Headless Horse (Pelham Compromise2)

[Janey Painy]

Oh dear!
Ok. Now I have my reains sorted and I've got the right bit, but I feel like I'm riding a headless horse! :(

It has always been a bit of a problem since I put her in the Pelham, but I had just put it down to me fiddling about with the double reins. I'm quite confident with them now (though I still fall apart when I change the whip over!) and I know I certainly didn't fiddle about today. She too didn't fiddle with the bit, but she's dropping way behing the contact. When she's that deep I loose control of her movement and she wiggles about allover the place! She also slows down too much.

I believe the traditional answer would be lots of transitions trot-walk-trot-walk etc., but I'm pretty limited at the moment to just walking. Mainly because we only have an open field with un level ground, but also because I'm basically on a 7 year old very intelligent horse that has done nothing! I don't want to move on until I know we have mastered the basics.

Yanking her head up with the reins would probably send her up and over backwards. Infact, I tried lifting my hands to a higher carriage but that seemed to make her even shorter in her neck.

Any suggestions?
God bless,
Janey :)

[larri]

Hiya!
How well does she respond to your leg and weight aids?

You could try pushing her more from your leg to make her go forwards to the contact - unfortunately this won't work if she shoots off from a harder leg aid. I'd suggest just upping the pressure slightly and being very soft in your hand to encourage her forward.

Larri

[Janey Painy]

Hi Larri,
She is very sensitive to weight aids, maybe not so senstive to leg.... well...she is when she feels like it! Yesterday it took me 15 minutes to get her to move after I mounted!?!? She has never done this before. I think she was just being stubben. I tried everything! Kicking, squeezing, shouting, whispering, wiggling, I even got off and lead her around to see if she had suddenly gone lame! In the end Polly (my other mare) saved the day by snarling at her and walking off... Esther followed. :rolleyes:

I'll give it a go. Though it'll probably be Monday before I ride her again. One thing I did notice though; when I remembered to squeeze my calf slightly forwards and in, each one alternating in time with her hind legs, something amazing happened! It was, I'm ashamed to admit, probably our first few steps of walk with real impulsion! :o She didn't speed up, but the walk had this amazing swing to it! It was so, erm, how can I put it, deliberate? Every step was really big, but not at all hurried! Oh it felt wonderful. But it was such hard work to keep everything going at the same time :(

Thanks Larri. I'll let you know.
God bless,
Janey

[ros]

Hi Janey

If it's any consolation I had exactly the same thing with Merlin when I first put his Pelham in. At least I think it's exactly what you're talking about - he'd suddenly drop his head down, tuck his chin right in, slow down and walk (we were usually in walk at the time) very deliberately? It didn't SEEM to be related in any way to use of the curb, and even releasing all contact and keeping my leg on didn't make any immediate difference. I got the impression he was just experimenting for himself in some way! But he seems to have grown out of it now.

I also occasionally get the "I don't think I'll bother going anywhere just at the moment" trick. The first time he did it I, like you, was so worried that I got off to make sure he was OK. Actually we were out on a hack with Midnight, and Merly just didn't think he should be behind so he decided not to go at all! Little b------!!!!! I've got him taped now.

[Heather]

HI Janey,

I shouldn't worry too much about things until you bring Esther down here. Put her back in the snaffle until I can work with her in the flesh. Lipi's are not the easiest horses of the Iberian breeds, I am afraid- my Lipi was a horror for a long time- thought up every trick on the book! Now he is a very good little school horse who really enjoys his work and rarely has an off day now- so we will I am sure sort out Esther- and i like a challenge!


Heather