companymagic
Grand Prix Poster
Horses are for life not just for riding....
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Post by companymagic on Dec 15, 2010 22:38:53 GMT 1
I have a lovely Highland mare that is just starting work again after a few months off. She was backed in the summer and normally I would have given her the whole winter off but she is getting to fat so has had 3 months off to grow a bit and now is back to work.
The problem is she is so laid back, and some days, in fact most days after a few laps of the school she just plants her feet and refuses to move, or if I ask for trot she WILL NOT go.
I don't want to be harsh with her and use a whip etc but I really don't now how to get her to willing move forward. After alot of effort on my part she normally goes and then she is fine for the rest of the ride.
I have no problems hacking her..
So what am I doing wrong ? Any ideas on schooling tips I can try with her...
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Post by jill on Dec 16, 2010 8:37:20 GMT 1
It is a form of napping. Make it harder work for her not to move than to do as you are asking - unbalance her by turning her one side or the other and then do a tight tight circle or two. Then ask for forward again - and repeat if she doesn't comply. It is an unwillingness to do as she is asked and you have to have a sanction that will persuade her that complying with what you want is essential. I once saw a horse plant in the middle of a busy main road - being obedient may well save her or your life one day so it is vitall important.
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Post by mags on Dec 16, 2010 12:00:58 GMT 1
Maybe you can motivate her by making the school more fun to be in. My horse gets bored very easily, and used to hate going into the school, because he thought "here we go, doing pointless circles!". After I started upping the ground work ("games" in his mind, with the occasional treat involved), he is now quite eager to go into the school, his "play ground". I also did a good bit of long lining to make sure I was getting through from the ground. He's still not too keen on ridden schooling and his enthusiasm tends to fizzle out after about 10min, so I try to break things up and keep it interesting. For example, do some "obstacles" in between (stepping sideways over pole, simple trec obstacles), or pop over a few very low jumps to get his energy going again. Also, lots of change tends to keep him more interested (transitions, changes of direction...). In my case, I never had to deal with true planting under saddle, possibly because I sorted that out on the long lines. I like my wip wop for a bit more energy when he gets truly lazy.
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companymagic
Grand Prix Poster
Horses are for life not just for riding....
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Post by companymagic on Dec 16, 2010 12:15:55 GMT 1
Thanks both :-)
The trying to move her when she is planted by turning her is hard as it means having to apply ALOT of bit pressure to get her to move.. Which I am not comfortable with, although I am having to at the mo as that's the only way to get her moving.
Long lining she is fine, moves ok but the problem is I can't do a lot of it as the school is mega busy and I end up getting tangled in the other 10 horses whizzing around haha
I would normally Lunge her to get her thinking forward as I can use my body language to move her forward and get her going. But we are not allow to lunge in our school so I can't even try that.
I will try and put some different things out for her to play with, I already do lots of transitions or as many Ican do with a stubborn highland that refuses to go haha
Sometimes when she gives in and moves she then just rushes off, it’s like as soon as I try and steady her she stops again, it’s a bit of all and nothing at the moment.. But then she is still a baby and I guess things will just take time.
Anymore ideas are most welcome..
Thanks again
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Post by alexaandtess on Dec 16, 2010 12:57:24 GMT 1
How do you apply your leg aids? Have you tried using short, quick aids with your legs rather than long squeezes?
What is she like being led round the lanes? I would be inclined to start hacking out so she can realise that moving and trotting is fun then go back in to the school when she is more responsive.
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Post by Yann on Dec 16, 2010 13:21:07 GMT 1
If she's newly backed then using a lot of force would worry me, yes, you need to get your point across, but you also risk making her sour about the school and schooling. I would leave off and concentrate on hacking for now, or try some clicker training. From what I've seen of them highlands can be very determined and you're often best working with them or around them rather than taking them on directly
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companymagic
Grand Prix Poster
Horses are for life not just for riding....
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Post by companymagic on Dec 16, 2010 13:28:23 GMT 1
Leg aids - I can do anything if she doesn’t want to move she won't. Long pushes, short taps and big pony camp kicks. Sometimes I think the best thing to do would be to just sit there. And let her make up her mind to move then give her tons of praise for doing it. However at -4 and getting near 8pm I am scared I would get hyperthermia before she moved ;D
Hacking is my main aim but with the dark nights and the freezing weather I am lucky to get her out once a week, and that's just not enough to keep her weight under control..
