Help with softening horse

[Sezza]

Ok, got another problem. I have just started riding my horse again (I stopped about a month ago when she tried to buck me off). Now, on the ground she has calmed down a lot. I have been doing heaps of ground work with her to establish some manners etc and she is doing really well there (she was a terror before I moved her recently to a new agistment property). When I ride her however she just will not relax. I basically ride her with as little leg as possible, cause if I put the leg on, even a tiny bit after she has started walking, she will try to trot. A lot of the time she will try and jog and trot even when no leg is on her. The other thing is she constantly pulls at the bit. Ive been trying to ride her on a loose rein as much as possible, so she has nothing to pull against, but then she just wants to jog off. She has virtually no brakes, I have to really use my seat and pull hard on the reins to get her to stop (not good I hate using so much force on her mouth). Im not brave enough to let her trot etc cause I dont know if she will start bucking again. I just really need some ideas of how I can soften her up, get her to relax, and stop pulling so hard. I know she has the potential to work really well, cause at one stage I had her going nicely, but getting her back to that stage is a problem. Ideas anyone???

[nakedescapee]

Hi. I had a similar situation with my horses. My instructor helped me solve it using a variety of techniques based on Parelli training.

I will try to explain a couple of the starting points to help your horse go lighter. It is best to do these exercises in a round pen or small paddock where the horse can't pick up much speed. First and foremost, remember that if you are tense, then your horse will be tense. Horses are followers and he wants you to be a confident leader.

First, master the one rein stop: Riding casually and *relaxed* 1) completely drop your outside rein, 2) reach down and pick up your inside rein very short, 3) move your inside leg back just enough to establish contact (don't squeeze), 4) pull with your shortened rein (don't pick up that outside rein!) 5) SIT BACK AND KEEP YOUR HEAD UP. As your horse turns pay close attention to feeling his hind end movement, the moment you feel him step across in the rear release your leg but wait for him to give you his head before you release the rein. The release of the pressure is his cue and a reward for having performed correctly. All of this put together effectivley disengages his rear end and he will stop.

You can count on it taking so many circles that you will get dizzy before he will automatically stop but being in control will help you to relax and, as you relax, your legs will consequently become lighter on your horse.

After using this technique for a while, you will see him start to think (head drops, licks lips or chews bit and ears go sideways) when he feels you drop the outside and pick up the inside rein. It takes time and patience. You may want to dedicate your entire school time to it for a day or two until he responds correctly. I still do it at every corner twice in both directions during my warm up time.

Second, since you can now confidently stop your horse with the one rein technique, you need teach him to go lightly, so you need to become a passenger: Sitting on your horse *relaxed*, drop your reins completely (yes, both hands), and place your hands in a V position on your horse's withers (you will be leaning forward slightly). Now, you are riding on a completely loose rein. DON'T worry about where the horse goes, let him go wherever he wants to go... you are a passenger and it is your job to feel each step he makes. Your arms are his front legs, your legs are his rear legs, your back is his back, your neck is his neck, etc. If you are tense in any part of your body, then he is also tense in that part of his body. If he gets quick, then use a one rein stop but try to identify the part of YOUR body that gets tense and make a conscience effort to relax it... remember to breath. This will help soften your horse so he will respond better to lighter aids and he will recognize that leg contact is not the cue to go.

Third, now that you can confidently stop your horse with a one rein stop, and you are aware of each step your horse makes (even before he makes it,) you need to be able to ask him for a stop with a light rein: You are riding along casual and *relaxed* on a loose rein, you are holding your reins at the buckle, 1) you lift up the buckle with one hand, 2) slide the other hand down BOTH reins as far as you can reach without leaning forward too much, 3) reach down with the other hand so you now have a rein in each hand and seprate them, 4) close each of your fingers simultaneously and sequentially around the rein in that hand, 5) slowly and lightly pull back to lock your elbows at your hips. This causes downard flexion and the horse will stop. Using a light pull / release and a little leg if needed, ask your horse to back. The moment he takes a step back, release the pressure as a reward. If he pops a little rear or goes sideways then you are being too strong in your aids. Start over and be a little lighter.

Yikes... I just read back through this and didn't realise I was writhing sooo much! I hope it makes sense and I hope it helps you. It has worked wonders on both of my horses.

