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Re: [RC] since we're on the subject... - following / leading - Tiffany D'Virgilio

I have been riding this horse for 10 years. We don't have many groups to ride with, but she always wants to be in the front. I broke her and she can be ridden in a halter when not at a ride.
Tiffany
On Apr 8, 2009, at 4:52 PM, Rae Callaway wrote:


Best thing I've found for teaching a "hot" horse to ride nicely in a group
is to ride in groups. My girl, Scarlet, used to be totally crazy. Walk
wasn't even in her vocabulary and we would spend entire trail rides jigging
and cantering at a walk speed. It was exhausting. I started riding her
with trail groups from the stables down the road. We would go with slow
groups, fast groups, in front, in back, in the middle, with the greenie when
the hot shoes took off, etc. Basically, I rode her in every position and
every situation I could get her in. It took about 2 years before she
started to calm down and I wanted to give up many times. Now, she's the
most dependable horse I have. Even when she's excited, she will stay
completely in control.
My philosophy - there are no short cuts for training. Be patient and work
with your horse. You'll get there.


Rae




-----Original Message-----
From: ridecamp-owner@xxxxxxxxxxxxx [mailto:ridecamp- owner@xxxxxxxxxxxxx] On
Behalf Of Tiffany D'Virgilio
Sent: Wednesday, April 08, 2009 4:06 PM
To: Michelle Aquilino
Cc: ridecamp
Subject: Re: [RC] since we're on the subject... - following / leading


Can;t help you there, but if anyone can give me a pointer on my mare,
I'd love it. She is a doll on trail alone or with stable mate.
Bombproof, my 9 year  old has been riding her for years with the two
of us. When in a gruop, she has to be in front, NO MATTER WHAT or she
will throw the biggest tizzy ever. I usually start as late as
possible. Should I start her in the front and let her go? She even
wants to race dogs, bikers, cars...Other than that, she is a
dreamhorse, she'd babysit for you for free.
Tiffany, yes I am talking about MOSH
On Apr 8, 2009, at 1:38 PM, Michelle Aquilino wrote:

I will bring up a problem I've been having, and see what people's
thoughts are =)

My horse is amazing to ride alone.  We have always ridden alone in
the past, and even though some days are spookier than others, she's
a solid ride, and I don't worry about making it back to the
trailer.  Recently, I have become more involved in local trail
groups, and have even found some people to ride with occasionally
who ALMOST go fast enough for me, ha ha.  Some days I would ride
partially with these people, and then go off on my own.  I have
noticed that when I do this, she becomes a true royal pain (well,
not as bad as some, but bad enough for me to get frustrated, ha ha)
once we're alone.  She is a lot spookier than normal, which I can
mostly deal with, but she has become incredibly stubborn about not
passing other horses when she's in this mode of thinking (last
weekend, she even refused to pass a couple and their dog, would
follow willingly when they started walking down the trail, but I
had to get off and lead her in order to physically pass them).  It
wasn't fear, just stubborness.  When we're alone, she moves out
just fine (in these modes), but she sticks like glue when we
finally reach (and I want to pass) other horses (or apparently even
people/dogs).  I am hoping that she will be fine at an endurance
ride, since she will know that other horses are in front of her
(whereas in the conditioning ride situations, she's passing
everyone, and doesn't know if others are ahead), but I am slightly
concerned about getting "stuck" behind a horse/group, because she
gets into this mode in the middle of an endurance ride =P

The other side of this problem, is that when she gets in this mode,
she tries to manipulate her way into following, and out of the
leading position.  She is a dominant horse, generally relatively
independent of other horses on the trail, will hold back if I ask
her to, and willingly drinks from a stream even if horses are
leaving and disappearing from the trail (if she's thirsty, she
drinks), so the behavior has me somewhat stumped.  The only thing I
can figure is that, yeah, it's easier for her to follow (and be
with other horses), and her being an incredibly intelligent mare, I
have accidentally shown her that she can do these things to get out
of the lead, and she's simply doing what she "knows" works.  I know
that I probably need to do some exercises with someone to teach her
that this is NOT ok, but am not sure how to go about it, since she
won't move, unless I get off and lead her past the other horses
(and knowing that this won't work at an endurance ride, ha ha,
since no one will be stopped as I WALK past them, ha ha).  I just
really want to nip this in the bud before it gets REALLY bad
(worse?  ha ha).

Also to note, she passes FINE before she gets into this
"group"/"following" mentality (I'm baffled by all of it, ha ha,
truly).

--
"Don't breed or buy while shelter animals die"


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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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Replies
[RC] since we're on the subject... - following / leading, Michelle Aquilino
Re: [RC] since we're on the subject... - following / leading, Tiffany D'Virgilio
RE: [RC] since we're on the subject... - following / leading, Rae Callaway