New Horse - Schooling Problems

[Tabitha]

Hi,

It's been a long time since I last posted, and I wasn't a prolific poster anyway :unsure:  but I was hoping that some one could help.

Since I last posted I have been in the lucky position of buying a horse. In his life he has done very little schooling and what he has done has been mainly over jumps.

He goes in a very pretty outline, probably schooled in through his previous owner, but there is no flexion, and getting him to use his back properly is difficult, due to the fact he has had a badly fitting saddle in the past and the use of draw reins (although limited). The saddle is now correct, but convincing my horse that he can use his back with a rider on board is difficult. Any suggestions?

He's only 7, and is very bright so picks things up very quickly so schooling sessions have to be varied. Any suggestions for spicing up spiralling in and out of circiles and loops? He gets bored and having been used primarily for hacking and the odd bit of jumping I have to make sure I include a lot of variation in his work routine. Hacking is not really an option for this time of the year, and jumping is fine, but I am concious that his lack of suppleness in the flat work is 100x worse in the jumping and I need to nail the flat work before we start schooling seriously over jumps again.

Finally, I just wanted opinions if possible. I've been working mainly on softening him in the walk and trot, but this fails as soon as I ask for changes in tempo, partly because he has been schooled to think that leg on = go faster and longer, rather than freer and forward. How can I combine the two i.e. - softening and forward? He also stiffens up incredibly in the canter. Any suggestions for improving this?

Thank you,
Tabitha

 

[Mandeigh]

well I am a big fan of getting all the ground work in walk...even if that means taking a horse back to that stage.

First thing the horse needs to work off the leg without thinking that it always means fast forward.  A good one for this is the ever decreasing circle then pushing the horse away with the inside leg (watch he doesn't lose the outside shoulder...but thats just a stage of working it).....tear dropped shaped serpentines are also great for changing the bend, flexing the horse and making them work from one leg then the other.....more predominantly.   I also like shoulder in for helping a horse work round a leg.  You don't even need to do it for a long time...in 20 mins the horse will get a great deal of benefit...and then you can go off and jump or what ever......

[shoveltrash]

i agree with Mandeigh....about doing some work "off the leg" without it always meaning "go faster."  my gelding came to me with similar problems, and i started on the ground - teaching him to yield to pressure, before doing it mounted.
you know, press with a finger until you get movement away from the pressure, then release of pressure is *reward.*  eventually they learn with less & less pressure.  then you can mount up and do very basic lateral work with him, on a long rein at walk (once again, i agree with what Mandeigh said).
he should pick up on the fact that "leg" doesn't always mean RUN FASTER.
then go from there.
and i always had to remind myself of the training scale - that *relaxation* is at the bottom, along with rhythm.  it took my horse FOREVER to finally relax - we did AGES of long & low work - but when he did finally relax, i was able to pick up contact and achieve flexion without resistance!
BTW, i am NO expert - but like to participate in the forums.....so if anybody has anything to add, please do!
good luck!
Trish

[sam&anita]

hi...i'm going to give it a go, but my english isn't that well so i hopeyou understand me i the right way. my horse has a back problem, so i had someone take a look at it and three spines are a bit up and twisted. he never used his back because he thaught he couldn't (it is something he is born with and acoording to the specialist doesn't hurt him). she gave me a special training schedule. the most important thing in the training was to show him he could use his back without pain. for three weeks i lunged him daily. the first 5 minutes in walk and a bit of trot on the right side and then 5 min. walk and trot on the left side for warming up. after that i had a side rein which i used from his belly (came between his front legs) to his head (i hope you understand what i mean) and had to tighten it so close that his head stayed vertical. this way he could'nt lift his head more that his nose stayed vertical (i write this and it sounds a bit strange) then had to lunge him at first 5 min. left and right building up to 15 min. left and right. this way i was forcing hem to use his back....it worked...nowadays he knows he can use his back, his muscles were getting stronger, he moves far mor freely, even under the saddle. i don't know if it is a help for you, i have got this training schedule from a physio. perhaps a physio can work a training schedule out for your horse. what i also liked about the lunging because there was nog leg contact, the horse stayed calmer while working. when getting back to working under the saddle before giving a leg aid i used my voice in the way i use for lunging. the horse quickly understood and now he reacts better on my legs.  good luck with your horse, i hope you understand what i am trying to tell you

[sam&anita]

have to add about using the side rein....when i speak of tying it so close that the head stays vertical, i mean his head can't get higher, but it can get lower. so don't get me wrong, this way he can still relax, but to relax he has to lift his back