Best of luck... keep us updated.

[Tootsie4U]

One quick thing - I noticed your comment about riding her with little leg and rein. I would advise against this as it can make a jumpy horse even MORE jumpy. When you do apply leg she may not expect it and will leap forwards. Just as with contact on your reins, always have it there so that she knows where you are and can expect aids when you give them. If the reins dangle and you pick them up to ask for a change, she wont be expecting it-and essentially you will make her apprehensive about movements.

I didnt explain it very good, but if you need clarification, Jessica Jahiel has an article about that sort of aid usage.

[nakedescapee]

Good point , Tootsie4U. These exercises are never choppy or jerky movements... they are slow, easy and relaxed. I ride on a loose rein, my horse is getting soft enough that I need only lightly lift the rein to get a response. And she has learned to accept my leg resting on her side because I am not tensing up my legs and butt to pull against her (not to mention holding on for dear life.) There is never a need for a sharp pull because she reflects my energy and, as a passenger, I anticipate her movement so I can keep my balance and don't squeeze with my legs so much anymore.
After struggling for so long and pulling against her, coming home sore and exhausted from the battle and not having any fun, I am in heaven when I ride now. :D

[Tootsie4U]

Hi nakedescape (interesting name btw),

I hope I didnt offend you, I was actually responding directly to Sezza with that :D

But, it sounds like you and your horse have achieved that relationship I love! Where you "dance" together!

:)

[nakedescapee]

Hi Tootsie4U... I'm sorry... I didn't mean to step on toes... I wasn't sure... you made a very good point.

(interesting name btw),
i am a cancer survivor and i just "barely" got away... I have had a lot of posts here and am just returning after a few months off the board. it's nice to be back.

[Shiny McShine]

What nakedescapee said :).

[Sezza]

Hi. Thanks for your help. I do have a query about one thing though. The whole contact thing. Tootsie you say its best to keep a rein contact however 1. she keeps pulling against it which isnt fun and surely isnt gonna be doing her mouth any good, and 2. there is a webpage (www.horseproblems.com.au) where there is a whole heap of articles written by a very experienced horse person, and he says no rein contact is best if u want the horse to relax. He says that to stop a horse from jogging, its best to have no rein contact, and when he does jog off turn him in a tight circle or back him up, then go loose rein again, and keep doing it until the horse learns its easier just to walk. The idea being, that you outsmart the horse by giving him nothing to pull and fight against, but make him work harder when he does the wrong thing. I dont know if Im making sense, its on the webpage if you want to read it properly. I dont know, hehe, there is like so much conflicting advice on the net for all this horse stuff it gets really confusing. I guess it comes down to a matter of opinion anyway. I will however try that one rein stop etc.

[Shiny McShine]

Yes I would agree that if you are trying to calm a horse then no rein is better... in my opinion contact is a security blanket for the rider when trying to calm the horse down and does little to help the situations. Using one rein however, when the horse is trained to respond to this if very effective. They will not fight against it in the way they will against a two reined contact. Two reined contact is all well and good when things are ideal, the horse is calm, confident and educated... but otherwise it just causes more tension.

[nakedescapee]

What Shiney McShine said. :)

[Tootsie4U]

Sezza,

Detail always changes the story line. And every horse is different. What I was trying to say is that if you ride with your legs off her or with dangling reins, and then suddenly decide you want to turn and do so by applying leg and rein, she wouldnt have any warning to cue her into the fact that an aid is coming. What Im talking about here is different than asking the horse to accept contact. Its strictly about communication and I was just throwing out a side note to your comments. Please read this: http://www.horse-sense.org/archives/200104201932.phtml

What the articles you refer to are trying to explain (from what I understand) is that some horses can be claustrophobic. Holding them in contact makes them feel restricted and they want to run away from it. The rider usually pulls harder to slow the horse down, but instead it makes the horse more frantic and usually the horse will rear or act our in some other way. So what would be appropriate for that horse would be a nice relaxed rein, but I still feel contact is necessary. Even if you ride at the buckle, you should still have some sort of contact. In the article I gave you, Jessica Jahiel says that every horse has its ideal contact and you usually have to ask the horse what that is.

Does that make it any clearer? :)