Saw this the other day and I couldn’t felt envious.
Apparently this pic is ages old – I was told I’ve been living under a rock. Still posting it though:
““I sadly lost my wonderful mare after 25 yrs together, I went barefoot and bitless about 10 yrs ago and was amazed with the change in her, I went bitless because I couldnt stop her in a bit, she was to fast and threw her head about to evade the bit, I changed to bitless in the middle of a jumping lesson when she was galloping round out of control. What a difference, the change was instant and I never went back to a bit again, I did Cross country, show jumping and Le Trec bitless and always won ribbons. I went barefoot because I couldnt afford the farrier when I lost my job and again would never go back to shoes, no more slipping on roads. I now tell my experiences to anyone with a problem horse to give bitless a try it gave me brakes and a very happy horse.
Maxine”
And lastly, can anyone help Jenny?
“Hi Al & Claire,
I wonder if you can help me.
My mare is 4 years old. She is very tame and friendly – comes to me to be saddled, can be touched anywhere on her body etc.
My problem is that whenever we ride downhill – especially on our way home – she wants to trot. Unfortunately all our routes involve steep hills coming home. We believe in walking the last kilometre home to cool the horses off and so that they don’t get into the habit of rushing for home. I have to fight with her all the way and it scares me. I sometimes just get off and lead her the last bit – which I am sure in not a good idea because then she is getting her own way.
I used to ride her on a broken snaffle bit but when I pulled on the reins to slow her she reared. I thought perhaps it was hurting her so changed to a straight bar bit (Pelham type with one set of reins attached to the ring by the mouth, not the lower ring) Now when I pull on the reins she throws her head up nearly hitting me in the face. I apply gentle steady pressure to the reins – no jerking or anything, and release as soon as she stops trotting, but she just immediately starts again. I would appreciate any advice. As you have maybe worked out I am not a very confident rider!
My other problem is that she will not stand still when I am mounting – how do I teach her to stand still?
Thanks,
Jenny”
That’s all this time. Please keep ’em coming.
Best
Al & Claire
I have a horse that would not stand still while I was mounting him as well. I worked with him by putting a lead rope on in the arena and working over and over dropping the rope and saying stand and walking away. His typical first response was to follow me but I would walk him around in circles and then start over. So I worked and worked until he finally got it. I can say to him as I mount him to stand and 4 times out of 5 he will stand. He still has his days when he just doesn’t want to but he usually will behave. And I have been frustrated with him but just continue in love.
Very sweet hug.
Sounds as if your mare wants to be the boss! I read somewhere that if your horse starts to move as you’re mounting, she’s anticipating you moving off (much as she wants to be in control on the journey home) next time she starts to move, take your foot out of the stirrup and either walk her in a circle or back her so that she’s lost her advantage over you of knowing what you’re going to do.
Then try mounting her again. If she moves off, dismount lead her in a semi circle then a circle…anything really just to keep her guessing. (In between, remind her:”You: horse, Me:Boss” 😀
To teach a horse to stand while you mount: Hold onto the reins with one hand while holding onto the horn or mane with the other hand; Bounce up and down pulling on the reins only when necessary to stop her moving but keep bouncing until she stops moving. Stroke her neck and face giving a break. Continue this until she stands still. Keep the reins loose as long as she is standing still and releasing instantly after she stops. Then increase the amount of bounce and do it until she stands still. Then put 1 foot in the stirrup and bounce, when she stands still get down and reward her. Then put all your weight in the stirrup leaning over the saddle until she stands still, get down immediately and reward her.
As for the bit problem: Try a hackamore.
my girl also liked to move away so I pull her head around to my knee and the problem has stopped
I made a promise to my mare many years ago that the last mile home we would walk together. If you think ‘she’ would be winning then take a flat route even if for a block then on way home walk her – this way she ‘wont’ win but understand you will share this time with her – loosen girth – it is a good chance to bond. As far as the trotting it seems she has a touch of barn sourness – so once back at the barn even though she has had her work out – work her even harder – lounge her – make her work – then cool her off. Hope this helped, enjoy your time with her. Time passes fast. I miss those walks – none of the other riders joined us in our walk but that didn’t matter because this was our time. Plus I didn’t care about their comments, she was my horse and we did it our way.
You got lots of answers on the standing while mounting so I’ll leave that alone.
But for the trotting, there are two variations of the same solution:
Option 1:
This is what I did when by 3 year old had that problem; every time she starts into a trot, rather than simply pulling back, turn her in a circle and ask her to stand still for as many seconds as steps she took without your permission, so the longer she trotted for, the longer you make her stand still. And every time she tries to move out from standing still, turn another circle and start over.
Option 2:
Every time she starts into a trot, don’t just ask for a walk, bring her to a complete stop and back up to where she started trotting. Then count to a certain number (make it different every couple of times) before starting off again.
Either way, she’ll catch on pretty quick–all 5 of the colts I trained certainly did!
