ridecamp@endurance.net: Horse Misbehavior

Horse Misbehavior

Wendy Milner (wendy@wendy.cnd.hp.com)
Wed, 28 May 1997 14:54:02 MDT

>I have a horse, Arab cross, that starts of a ride beautifully, but once
>you move her into a quick trot or a canter it becomes close to impossible
>to get her to walk again. If you put any kind of pressure in the bit
>(like even THINK about it) she acts like she is going to rear straight
>up! Some times I won't even give her any contact and she ACTS like I am
>pulling her back. This horse is new to me, and I have no idea of her
>prior training, but she rode quite well when I first got her. She doesn't
>do this quite as much in the ring, mostly on trail rides. Any ideas as to
>what can cause this behavior?

Your new horse has trained you that once you ask for the trot you
may not reduce speed.

Now, you should, of course, check for physical causes: teeth, saddle
fit, etc.; but after that, you've been trained.

Best bet is to do many transitions in the ring.
Second, change the speed of the gait. Go from jog trot to extended
trot back to job trot.
Make sure you and the horse understand the half-halt.
Make sure the horse accepts and even demands an even contact on the
bit. And, of course, that you can do this without your hands moving
in time to the trot.

>She doesn't
>do this quite as much in the ring, mostly on trail rides.

Don't accept "not quite as much". Demand "all the time and every time"
she does it right.

--
Wendy


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  Wendy Milner                     HPDesk:   wendy_milner@hp4000
  Hewlett-Packard Company          e-mail:   wendy@fc.hp.com
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