Teaching a young horse to move off the leg?

[ponyforever]

Well i have a 14.2hh 6 year old who has been to a few training show jumping competitions and has been schooled. However, she doesn't move off the leg and still needs a lot of leg and sometimes a tap with the whip, she seems quite laxy to ride in the school and green.

How can i teach a younger horse to move off the leg and be confident going forwards? She is also is very nosey so i think sometimes some of her slow pace is due to her being spooky?

Any help?

 

[Spot_the_Risk]

I was hoping you would get some answers to this, in case I have this problem later this year... so BUMP!

 

[KarynK]

It is quite easy to do if you take it back to basics, the method I found easiest was the Western riding, I find it easier to teach, you teach it by bumping the leg you want to move away from gently on her side, (this gives them more of a clue I think) and at the same time take the other leg well away from her other side so you open a door so to speak for her to move into, you exaggerate the movements at first which doesnt look pretty but they get the idea, also hold out the rein and your hand on the side you want her to move to so it's really obvious to her where you want her to go she learns there is no pressure when she moves into the door and when she does move over you stop the bumping and priase her, she will work it out quite quickly.

Do it at a walk or from a halt and be satified with one or two steps at first and build on that. It will help if you have a scooling area, go on to turn her down a line a few feet away from the fence , open the door towards the fence and give her the aids and allow her to move over away from your leg. Gradually you can then refine the aids to a push and when she's confident you can have her move off you leg normally.

A good exercise once she's learnt it is to start on a large circle in trot and gradually make it smaller and smaller then apply the aids and allow her to move sideways back out to the large circle.

Hope that makes sense and as always don't expect too much and end while the going is good!

 

[SS.89]

My ex racer is a bit like this, looks at everything, is very cautious and a little bit unsure of himself at the minute so has no confidence AT ALL
His previous owner used to constantly niggle at his sides, so these constantly little niggles in effect made his sides numb which resulted in him not responding to anything!
So .....
When iI ride him i have to keep my legs on his sides with quite a firm grip, not tight, but firm so he knows i'm there and i'm trying to guide him.
When I want him to move forward, instead of taking my leg off his side I squeeze in ... If he doesnt respond I use my voice and squeeze a little more ... If he doesnt respond again thats when I would tap with the whip as thats just ignorance.
I wouldnt think it would work when my instructor told me but now he's going off the leg forward into trot in the menage now which was impossible before!!

Next stage .. CANTER !

x

 

[sydneysmum]

Ive watched horses being backed and brought on quite a lot and they tend to start off with a sharp squeeze and if no response gradually make the squeeze into a nudge, then a kick and sometimes a thelwell type kick At the point where the horse responds make sure you allow it to go forward otherwise your counteracting your command Even if he trots at least hes done what youve asked, that is moved forwards. Then bring back to a halt and do same again. You will quite quickly see the horse moving off your leg sooner and sooner They are definately quick learners

 

[soulfull]

You need to be mega consistent with how you ask and what you accept!



So imagine your leg aid on a scale of 1-10 with one being the lightest of touches and 10 being a big old kick (inside leg). You can do it from walk or halt, ask for forward energy with a 1, and when your horse *Probably* doesnt respond IMMEDIATELY go to 10 (or a close to 10 as your confidence and the horse allows), this will sometimes involve halt to gallop down the school, then walk or halt and repeat, you have to be VERY clear, and disciplined in going tap, KICK, you are aiming to get the horse to go off the tap, and eventually getting the maximum respect from the leg that when you take the leg off to apply the horse moves forward - 'legs away'. It is very important to give the contact when you give the big leg aid, so you are not being contridictory. Often useful to use a big click at the same time, then when you are connected and have the right energy you can just click and you should get a little more energy.