Cooperation

[LindaAd]

Is he quick to learn, or just a normal cob?

I had my second lesson with Barney the other day, and we were practising a movement from a dressage test: two half-circles in walk across the arena, then trot as soon as you reach the other side. The first two times he was slow to trot, so the third time I asked quite forcefully with legs, voice and stick. The fourth time he trotted at the marker before I gave him any aids.

My daughter says he should be learning to listen to his rider, not learning the dressage test for himself - and I know the reasons why he shouldn't. But I do enjoy having the horse co-operating so willingly.

[Silvia]

Nikita does the same! The other day I was practising halts on the center line. I did it three or four times. After that Nikita wanted stop at X every time we got there, weather I gave him aids or not. So, no it's not just cobs. It must be smart horses in general. :D

[floppy]

my haflinger was really lazy when i started riding her she woouldnt trot and if she did it was for a couple of steps and then she'd drop her hed and go back into walk but now she can still be lazy with the first trot atempt but if you use transitions they get better...so for example you ask the horse to trot and count a few paces and then ask for walk and wlak for a coupel of strides then ask for trot and make the hrose trot a few strides more than before...etc
each time you go back into trot you make the hrose trot a few strides longer..set a target and keep to it..then the horse will perk up and be more quick off the mark! worked wonderfully with my haffie and now she trots semi energetically and doesnt pull her head down

[fionahogg]

Make sure the horse doesn't assume too much. The word 'assume' can be broken down into three little bits: 'ass', 'U', and 'me'. If the horse assumes he is making an ass out of you and me :)!! He isn't listening to you, he's anticipating! Keep him guessing! Horses are smart and learn quickly so keep varying what you do to keep them focused

Fiona.

[LindaAd]

Thanks for your replies. Yes I know there are times when a horse assuming things can lead to disaster: my daughter had a furious argument with her mare once on a cross-country course about which line to take (the mare wanted the big fences) and they ended up in the middle of a jump....

But what I'm trying to say is that I enjoy feeling the horse is sharing the responsibility for what we're doing, and doing his best to co-operate. Tristan, my old pony, could deal with gates out on a hack (used his nose or chin) and he was very quick at understanding what to do in a gymkhana or a handy pony class or a dressage test - and this made him very companionable and fun to ride. So what's wrong with assumptions? As long as the horse doesn't assume everything all the time, and doesnt assume that he always knows best!