It's hard work knowing what to do for the best, I have a lesson booked on Sunday so hopefully will get some good tips there too.
Will keep trying as she is more than worth it, I love her to bits, even if she is stubborn...
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Post by rosemaryhannah on Dec 16, 2010 20:41:43 GMT 1
1 - cut back on what she is eating - soak hay if necessary.
2 get a wip-wop to give her signals.
3 Consider long reining in the school until you have established her way of going
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Post by jen1 on Dec 16, 2010 23:07:44 GMT 1
some good ole hacks with a nice friend might get the forward button going again, your focus and energy needs to be up, jolly her along and praise any forward , any at all,lol
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Post by treacletart on Dec 16, 2010 23:42:43 GMT 1
I agree with Jen and woud like to add something I learned from Kelly. Kelly encouraged forwardness by swinging her hips and legs backwards and forwards and her hands arms and shoulders moved in time as well. I have tried this exercise on a Highland and it proved very effective and after that the horse never looked back. Sorry Kelly, a bad description, am sure someone on here knows what i'm talking about and can enlighten companymagic. x
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hattie
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Post by hattie on Jan 11, 2011 21:49:17 GMT 1
Hi,
I have a similar problem with my youngster but she tends to 'plant' herself when out hacking by herself not so much in the school...however, my instructor got me started with a giddy-up rope and that seems to work a treat! Though i have to say that there is nothing like building up confidence and forward thinking like long-lining!
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Post by fth on Jan 11, 2011 21:57:02 GMT 1
if she is a youngster and recently backed I would be hacking her -- and doing schooling on hacks.
If I HAD to go in the arena, I would stop BEFORE she does -- and head out on a hack...
For many horses, they see little POINT in schooling - they doa good circle and what do we do?> we ask then to do ANOTHER one -- so think about what motivates her and use that
for example, bringing obstacles into the arena made schooling sessions for my mare MUCH more interesting
I still prefer to do a lot of basic schooling on hacks for the first 400 hours
Cathy
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companymagic
Grand Prix Poster
Horses are for life not just for riding....
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Post by companymagic on Jan 11, 2011 22:20:50 GMT 1
The little highland is doing a bit better.
I have to say that although I would like to hack her more (I can't hack in the dark and work don't really like it if I disappear mid afternoon and don't come back haha)
I do not feel its safe to hack her until I have her listening and understanding me. Its not fair for me to expect a young horse to move away from my aids when ask to move out of the way of an on coming car etc if she doesn't fully understand those aids due to lack of schooling.
I have today had a new saddle fitted and she moved a lot more freely when in the school. I hacked her back up the road after her saddle fitting and she was fine, although the tractor was a bit much for her on the way down.
I am hoping the lack of forward movement was due to the saddle and now she has a nice new one she will be happier to move again.
Will keep you posted..
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Post by happysnail on Jan 12, 2011 22:39:45 GMT 1
Well done. Roll on daylight and better weather so you can enjoy being out.
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companymagic
Grand Prix Poster
Horses are for life not just for riding....
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Post by companymagic on Jan 13, 2011 12:12:33 GMT 1
One lesson learned.
When I first posted this thread I said "Making her move" In hindsight what I should have put was "why won't she move?"
I rode the lovely little highland mare in her new saddle last night and she was a different pony. She moved off my leg and voice commands she trotted her little socks off.
I was so proud of her but so annoyed at myself, I had allowed others to cloud my judgment AGAIN when I should have listen to her. She was not moving as the saddle was not right for her.
Over the winter she has changed shape so the saddle that had fitted this summer was not too tight (she doesn't do much in the dark evenings) I should have asked myself the question, what would make her not move. Rather that listen to people on the yard tell me she was lazy, stubborn, fat etc.
Just because she is a native pony, don't make her slow, thick or lazy!
Anyway I am happy to report she is a happy girl again and I was more proud of her than ever.
Thanks for all those that posted advice, I got there in the end. Next time I hope I will ask the right question to start with..
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