"On the bit"

[paradigmshift]

Okay, so I recently started half leaseing a new horse. He just turned 9 in June and is amazing to ride. However, when he was originaly trained, they used side reins. The owner is a very nice lady and I really do believe that she knows what she's doing but I've been told by a few riders at the barn that when she rides him and trys to get him round he just puts his head in as if he had the side reins on.

I'm getting a little frustrated now simply because I'm working very hard to break him of this habbit and I find sometimes when I get on he goes nicely and round but other times he just tucks his head in and has NO impulsion and he is not rounding through the back at all.

I'm not sure if that's confusing or not, if so, I'm sorry. :o

Anywho, what I'm trying to say is, are there any exercises that I could do to help him break the habbit. I do alot of circles and figure eights ect to get him to change bend and except the bridle and round up, but I think I need more exercises. I went to a camp 2 weeks ago and learnt a very helpfull one but it dosn't work on my horse at all. Any suggestions?:cool:
Thanks in advance!

[coss]

turn about the forehand (starting with quarter turns and progressing to half turns) in the warm up are good as they get the back end engaged a bit and once the half turns are going well you can do half turn-straighten-trot. really gets the back end engaged, don't worry about where the head is for a while as once the back end is working the front end will work out fine. the turn about followed by a transition really helps the back end.

you could also do shoulder in and out on a 15-20m circle and haunches in and out. really gets the rider working (straight on the circle, shoulder in for a quarter, straighten-quarter, shoulder out for a quarter, straighten-quarter, haunches in for a quarter, straighten-quarter, haunches out for a quarter, straighten-quarter) and makes the horse collect without you having to stop the front end and i found it really rounds up the horse.

[ailomac2007]

yES I WOULD AGREE WITH COSS HE NEEDS TO USE HIS BACK END MORE AND FOR IT TO COME MORE BENEATH HIM .
SUCH A PITY HE WAS RUINED WITH SIDE REINS . HE GOES OVER BENT BECAUSE HE PRESUMES THATS WHAT YOU WANT
AT LEAST HE IS IN GOOD HANDS NOW AND YOU WANT TO DO GOOD FOR HIM

KEEP UP THE GOOD WORK!!!:)

[puzzles]

Whooa, I'm seeing capitals, even when my eyes are shut ... ;-)

xxxxx

[doris]

You could try doing some ground work/leading exercises and getting him to bend as you lead him over a 'star' shape pole formation. Using a milk crate or similar, place some long poles with one end on the crate and fan them out from the centre - this should help him to bend.
Also, in leading, ask for halt and then walk on as this will help balance and co-ordination and make it easier for him. He probaly doesn't find bending very easy, so make it as easy as possible to start with.