth. Which he didn't experience without it.
 
You could have been sitting differently or more tense if you didn't feel comfortable in your jods, and the flash is another possibility - there were at least two things different last night. The months of hard work haven't been for nothing, it was just an off day, put your comfy jods on, ditch the flash, and try again tonight.

Don't keep riding on for ages and ages late at night and in frustration - it won't help you or the horse. If you do find you have hit a difficult patch then get a couple of lessons to get you back on track.
 
Horses aren't machines, they have good days & bad days, you've obvously had a bad day. When this happens you can't keep riding & riding hoping that it'll all go right in the end, it won't do you or your horse any good The frustration will just build up.

If he was going well in the bit without the flash then why change things? If it aint broke, don't fix it. A horse doesn't jusy forget everything overnight, you'll probably find he'll go better today or tomorrow.
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Agree - horses are not machines. They are entitled to have bad days, just as much as we are. I don't see why on earth you would want to put a flash on when he was going well without, what is there to gain from having the jaw strapped shut?

If he's having a bad day in future, give him a simple task to do that he can do well (even as simple as a halt transition), praise him lavishly for doing it well and get off. He won't know that the halt transition was not your original intention for the session, he thinks he's done well, you have avoided an argument - everyone is happy. There is nothing at all to be gained from plugging away at a tense, unhappy horse if he is not in the right frame of mind that day.

Horses can teach us an awful lot, if only we are prepared to listen.
 
Re the flash, I never strap his mouth shut with it. Its put on carefully and comfortably, but its there just to make it a little more difficult to fiddle around with his mouth. The previous owners used to half strangulate him with it, which I hated. His teeth are done regularly. His bit - Ive been to the ends of the earth to find one he likes - everything you could think of. He is now in (as in orig post) a lose ring snaffle with an aurigan (gold) mouthpiece and lozenge. So I feel i have him as comfortable as I can.
I really do wonder if the jods were making me sit wierd, as they are awful (they are a very popular brand so I am very surprised - will have to ebay them). Also he has a huge issues with the flies.
so, as you have all said - an off day, that perhaps i shouldnt beat myself up over. just so frustrating though
 
my warmblood can be different every time i ride him. He goes brilliantly sometimes and always when i am with my trainer. Sometimes at home, he can act like he hasnt got a clue i.e falling out, inconsistent with head carriage etc Very frustrating but i have to keep my cool. I dont over do things and always try to finish on a good note (easier said than done !) I know exactly where you are coming from - keep at it and dont over do those bad days !
 
yes and no.. Yes, ive thought about it, but my obvious reason not to is that I cant dressage in one. No point him getting used to it if I can't compete in it. secondly, he is a bit unpredictable at times, and i would feel more secure with something in his mouth (as i said earlier though, a lot of time and effort has been / is put into his bitting)
though i do sometimes wonder if he would prefer it, as he has a really fat tongue that sort of 'leaks' out between his teeth. though I asked the vet once if he has an unusually fat tongue and she said 'no'.
 
aw, you just had a bad day, that's all.

My pony is seriously fussy about bits/flashes etc, and the biggest thing I've learnt with him is if it ain't broke don't fix it....maybe try taking the flash off again and see how you get on.

I'm sure it'll all be much better next time you ride, and if you have another session that doesn't go well it might be best to cut your losses and try again another day before it all gets too frustrating.
 
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