Discussion on Need basic advice for young horse
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| Author |
Message |
    
Christina Turman (Storm)
| | Posted on Wednesday, Aug 22, 2001 - 10:14 pm: |   |
hello! My 5 year old QH gelding is for the most part doing pretty well. But I have 2 questions.
1. It is difficult to work with him in the arena in the presence of other horses. He wants to race! What is the appropriate corrective action for getting him to keep a gentle lope instead of turning into a Thorobored at the track?
2. He does pretty well on the trail, a little spooky but he's learning! We have been in the company of two other horses that have bullied him in the past. When they are behind him he gets real nervous, jigs and hops. Should I understand and respect his fear and just coax him thru it? I can't imagine being stern...it seems like his fear is justified.
Thanks. |
Holly Edwards (Hwood)
| | Posted on Wednesday, Aug 22, 2001 - 11:12 pm: | |
Hi, Christina,
Question: Does your horse focus on you when you are riding him at a walk in the arena, even when in the presence of other horses?
If the answer is, "No," then my inclination is to give the horse simple tasks to accomplish at the walk, in the presence of other horses, until he can do them 100% of the time with his focus on you. You must have his attention when you are on his back or when you are working around him. Whenever your horse focuses on something other than his handler/rider, the handler/rider is entering a potentially unsafe situation. Do you have a cue to get your horse's attention?
The trail question is an extension of the question about the horses in the arena. If your horse is focused on you and on the cues you are giving him (slow down, walk, trot, whoa, leg yield, circle, drop his nose, etc.) then you are going to feel in control of your horse's body and mind, i.e., safe. Of course it is important for your horse to learn to move along in the presence of other horses (and school buses, and tractors, and bicycles, and motorcycles, etc.) so it is good that you are giving him opportunities to follow your directions when there are distractions, but if you are just starting out with this horse, make sure he is listening at the walk before you get him into a trot or canter. If you feel he is listening and responding to your cues at the walk, then go ahead and move into a trot, and try a barrage of cues at the trot. You will be training your horse to be aware of you and responsive to you no matter what is happening around him. It takes an immense amount of concentration and focus on the rider's part, so trail rides will actually be training rides until your horse starts to obey your cues automatically.
Holly |
