Ridecamp: AW: [RC] Help for "Un-ridable" Horse

Hi Tamara,
like everybody else I think this horse has to be "reschooled". On the other
hand I have seen many horses being schooled or reschooled by "Trainers" and
being somewhat worse afterwards. So you have to look closely if you think
about that.
I also agree with Heidi about the price and the reason of the horse being on
the auction.
Many years ago I did something similar, having absolutely no idea of what I
had bought for such a nich price.
Then the problems came. I needed professional help, but could not really
afford it. So I turned her over to a (luckily)good trainer for a short time,
and when I got her back nothing had really changed. He told me so
beforehand, cause for real reschooling it takes time. From the time she was
there he got a really good idea about her problems and the reasons. So even
if her time there seemed to be wasted, the advice I got from him after that
put me in the position to do the mayor reschooling myself.
On the other hand the expirience of "hard times"  (with my mare abolutely
not understanding what I want and getting ever more nervous, me finally
getting off in tears of frustration) put us much closer together with time
(and as the problems where solved little by little). Now (several years
later) she is an absolute darling and very good endurance horse, and closer
to my heart than any other horse.
So what I´m trying to say: Teach him to be a good horse, its worth it.

What I personaly would start with: For the hard mouth try a bitless bridle
or hackamore. Some horses respond wonderfull to a tug on the nose even if
the mouth is ruined. With time you may be able to re-introduce the bit
again, but not to soon.
For the "dead sides" he should relearn the legaids again just as with a
green horse. Take him on the lounge or even on the lead and teach him the
propper words for moving, going faster, stopping, backing up. Then, just as
with a green horse, get on with somebody lounging him, using the same words
and start with very soft legaids again. Never go bumping in his sides, as
that will only remind him of "the other trainer". Try to be super soft with
hands and legs,(using the word-commands as well every time) as to establish
a whole new set of aids that has nothing to do with his previous training.
Try to imagine that he should "listen hard" to get your meaning ant thereby
concentrate on you rather than spooky things or other horses.
This may look like taking several steps back as he seems to be a "ridable
horse" already. But redoing things from the beginning will save you much
hassle later and it may not take too much time if done carefully.
Think of him as a green horse and just start over.

I would really like to know what you will decide, and how he does.

Hilga

-----Ursprüngliche Nachricht-----
Von: ridecamp-owner@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx
[mailto:ridecamp-owner@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx]Im Auftrag von Tamara Taylor
Gesendet: Mittwoch, 18. Dezember 2002 01:45
An: Ridecamp
Betreff: [RC] Help for "Un-ridable" Horse


Hello RC,

This past May we bought a 6 year old unregistered Arab gelding from an
auction
for $500. He's got a nice temperment, seems affectionate and personable on
the
ground. Sound, healthy, fairly decent conformation and great feet. I think
he
was a "steal of a deal".

He has a very hard mouth and I suspect whoever trained him used a harsh bit
with harsh hands. I've been schooling him in the arena in a snaffle bit and
it
seems to be improving. He also has 'dead sides'. You can squeeze til you are
blue in the face but he will not go any faster. He is not at all sensitive
to a
crop (I haven't 'whacked' him hard though). He is 'broke' but not trained to
the aids whatsoever.

The problem is that he's thrown my Dad off twice and my friend baled off of
him
tonight. Each situation was different. Twice it was out on the trail and
today
it was in an indoor arena. Each time it happens at the trot - he goes faster
and faster until he gets out of control. My friend is my no means an
inexperienced rider. He has never once got out of control with me or offered
to
throw me off. Any suggestions at all? I don't feel safe letting anyone else
ride him and I'm not sure where to go from here. Is there anyway I can trust
this horse in the future for endurance or to sell him?

Tamara

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=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=
 Ridecamp is a service of Endurance Net, http://www.endurance.net.
 Information, Policy, Disclaimer: http://www.endurance.net/Ridecamp
 Subscribe/Unsubscribe http://www.endurance.net/ridecamp/logon.asp

 Ride Long and Ride Safe!!

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