A few questions?

Question

I got shifted to one of the more advanced horses at the stables on my second day of lessons, he's a three year old quarter horse, but i'm having a few problems with him: (i ride western btw)

* he won't let me pick up his feet, and when i do pick them up he insists on putting them down 5 seconds later, i know I'm not hitting the frog or anything, but he keeps doing it

* he keeps drifting away from the rail, especially at the trot (I've just started trotting so it's probably something I'm doing) I always use my right leg to que him into the trot to try and keep him at the rail, but he does it anyway

one more question, how do i get him to slow down, somtimes when we're trotting i can feel him wanting to pick up to a canter how do i tell him to slow down? the instructor keeps telling me i'm doing good, but i don't really think so :P thanks in advance ^_^ real answers only please!

Answer 1

Sounds like this horse is a little on the young side and he may need to be handled by an experienced rider or trainer a little more,also if you feel you are being pushed too fast then tell the trainer you are not comfortable on this mount,if they care about you and your safety they will move you to a horse better suited to your comfort and experience

Answer 2

It really sounds like it is the horse. He is only 3. He is not fully trained - and how much experience do you have riding? You said it is your second day of lessons at that barn. Does the barn just think, oh let's put you on the 3 yr old, or do you have more experience than others, and they felt that you could get the 3 yr old going?

I've been at a few barns, (and have left quickly after), that once they realize you have experience, they get you to pay them to train their horses. This could possibly be the case at your barn. They see that you have experience, and they figure they'll set you up with the green broke horse so you can pay for your lesson but train the horse and make it better for the less-able lessoners.

You may want to watch out for this. The horse is too young to being used a lesson horse - he needs more training.

If you truly want to work through these problems...

- reassure him it's ok when you pick up his foot, and make sure you have a firm hold on it - anticipate that he's going to put it down and be ready to use your strength to hold it up until he settles and deals with it. He is soooo young, if he learns he can get away with that bad habit now, he'll do it until the day he dies.

-- the trotting is not anything you are doing. Again, the horse is green, and green horses find going straight hard to do, they tend to sway alot. Try not to get into the habit of pulling his head onto the rail while his body is travelling off the rail. I don't know if he neck reins or not, but direct his head towards the rail, and move your inside back, to direct his hips on to the rail as well. Your instructor should be helping you with this. You can also circle him - when he drifts off the rail, circle him back onto the rail at the spot he drifted away from, and eventually, when the horse has more experience, he'll learn to stay straight. Circling makes for a good straight line.

---he is avoiding working, again, he's green, and he's trying to figure out how he can NOT do what you want him to do. It's easier to break in to a canter and avoid work than do that awful trotting stuff, that's no fun. Check him back, check, check, check. (or is that only an English thing?).... and circle.

Answer 3

A rider should not be put with a young horse on the second day of lessons. That often causes bad experiences for both horse and rider. I personally would never let that happen. Here it's green rider/experienced horse, green horse/experienced rider.
You ALWAYS use your RIGHT leg to cue? In BOTH directions?That could be a problem. Talk that over with your instructor.
Perhaps this is a really laid back horse for his age, but it doesn't sound like it.
As a new rider, you shouldn't be put in a position where you have to "train" the horse to do ANYTHING. That could cause bad habits for the horse and stress for you. I'd never put one of my riders nor one of my horses in such a situation.
Best wishes to you and to the horse!

Answer 4

Make sure you're supporting his leg comfortably when you're picking out his feet. If he won't pick up his hoof, lean on his shoulder to shift his balance to the other leg, and either squeeze his chestnut or rub your hand down the front of his leg... some horses are trained differently than others to pick up their feet so if your current method isn't working, try the other way.

When he starts drifting in from the rail, block him with your inside leg. Make sure he's bent properly, if he's bent to the outside he'll be more likely to drift in.

To slow him down, slow down the rhythm of your posting. Sit back a little bit, and focus on slowing yourself down. If you're doing a sitting trot, sit deeper in the saddle. Also, you can use half-halts to slow him down without losing forward motion.

Answer 5

When he drifts force him back over to the rail with your leg, every single time until he gets that he's not allowed to do that anymore and you're in charge.

When he speeds up trying pulling and giving with the reins or turning him in a tight circle so he almost has to slow down.

I don't know what you should do about the hooves, for most horses you just run a hand down their leg and they pick it up. But usually if they refuse to do that I just drag it up and if they resist that just stand their and pull on it, leaning into their leg until the give up or back themselves right into the rails of the crossties trying to get away and have to give it to me. I wouldn't recommend doing that though as it's gotten me a bite on the butt alot of times, still sometimes all that works is forcing them.

