training advice please

[horseriderdeb]

I was riding my 4 year old today and he did nothing but lean on my hands. He is in a d ring snaffle. Any ideas how to stop this. Another thing is that he is not picking his feet up he is being lazy. I have put trotting poles out but this is not making any difference. Any ideas on exercises to make him pick his feet up

 

[NeedNewHorse]

Hi,

I am no expert and you only have to see how much my own crazy mare behaves to realise that I haven't got a clue! But - some ideas are as he is quite young, thinking forwards if (IMO) obviously seriously important. I would get him out hacking do some/do some cantering i.e get him thinking forwards enjoying himself.

As for the leaning, what are you doing? 9/10 horses lean when we are encouraging them with our hands. Horses will also lean into pressure, so if you apply pressure with your hands they will lean into it, and it becomes a vicious circle. I would (if safe to do so) get a really good long rein and kick him on into a good active trot moving around the school - big easy turns and moves. Then move on from there, i,e picking him up a bit once forwards has been established. Also do some transistions (not just one or two bu tonnes)

Goodluck.x

 

[jhoward]

my mare was a horror for leaning, i had her wolf teeth out january this year (shes five tomorrow) and it has stopped 90 % of the time.

 

[Happy Hunter]

In my humble experience:

My mare was just like this - 17hh of Cleveland Girl leaning on me was streching my arms! I moved her onto a loose ring snaffle = and keep 'wiggling' mt fingers a bit - giving her nothing to lean on and developing self carrage, and keeping things nice and light - you dont want to move onto a stronger bit until you know that you wont need to go back again. (if you know what I mean!)

Also - with the trotting poles. have you tried riasing them up a bit = a pole lying 90degrees with them underneath (raising them 4inches) helps (again -- a drawing would help!) - that and making everything fun - im sure he will get the idea!

Good luck

 

[spotty_pony]

I would do lots of varied work to keep her interested. Keep the schooling sessions short (20 -30 mins) and think of something simple you want to achieve during the session, work on it and once you have achieved what you were aiming for, finish there. Also I would only school a maximum of three times per week, and then I would hack/jump/lunge/give her a day off for the rest of the days.

Also, you might find he goes better in a loose ring snaffle, as the loose rings prevent the horse from being able to lean on the bit. Use lots of half halts during your schooling, and then as he comes back to you, give with your hand as a reward, and also to stop him leaning on you (he can't lean on you, if your giving with the reins!) Also, lots of transitions will help to keep him interested, and also encourage him to become more responsive to your leg. Also, I suggest you find a good instructor who has experience with training with young horses and have a few lessons to help you to improve further.

Hope this helped!

 

[Peacelily]

a short reply - more leg needed. Don't fight in the hand, the more you pull, the more they'll learn. Use the leg and seat to drive horse and utilise it's back end (should see the tripping get less - back end doesn't sound activated) and pick up in front.

Should lighten the front end, engage the hindquarters and ulitmately reduce the learn.

Good luck!

 

[horseriderdeb]

Thanks for all the replies. I will put it all into practice at the weekend. I will change his bit to a loose ring snaffle and see what happens. I hav some car tyres so will raise one side of the poles so it makes him pick his feet up a bit more. I only school for about 20 - 30 mins and do lots of transition work and he is doing pretty well at that at the moment. I do this 3 times a week. Then I put scary things out in the menage and work on that once a week and we are still working on the hacking out bit as push bikes and driveways are so scary at the moment and he gets a day off.

 

[JenTaz]

i know what you mean about the leaning its the most annoying thing in the world, i found a change of bit worked wonders and double the schooling for taz as i cant have a bit that doesnt constantly move in his mouth basically lol, so i now have a myler loose ring snaffle as if i cant move all the bits of it im screwed lol but i definately agree about doing all of the transitions make him forward before you try to bring him back and ask him to stretch out to use the muscles in his back