Update - I have my horse back!

[gloster_image]

Well, as most of you know I made the move from hampshire to nottingham with Rocks in tow. He was fine for the first week but then caught himself a cold (which is currently being treated homeopathically). However in the last 3weeks his behaviour has deteriorated disgustingly so far that I couldn't even see any of my Rock inside him

He bolted with me very badly out hacking which resulted in us both ending up in a crumpled heap on the floor. He was taking off in the school. Being bargy when I handled him. Rearing when tied up - not my horse at all!
Then I had my lesson with Polly Jackson on wednesday and its been a life saver. I told her what he's been up to and she said it sounded like a combination of him being upset my the move and being fresh and naughty.
5 minutes into the lesson, off he went, flat out around her arena (which if anyone knows is L shaped and if you get too close to one bit you might have your head taken off by the horse walker!). He was pissing off for about 15 minutes (according to the film my friend was taking) and broke into trot (phew I think my legs are already shaking my this point) but under Pollys instruction it was straight back into canter. Another 15 minutes later I finally let him trot then did the same on the other rein. By the end of it he was knackered and so was I! Did a tiny bit of actual lesson work then and called it a day.
Well, since wednesday I've had a well mannered, loving, gentle horse who today when I rode him I managed to jump IN A SNAFFLE without any suggestion of him running off - I hardly had to take a contact let alone a pull! He was an angel!
Think someone worked out for himself it was far easier to behave!
And I finally have my loving horse back! It's like hes changed over night.

Have booked in to use the round pen at uni next week to some join up to re establish the trust between us but all in all i'm feeling a huge amount more confident and happy!

Sorry very self indulgent

 

[I_A_P]

lol well im glad to hear it!
im afriad i do the same i regularly school out on grass fields which if millie starts thinking about getting faster andd faster..i make her canter round and round leg yielding her in and out of a circle which makes it very hard work and the she just gives in..and settles nicely
she does it a lot less often now 2!!

 

[gloster_image]

It really worked! The first thing Polly said when he went was stand up in your stirrups (into xc position) and let him go BUT make him go into every corner with your inside leg - at first every time i put my inside leg on he just went even more but he soon ran out of puff and ended up getting quite nice work!

 

[KatB]

Yep thats a trick we were always taught...if a horse wants to go, make it go until it doesnt want to any more, then make it go some more!! It soon looses its appeal....I had the same with a horse walking backwards the other day, we went backwards lots, poor boy was thinking of getting reverse lights I think!!

Pleased things are working out!!

 

[Maesfen]

Glad someone else was taught the same thing! Some people look at you as if you're nuts when you suggest pushing on instead of trying to brake but it does work most of the time!