Once you have it up make sure you're holding it in a comfortable position and if he tries to get away drop the pick and keep a hold on it until he gets that he isn't going to win and lets you deal with it in peace.

Answer 6

Your teacher should be giving you more direction than just telling you that you are doing good. Are they telling you how to fix it while your struggling? If not then they are not doing thier job and you should find someone who can truly instruct you. Also if you are just beginning you should not already be on an advanced horse.
I don't know how they have trained thier horses and I don't know if they would approve of you trying something new with thier horse.
I would ask them for a differant horse that will help you learn on your end so that when you get to a horse like the one you are on you are advanced enough and you will have a good enough seat about you that you can then think about what to do to help this horse maintain doing what you have asked him to and how you have asked him to.

Answer 7

I'm going to agree with those who say a new rider should not be on a young, inexperienced horse. Say it with me, folks, "green plus green equals black and blue!"

It's not safe for you, and it's not good for the horse and his training or future use.

If the horse isn't green, it certainly has behaviors that require experience to correct. If your instructor is trying to teach you how to fix this, I'd hope they'd wait til later than lesson #2.

It's not your fault...you learn by doing. Your instructor should be telling you and showing you what to do to correct the horse.

When I first switched to TWH I had to learn to ride with a LOOSE leg as squeezing with the legs means "go faster" to a TWH. I was in my late thirties, had ridden since I was a small child, and was so frustrated that I didn't know how to "set" the bit, didn't understand why this horse kept going faster and faster when I thought all I was trying to do was hang on...

Answer 8

This horse is still young and may not fully understand what's expected of him. When it's time to pick his hoofs, go slow and run your hand down his leg. Give him a comand like "lift" as you pinch the fetlock joint and lean into him a little with your shoulder to offset his weight off the leg you want him to pick up. When he does finally give and picks up that leg make sure you support the hoof well so he feels comfortable. If he puts his leg back down just be persistant and pick it right back up agian. Don't move on to the next hoof until you have successfully picked that hoof and put his foot back on the ground when you were done. In time he will learn to pick his leg up for you right away, and that if he keeps his leg up for you then it will quicker and he won't be asked to do it over agian.

Many inexperienced horses are drifters and weavers, you as the rider will have to teach him to stay on a straight path. Agian this will take time and practice. When you ride keep a tight reign on the rail to help him stay on track. If you feel him start to drift put pressure on him with your inside leg to push him back into place. Whenever you have the opportunity work with him on straight aways, find a guide point like a fence rail and keep him aimed at it. Just keep correcting him and hopefully he'll learn.

He may want to break into a canter because it is an easier gate than a trot. You'll need to teach him to hold his paces. Having him understand voice commands like "slow" and "easy" can help. When you feel him start to pick up pace shift your body weight back and tighten up a little on the reigns. As soon as he slows down you can resume your normal seat and give him more of his head. This too will take patience, practice and persistance. You will probably have to go back in forth with him for a while pulling him back when he speeds up too much and pushing forward if he slows down more then you want, then try to keep him steady at the gate you desire.

The more you work with him the more you'll grow to understand each other. Eventually, he'll learn what your ques mean and you'll know him so well you can start to predict his next move. You sound like a budding rider and this is a great experience for you. Obviously your instructer thinks highly of you to put you with a 3 year old green horse. Congratulations and good luck to you:)

Answer 9

When you go to pick up his feet you should lean with all of your wieght against the leg that you want to pick up until he picks it up. If he still doesnt lift it, while you are leaning into it you should squeeze his ankles right behind his hoof and hopefully he should lift it.

You should have your rein closest to the fence a little shorter just a constant reminder to your horse to stay close to the rail.

When he starts picking up speed calmly sit down really heavily in the back of your saddle and lightly pull back on your reins and say "WHOA" is a low voice.

Answer 10

good questions!!!

well the horse is very young and doesn't know better so be very careful cause you don't want to get hurt.

when picking up his foot get a good grip on it and if he tries to move say quit it in a loud mean voice. i know it sounds really mean but he will learn not to do it. every second he holds it up for you be sure to say good boy in a gentle voice. horses love rewards.

if he is drifting away from the rail then sit down hard in your seat and squeeze with your inside leg. if he is still not responding give him a little kick. remember more leg less rein.

to slow the horse down sit down deep in your saddle squeeze with legs and knees and rock side to side with the horse. if you feel that you are bouncing up and down that means you are not riding with the horse which causes him to speed up so rock side to side with the horse and squeeze.


good luck