Young horse leaning against bit do not want to ruin her..

[opinionuk]

I have noticed that my 4 year ISH Mare is getting a tendency to bolt off and lean on the bit to avoid stopping and doing work that she doesn't want to do, she was well schooled and has a sensitive mouth, my main concern is if she continues to do this and I have to ask her firmly to stop all the time that she will become hard in the mouth and I desperately don't want this to happen.

An example she gave me today is we were riding in the indoor school came across a set of plastic wings off the track, she had spooked at them a few times which was fine as shes only 4 but then decided when she spooked it gave her the opportunity to run away from them with head in air and leaning on the bit causing me having to ask with my reins quite sharply to come back to me, she wasn't scared just naughty and mareish as we had been passed them numerous occasions.

This mare has great potential and I don't want to ruin it by her ending up hardmouthed.

All advice appreciated! just for info she is ridden in a fulmer snaffle, drop noseband and a martingale.

 

[Ella Bella]

Imo, the worst reaction to this evation tactic is to pull her back. If you don't pull, she had zero to pull against and will quickly cease the habit.

Next time she leans on your hands or inverts and throws her head in the air, use your leg and direct her onward (even if she is quick, you must keep her forward) into a circle. Focus on putting all your weight into the inside and push her out creating an exaggerated bend. Work a few circles until she comes back to you then change rein. Once she is settled into a working tempo and accepts the contact, reward.

Use that forward energy and channel it up into the contact rather than pulling her back into a stop, (which is likely exactly what she's counting on).

If you find yourself in a dangerous situation where you are unable to let her move out and forward then I still would not pull back. Instead I'd open up my inside rein and bring her into a tight circle. Still keep her moving *forward* though and away from your inside leg so that she is back under control without being allowed to hollow out and ignore your aids or stop coming ahead.

That being said, it wouldn't hurt to examine her, especially the teeth for any sensitivity or pain. Just to give her the benefit of the doubt and be able to confidently rule that out.

 

[diggerbez]

without seeing your horse in the flesh its obviously difficult to know exactly what to do but it sounds like she is just testing you out... if she is rising 5 she is probably getting to the stage where she is feeling a bit fitter and stronger- does that make sense? do you have a martingale on her? i would pop one on if not- she won't be able to get her head so high to run off. essentially you need to get her to listen to you and i honestly think that you are better off asking once sharply than constantly nagging. just keep working on lots of transitions with her to get her 'on your aids'- walk/halt at first and then gradually increase to trot/walk etc- if she starts running through the hand then go back to walk/halt trans. obviously if she listens to your aids then remember to praise her. good luck

 

[georgiegirl]

mine leant like this and apparently is a bit of an irish trait!

what really helped was getting her to respond to body aids ie doing very small rises in trot almost back to walk and then trotting on again keep repeating and try not to pull back! (easier said than done!) smaller circles should help too! good luck!

 

[georgie256]

Imo, the worst reaction to this evation tactic is to pull her back. If you don't pull, she had zero to pull against and will quickly cease the habit.

Next time she leans on your hands or inverts and throws her head in the air, use your leg and direct her onward (even if she is quick, you must keep her forward) into a circle. Focus on putting all your weight into the inside and push her out creating an exaggerated bend. Work a few circles until she comes back to you then change rein. Once she is settled into a working tempo and accepts the contact, reward.

Use that forward energy and channel it up into the contact rather than pulling her back into a stop, (which is likely exactly what she's counting on).

If you find yourself in a dangerous situation where you are unable to let her move out and forward then I still would not pull back. Instead I'd open up my inside rein and bring her into a tight circle. Still keep her moving *forward* though and away from your inside leg so that she is back under control without being allowed to hollow out and ignore your aids or stop coming ahead.

That being said, it wouldn't hurt to examine her, especially the teeth for any sensitivity or pain. Just to give her the benefit of the doubt and be able to confidently rule that out.

i would very much recommend doing this!!
my mare is 5 and i have realised that recently she has been doing exactly the same, and i have had numerous lessons and they said that circles are brilliant cause i was very scared of pulling all the time cause it just doesn't work!

 

[only_me]

Agree with ella bella

Today, Billy was leaning on my inside hand in canter when circling left - I know its partly me using too much, so i was to be seen in xc position in the dressage saddle (difficult!) with reins shorter but my hand much further forward, so giving him nothing to lean on!