Evasions

[gymbob]

Heather, do you have any advice on dealing with these? I had a rather exciting lesson last night on Rupert, who seems just not to want to listen to me. I struggled to stop him cutting corners, he wouldn't turn smoothly, wouldn't listen when I asked him to change gait, then did it in his own time very sulkily. Eventually he bucked. He's done this before but only mildly.....this time I landed up still on him, but on his neck in front of the saddle!

My question is, when a horse is just in a real mood like this, what is the EE way to handle it?. My instructor rode him for a few moinutes, and he came back to me much chastened (although my instructor isn't a kick and hit kind of rider) but do you have any hints for dealing with this sort of behaviour please?

[DITZ]

Ooh cant wait to hear the response on this one, sounds like my horse to a tee sometimes!

[gymbob]

Rupert can be lovely, but he can also be a little s0d! He knows how good a rider is, and grades his evasions accordingly!! He was a sweetheart for my first two lessons, and has played up more and more the better I get!

[DITZ]

I call mine Master of Evasions (actually that would make amusing show name). It all depends on his mind set at the time. I went to a show a couple of weeks ago and simply came home again after warming up because he just would not listen.

[Rakeli]

gymbob - it might be worth posting this on the forums at Heather's own website, as there may be more chance that she will see it.

Just go to www.enlightenedequitation.com and click on 'Members Forums'.

[Yann]

Yep, Heather don't live here no more (or not much anyway)

EE is more about the rider and their interaction with the horse than horse training, though I imagine dealing with problems symapthetically and without resorting to force would fit with the general ethos.

[ros]

Every time I've thought "my horse won't..." I've discovered later that my horse couldn't, for some reason.

I know there are times when they choose not to do what we ask, but usually it's fairly obvious on these occasions why (like not passing something they're afraid of, or not wanting to leave their friends and so on). I suspect that schooling problems tend rather to be a case of misunderstandings, unclear aids, discomfort of some sort, physical unfitness or incapability - you know the kind of thing.

Cutting corners could be down to lack of balance, rushing, lack of suppleness, insufficient inside leg or unclear rein aids, imbalance on the part of the rider; unwillingness to change gait could be due to the same things... Whatever the problem I would always give the horse the benefit of the doubt rather than assuming he's just "in a mood". Maybe if you look at things in a different light you'll be able to work out what the problem is. Your instructor really should be able to help, provided he/she doesn't take the attitude that your horse is simply being awkward.