former trail horse to contact

[Ijusthaveonequestion]

Hello! I made this account just to ask about this. I've googled around and haven't found anything specific enough. I'd really appreciate any advice anyone has to give!

I've started riding a beautiful gelding and he is a total sweetheart. To be clear, he isn't my horse and I can only get out to ride once a week (he is ridden several times a week, just not by me!) so I have no jurisdiction over his tack. Apparently, he used to be a trail horse and has had no introduction to contact and collection. He has little to no steering, and I've tried neck reining and he's not very responsive to that either. He is very willing to go and respond to light cues, has a lot more "go" than "Woah" and a massive canter. I'm looking for advice on how to get his hindquarters working, off the forehand, and onto the bit. He's quite fast but also very heavy on his front half. I've tried stronger cues but it's like speaking another language, I can't say it louder and expect him to understand then. Anything you have to offer is very appreciated!

 

[Jessey]

Is he ridden western? Regardless, Tbh I think you will really struggle to teach this old dog new tricks as you are riding him infrequently and others are also riding and perhaps not with the same goal as you. Trail horses often just follow the leader or trail and don’t have much refinement in their response to cues, to some extent the barn wants a horse that will ignore cues from the many novice riders they may carry, if they didn’t it could spell chaos.

It doesn’t really matter if they are young or old the ways to teach them to be responsive to pressure are basically the same, there’s lots of really good, well written articles out there so I won’t waste time trying to make my brain make sense on paper ?

 

[carthorse]

I agree with @Jessey , riding once a week with others riding inbetween you aren't going to alter him, and with him being someone else's horse and kept for a specific job I don't think you'd be right to try to. Enjoy him as he is would be my advice.

 

[Skib]

I too ride RS horses that are ridden by other people. My experience is that RS horses do learn how a particular rider (me) wants them to respond but that it is easier to do if you ride the horse twice a week.

The next question is whether you are hacking this horse or riding him in a school? RS hacking horses are not ridden in an outline either by staff or clients.

The purpose of riding with some collection is to encourage the hind legs of the horse to step well under, to carry the weight of a rider. Young horses are initially trained by lots of riding on bridle paths and riding with energy out in the open works to strengthen the hind legs.
Our RI and the trainer Mark Rashid both compare collection in the school as the equine equivalent of a human going to the gymn. I have watched Rashid teach a pony collection starting on the first day with looking for just two steps in walk. The muscles needed have to be gradually built up.

It is not a good idea physically to take an older horse not built for dressage, nor very carefuly transitioned to dressage and enter competitions. There is often a physical problem in consequence.

None of the horses I hack have been ridden in outline.