Site Menu:
This is an archived Horseadvice.com Discussion. The parent article and menus are available on the navigation menu below: |
HorseAdvice.com » Training, Behavior, & Conditioning Horses » Behavior and Training » Beginning the Two Year Old » |
Discussion on Riding a young horse | |
Author | Message |
Posted on Saturday, Jan 13, 2001 - 6:23 am: I've been riding my 13 yr-old TB for 3 years and together we've have been learning basic dressage. After 20 years of not riding, weekly lessons with a good trainer and many hours in the saddle have been so rewarding--taught me a lot, and the horse is much more relaxed, balanced and supple than when we started. (So am I, come to think of it!) I now have the chance to ride another horse "whenever I want"--I'm thrilled because I feel I only know how to ride MY horse, and this is a great learning opportunity for me. But what a different ride! The "new" horse is young--four (five?), also a TB gelding. To me he feels very unbalanced, hard to keep straight, hard to steer; his canter stride feels lurching and he leans way in on a right circle, falls out going to the left--this makes it harder for me to stay balanced, which probably doesn't help. Hard to keep him cantering on a 20-m circle, he falls back into trot. Is all this typical of a young horse? His young owner has taken him to a few training jumping shows and eventually wants to event him, and is happy for me to do flatwork. He is a sweet horse and very willing. I've never worked with a young horse, and am worried about doing the wrong thing. Any suggestions? Maybe focus on walk-trot transitions and changes of bend at the trot before worrying too much about that canter? I'll probably be riding him twice a week--is an hour too long to work a youngster? I'll also be asking my trainer but wondered what you all thought. |
|
Posted on Saturday, Jan 13, 2001 - 9:21 am: I might stick with alot of walk/trot work and bending him. I would canter him but maybe stay away from the 20 metre circles for now. Have you done any cavelleti work with him? That will help him think about where he's putting his feet.An hour of mostly slow work should be ok for him. Sounds like a good situation for both of you! |
|
Posted on Saturday, Jan 13, 2001 - 12:47 pm: I think clumsiness is pretty common in a young horse. It takes them a time to figure out their own balance, then learn to balance under a rider. If you can free longe him (for short periods of time except at a walk), he'll get his feet under him, so to speak.Trot spirals help, as do transistions. I second the advice about the ground poles and working slowly for an hour. If you pay attention to what YOU'RE doing, you can get a good idea of what's comfortable for him, as well as what doesn't work, aid wise. Good luck & have fun. |
|
Posted on Monday, Jan 15, 2001 - 7:38 am: Thanks for the advice--I'm riding him again tomorrow and will try some ground poles/cavaletti. Maybe this will also help him pay attention to the work at hand rather than gawking at everything outside the arena! |
|