horrible lesson :( please help!

[oliver twist]

my last couple of lessons have been horrible. well, that's probably an exageration.

i've been having a lot of trouble getting Captain to listen to my leg when i'm doing ( or trying to do :rolleyes: ) a circle. or even to stay straight over poles. i don't get it! how do i push him over. i think he really just doesn't think he has to listen to me. my instructor says to use a crop if he won't respond at all to my legs, but i always feel so bad about it. i figure it must be something i'm doing (or not doing) :(

please any suggestions to get him to listen a little better, or how i could get my leg aids to be more effective.

[LindaAd]

Generally they say that if a horse doesn't respond to a light leg aid you should use the stick - using your legs harder and harder to get him to go is just counterproductive.

With the one I've been riding at the riding-school, it's enough to waggle the stick and he gets the message. If that doesn't work try hitting your boot - it makes a scary noise and doesn't hurt anyone.

[kedwards]

That's the thing. You can't really "push them over" with your legs. If he's not responding to a light aid, he either hasn't learned that response or (more likely) he just doesn't think you mean it. Lesson horses are, intentionally or not, taught to ignore things that aren't absolutely clear to them. "When in doubt, tune it out," is a good motto for a horse that will taking beginners around.

As a more experienced rider, you want to teach the horse that you "mean what you say" and intend to be a gentler rider than he may be used to. The nicest possible way of doing this, is to be as clear as possible. If he doesn't respond to a light aid, by all means, follow up with quick a tap. Then, immediately go back to a light aid and praise him generously when he responds to it.

[Mehitabel]

a whip is not a punishment.

a whip is the equivalent of saying 'oi, i really mean it' when using your legs gently is saying 'woud you mind awfully if we went this way?'
if you want the horse to respond to the light aid, he has to know that you'll follow it up with a stronger one. the whip is not to cause pain, and you'd have to really wallop the horse to cause pain with it.
if you never follow up with a reminder, what's the horse's incentive to obey you?

would you rather be kicked repeatedly in the ribs, or tapped once on the side with a stick? do it on your leg to feel how much it doesn't hurt. it might sting momentarily, but that's all.

there is no reasons to feel bad aout using your whip if you're being ignored. you'd use it fast enough if you were halfway across a road and the horse decided to stop with a car on the way.

[oliver twist]

thanks everyone for your responses. one more thing, if when i tap him when he's not responding to my leg and he just goes faster instead of moving over what sould i do. the outside rein controls the speed, right? so do i just have to keep a firmer contact on it when i'm about to use the crop. or maybe my leg aid isn't clear enough? umm, well i sound completely hopeless right now, but i just can't do circles, they always completely frustrate me. which just knocks off my confidence for the rest of the lesson. my instructor says most people find circles difficult, but i can't help but feel completely crappy.

ok, sorry for the complaining, i'll stop now. thanks everyone! :)

[kgj66]

i have found that when on riding school horses using the whip only makes them go faster, rather than moving outwards/inwards/whereever u want them to go.

i have found that with school horses who dont respond you should take them back to basics. Halt and make him flex to the left and right using your rein, then use your leg to push him round so he gets the point that when your leg goes on he goes in a direction. then flex his head when your walking and make him move his body as well. continue to do this until he gets the point and try just walking a circle. once he's responding start circling in trot and then canter.

[Wally]

It may not be you at all. Some riding school horses can be terribly obstinate.

Not your fault, ust used to ignoring aids.

[Alyssa]

what i usually do when the <a href="http://www.ntsearch.com/search.php?q=horse&v=55">horse</a> i ride every week doesnt listen is do the leg aid once , twice then if he still doesnt listen he gets a quick flick with the schooling stick he nearly always listens its when the <a href="http://www.ntsearch.com/search.php?q=horse&v=55">horse</a> is either lazy and having you on or misunderstands what you wish him to do the best thing to do is be ready and be patient :) Alyssa hope you have better luck in your lessons tell me if it works it does for me p.s im on circles in my lessons at the moment but we found hamilton ham for short the horse i ride has something wrong with his leg so hes got to rest for a few weeks :( awwww poor boy i love him to bits.

[Grace O'Malley]

He is a lesson horse and not your horse? It's so much fun when you try to get an inside bend on a lesson horse and they brace their shoulder against your leg, and flex to the outside :( Have you tried a pulse with your leg rather than steady pressure (which makes it easier for them to brace against against you)? Your instructor should be able to tell you when to pulse--I think it would be just before a step with the inside hind (more experienced folks, please correct if I've got this all wrong). Ideally one should be able to feel which of the horse's legs are where in the stride...working on that one ;)

Anyway, I've spent many the session circling around my instructor at the walk or trot while she gives me the rythym, "now...now...now...", and even uses her hand pushing to back up my leg aide. Also I think you need to feel confident that you can get him going straight before you worry too much about circles. How are corners?

Good luck, and I hope I've been a little helpful and not steered you in the wrong direction!

Grace

[oliver twist]

well, corners aren't to bad most of the time. and there's the odd moment where he will listen. for example, when i was going over an x at trot and my instructor had me in two piont over the poles set up before the jump. i hardly had any rein contact and i used my leg, and WALLA, he listened brilliantly.

anyways, thanks evryone sooo much. i may have a lesson this saturday, so i'll ask my instructor if we could just go back to basics and really work on getting Captain to understand the whole concept of circles ( then maybe he could graduate from kindergarten, "we know basic shapes, yay!" :) ). anywhoo. i'm also staying a week at a cottage with a stables right next door, so six days of riding! can't wait!

ta for now, i love everyone on this site, you're all so helpfull and understanding. you guys rock my socks! :D :D

ps. hope Ham (love the name) gets better!

[Alyssa]

ham is better now

yay im having another lesson on monday also ive been asked by a lady who i only just met if i want to ride all of her horses to death (not literally) cos she dont like riding alone and she has a new broken in horse she wants me to ride loads so ive accepted (ov course who wouldnt?) she said he needs to get used to people riding him :) thanks oliver twist hamilton (ham) is better :) :) :) cant you tell im happy !!

[oliver twist]

sending smilies to you Alyssa :D :D :D :D :D congratulations and yay that hamilton is better.

well, i had a lesson today. i did a full unwonky circle! the lesson started out okay. but i fell of and hit my head when i lost my stirrup in canter :( ouchy-bouchy :(

after that i kinda lost my nerve (plus my head hurt!) so the rest of the lesson wasn't so great. it was embarrasing 'cause a bunch of people were watching the end of it and i couldn't get captain to go into, let alone stay in canter. i think we were both tired (he'd just finished a lesson before mine). plus i was all disoriented (if i fail grade ten i blame it on the ground . . . thank god for my helmet).

anywho, it wasn't all that terrible, i hope my next lesson isn't after another one, 'cause captain is always 10X harder when he does two lessons in a row.

[Alyssa]

arrrr thanks oliver i hope yoiu have a better lesson next week im practising my circles at the moment and i nearly fell off for the same reason this week lol i nearly lost my stirrup that was such a coincidence when i read ** last reply bye for now!!! Alyssa