Your advice would be greatly appreciated

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horseriderdeb

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I decided to ride shrek in the menage today and it was an absolute nightmare. Got on him and he just wouldn't walk and when I tried to slow him down he just stuck his head in the air, set his neck and tried to tank off with me. Had to call for OH to hold him. Must admit I was rather scared as I had no control of this 15.2hh horse that is built like a sherman tank. Feeling bit stupid seeing as I ride a 18.2hh shire.

I ride him in a ported myler so has any one got any suggestions on something that will give me breaks. Even long reigning he tried to tank of with me. Laurens instructor has said put him in a snaffle dutch gag and work my way up the rings. She says I have to have brakes as he is a strong horse and needs to learn respect for me when I am on his back. He does know his voice commands but today they went out the window

What do you lot think
 
how fresh was he when you got on him? Did you lunge him first?
Mine can be a bit rude in walk when you first get on him so I trot almost straight away, get him going forwards and get him listening and then try the slower work.
Also if you get scared and tense up he will get himself more worked up from that.

In terms of bitting, if you want more control then something like a 3-ring gag might be a good idea. Or you could put the reins on the bottom hook of the myler for more poll pressure to keep his head down. Try putting a martingale on so he can't stick his head up so much as well.
 
Scooby can be a pain in walk sometimes - not to the extent of trying to tank off with me, but just constantly jogging and setting his neck/hauling my arms out of their sockets, which is annoying. My instructor is dead against using stronger bits, martingales etc to replace schooling, so she just makes me loosen my hands so he can't lean on them, do lots and lots of circles, half-halts etc to keep him listening, and just keep going until we finally get even just one side of good walking, at which point I let him stretch his head right down and relax as a reward. Then I pick my reins back up and, if he starts jogging again, do the same thing all over again. If, by the end of the schooling session, I feel he's going well and trying really hard for me, I reward him by going over a little jump or two because he LOVES jumping and then we can end on a good note.
 
What are you feeding him? Perhaps there's something in his diet causing him to fizz up?? xx
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Put him in a pelham with two reins and then you can choose whether to use the snaffle (hanging cheek action) or the curb. It's an "out of fashion" bit combination but it works! If he is too sensitive to a chain, use a piece of stirrup leather as the curb.
 
Are you sure there is no pain in his mouth that he's trying to get away from? Or from the saddle? Check teeth and I would tend to go lighter with the bit, or into a bitless bridle for a while - test it in the arena after a hard lunge session!
 
Thanks for the advice. Teeth and back are fine. He is only on a scoop of fybergy (vets orders) so nothing should be fizzing him up. Must admit did think of putting him in my daughters horse scawbrig but then thought against it as would not have any brakes. If I use the gag I would have two reins.
 
Putting a stronger bit in isn't the answer. If he's that kind of horse he'll just ignore it and you'll run out of metal work to try.

Work out WHY he's behaving like that. Is he excited? Is he stressed? does he have too much energy Is he in pain? Does he not understand what you're asking.

Once you know why he's doing it you can fix it.

Generally with a horse like that I set them off in canter and keep them going, circling to slow them down. Rather than trying to haul them back I keep the leg on, ride them forwards and ask them to work correctly by playing the the reins and trying to get them to bend correctly. Let them run until they're tired then make them do it for a little longer. Once they've knackered themselves out then I start doing something more constrcutive in walk. Mind you, I'm a confident, balanced rider and the though of careering round an enclosed arena doesn't bother me in the slightest.
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I've not yet had a horse who hasn't decided it's far too much effort and wanted to stop after a couple of laps!
 
what kallibear says is right. This isn't a bitting issue, it is more of a fear and respect issue.

Need to do a lot more groundwork games to get to know him better, allow him ot get comfortable wiht you, and work on the respect. Sounds like he is a bit panicky and claustrophobic - and a "bigger bit" may well just make that worse.
 
I have just been talking to OH about it all and am going to take him back to basics. Lots of playing games in the menage and lots of long reining. His ground work is good and I have got him joining up with me really well. And he really understands his voice commands. Maybe it was just an off day for us both as like my daughter says I'm a good rider. Problem is at my age you don't bounce anymore when you hit the deck.
 
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