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HorseAdvice.com » Training, Behavior, & Conditioning Horses » Western Riding Skills » Retraining for Western Riding » |
Discussion on From Jumper to Western Horse - Can it be done? | |
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Posted on Monday, Dec 13, 1999 - 1:31 pm: Hi everyone:You may have read my tales of woe before or not but here's the latest. I have an 8 year old TB who has heaves. Before you recommend the cure for heaves, please hesitate, as I know he needs to live outside, water down hay, etc. The point is I bought him to be a hunter/jumper show horse. I have decided to give him up because that life is too hard on him with his disease. I am trying to find a nice home for him where he can live outside and have a good laid back lifestyle. I thought he would be more marketable as a western pleasure horse. To make a long story longer. I rode western myself for 12 years and have only recently started english/jumping. I put all my old gear on the horse including a tom thumb with a curb strap and he responded really really well. I think he likes going a little slower and he doesn't seem to mind the bigger bit. My question is how to I teach him to neck rein effectively after years of direct reining? He seems to get it a little but only when you use a lot of leg, and I don't want to push him too hard. He's very willing and smart and he's already been through enough. Thanks, Liz PS the saddle fits surprisingly well too! |
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Posted on Monday, Dec 13, 1999 - 5:02 pm: Liz,Here is a trick I used on my older gelding getting him ready for an 9 year old to 4H on him. I do not reccomend you try this with a tom thumb but something a bit more flexible (tom thumbs tend to pinch the bars), I really like the Sharon Camrellio Soft Touch by Reinsman. This can be done with a snaffel just as well. It is also easier to do with a long barrel racing rein as opposed to split reins. In an enclosed arena set cones out to work around. Before mounting take your reins and cross them so the left rein goes under the neck to the right side and vise versa. At the walk, Slowly move the reins to ask for a turn around a cone, he will feel the pressure on the neck first as the cue, then the direct pressure on the bit as the reinforcer. Example: With reins crossed under the neck if you neck rein to the left that will shorten the rein on the right side of the neck which is connected to the left side of the bit. (pully type action) I allso found that very carefull use of a spur will help motivate the shoulder. But that will depend on the horse, some won't tollerate. Good luck and kudos on taking the time to make adjustments for his needs. too many people would just run 'em till they DrOp to get their money out of them. |
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Posted on Monday, Dec 13, 1999 - 5:18 pm: Emily:Thanks for the suggestion, it sounds like fun! Do you think my D-ring english snaffle would be OK for this exercise? Liz. |
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Posted on Tuesday, Dec 14, 1999 - 11:31 am: Sure, it would probably be easier at first so he dosen't confuse the pressure in his mouth with a new sensation of having a curb strap. That would help him make the conection faster between what he knows (direct pressure) and what your teaching him (neck rein). You can save the curb lessons for after he has the neck rein thing down well.Have fun! |
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