Getting a green broke horse, to whoa at the bit?

Question

Green broke mare, won't whoa at the bit easily. Help?

I'm half leasing a 3 yr old Palomino Quarter Horse mare. She's green broke.
Currently, I'm working on turning her with leg commands, less with the bit. The owner doesn't want a harsher bit either.

So yesterday I went out and rode her, and I was at a canter, and I want her to stop. So of course I pulled on the bit, saying whoa. And then she wouldn't, so I'd get a little tougher. But it seemed to take FOREVER.

I've had 2 years of pro western training, and so I'm used to WELL trained horses.
Normally I'd gather her up with the reins, but she has her head(and neck) straight) it's beautiful, but.... I need to get her to stop....


Does anybody have any ideas????

Answer 1

You need to go back to the ground and get her to stop every time from the ground. If you don't have whoa there you won't have whoa from the saddle. Start working her from the ground leading her and tell her whoa and then stop her by pulling back on the leadline. Keep working on this until she stops as soon as you say whoa. She should get where if you are leading her and stop she will stop beside you without any other que than the fact that you stopped.

After she masters this you can move on to the saddle. Start by walking and get her to whoa every time you stop. I typically ask for a whoa by shifting my seat down deep into the saddle and picking up on the reins and pulling back. Than move up to a trot and lope after you master the trot. If you practice this often enough, just shifting your seat will make the horse whoa.

Good luck!!!

Answer 2

Lots of them. Two years of pro training doesn't mean knowing all about training...it means you can ride a broke horse. You're expecting her to act like a broke horse when the reality is she doesn't have a clue what you're asking. Whoa...what's that? Pulling...uncomfortable, pull harder stop. What often happens with that is eventually she'll lock her jaw and you'll get resistance. You can expect until she's solid she WILL take a while to respond - you have to teach her what those things mean.

Work on flexibility. Gently and in stages pull her head around, both directions, to touch your boot. When you're walking use the same exagerated cues - sit deeper, say whoa. Make it a game...lots of praise when she does what you want. Work on the same from a trot. If she is still resisting use a backup. For now - point her towards a corner...about 15-20 feet out give her the cue for whoa...if you have her going straight she has NO CHOICE - whoa or run into the corner. You're asking but you have her in a position the only real answer is to respond. When she does it - because the option to say no/refuse is diminished - praise her. Let her think about it. Go on and do more things that are easy for her...and on a regular basis give her a "test" - ask for whoa *without* a backup (corner/wall). The habit will become established and without pulling, fighting.

the horses you rode were once like her..THINK about the training you have and break it down. HOW do you ask for whoa, step by step...exagerrate that for her so she understands. She's trying to get basic math and you're giving her calculus problems. :-)

Answer 3

Make sure your body is saying back to. You need to be well in the seat and shoulders square, almost back. An exercise you can try (but I wouldn't do constantly with a green horse, it'd be to exhausting and concentrated) is trotting for random amounts, then asking for a stop. The second she stops ask her to back up, saying whoa the whole time. Back up three steps. Maybe walk a bit, then trot, stop, and back up again. Sooner or later she'll start stopping nicely. keep trying!

Answer 4

Get in the arena and tack her up.
Work at a walk and go a 1/2 way around and ask her to whoa.
Ask first with the reins and sitting back in the saddle and then pulling up and get contact with her mouth. Ask until you get what you want then make her back up two steps.
Keep at it until you have it at the walk then move on to trot.
Always ask them to back up two steps.
I retrain race horses and whoa is the one thing they do not teach at the track to them whoa means do it in the next 1/2 mile or so.
I work alot on this. It is dull but works well.
Good luck.

Answer 5

You don't need more bit, you just need to pull and let go, pull and let go... but really let go, like drop her. Horses respond to intermittant pressure, so ask nicely, allow her a chance to respond, then ask again... gradually increasing pressure.

Make sure you aren't gripping with your leg or driving with your seat.

p.s. straight is good... I wouldn't worry about her "flexability" at this stage in the game, what you may get is a horse that it all over the place and confused. K.I.S.S. keep it simple, sweatheart