I hope you two figure it out, and goo luck! 😀
If she wants to go faster than you want her to go when returning continue PAST the barn and go another mile or so and then return to the barn. If she continues to misbehave continue again for another mile. She will eventually figure out that it is easier to walk the first time then it is to be naughty several more times. This may take a long day and it may even take several long days but under no circumstances stop riding when she is in control. Any time you are riding and on the return trip if she acts up repeat the long ride. Your goal is to make her realize that doing it correctly is much easier than doing it her way. This method will work with many problems that horses have. Make it easier for them to be correct than it is for them to do it their way. Doc
I missed the part of her moving when you went to mount … teach her to ground tie – just put halter and lead on then drop the lead – tell her ‘your’ command to stop then move away. When she even starts to move her foot command her to stop and put her back where she was. Keep doing this until she stays. Do it in different locations. Once this is clear to her – when you go to mount she should stand still. If not ground tie her and get on and then pick up the lead – you can leave it fastened or just lean over and undo it, it’s up to you. Good luck and enjoy. Horses never do things for spite – they don’t hold those humane thoughts .
I have two youngsters one that is two and one that is four. I trained both to stand by giving a treat, the two year old will be on the halter and when being lead I will say stand and she then is given a small treat a piece of carrot. I can now call her to stand when not being lead and from a distance. My four year old who is backed when asked to will happily let me mount and again he will be given a small treat. My two year old has had the saddle on the bridle will follow me
has had helicopters land in the field. The use of a small word or gesture but repeated with a small treat until the response is instant. After the lesson has been learned move on to the next part of there education.#
:o) x
i have this photo on my computer at all times
it`s starts my day of.
linda.
I think at only 4 years old your horse is still very young and unbalanced. My mare was like this at four and she is a very stocky clydesdale cross. Give here time and I am sure she will improve.
I do not care if it is ages old….the fact is that when you give love and affection to an animal, they also return it 1000 times back to you. Thank you for posting it, Al.
Re the trotting – every time she starts to trot ask her to do more work. Turn her up the hill and trot faster with a few zig zags to keep her thinking. The turn her back down again. Good Luck.
I use a double broken French snaffle with yummy copper on all my horses, ride classical with a light hand and one of the first lessons is learning to give to pressure– we both give. First the young horse hangs or leans on the bit, but standing with gentle pressure, eventually the horse will test giving and relaxing the mouth into the “on the bit” head carriage. Immediately the rider fives a bubble of air/release of pressure on the hand. The more you practice the better you get at her trusting your hand an you being able to ride with soft, kind fingers. Hands really shouldn’t pull back, but more shut the door to forward momentum. I can’t explain it all here, but I ride upper level dressage in the loose ring snaffle and jump in it too. If a horse is pulling through strong bits there’s a communication problem. All that being said– take heart, your horse is young! Anything you can give her to do to take her mind off the straight run home will help. Circles, leg yields, zig-zags, just don’t let her get in the habit of running home! When you mount, rein her in, make her stand, drop to bit, and then I reward with a little grain. She’s young, be patient but keep her mind busy.
By the way, I go barefoot trim too now, what a pleasure!!
Hi Jenny,
I used to start colts under saddle by myself mostly. The first mounting was while the colt was lunged with saddle and bridle then tied back up to a solid post at the side of the arena and we practiced stepping up and back down while tied to the side of the arena. After the colt understands the idea of standing quietly, I simply un snap the lead line from the halter and continue schooling.Repetition of this exercise usually makes moving while mounting a non problem. Your mare will probably need more re schooling because of the number of times she has had success with this reaction to mounting.
Her reaction to contact with her mouth by resisting and throwing her head is because she missed the basic schooling she needed when she first started to learn about softly giving to contact.
I had a very special gelding for 24 years & used hug me all the time. I used to stand by his shoulder & he would turn his & hug me between both.
The best time of all when I did cross country for years, when we had to stay over for 2 days…I used to sleep with my horse by snuggling up into his shoulder & he used to wake me all the time with a nod on my head & another shoulder hugg….greatest feeling in the world. God has blessed me all my life & I am in my 60’s & still love my eguine love friends.. 🙂
Awesome, best hug ever!
Hi Kim,
YES YES YES do approach your neighbours, the only caveat I’d offer is that you make it an offer to help, (“You’ve got time on your hands”, “you LOVE horses but never have the chance to be near any” rather than a criticism of them (People never forgive you for making them feel guilty!)
If you are ever faced with a moral dilemma in the future, may I offer you what my then 8 yr olsd son told me that he’d learnt in school:
“The only thing necessary for the triumph of evil is for good men to do nothing”
(Edmund Burke)
Ed was around in the 1700, I think, so he wasn’t clued up about the equality of the sexes!
Please, Please, tell us how you get on !!
Kind regards,
Sylvie
very sweet
i have a question?
We have had our horses trained for riding…
but, we have had several spaces of time, where we have been unable to ride them! One, the cinch broke when I was running my palomino…the saddle slipped underneath, and I had to jump off backwards. I broke four vertebra in my back, ribs, fractured my hip. Its been a year now, and I want to ride again!
They seem pretty skiddish now! Do you think they will remember all the rules they were taught…when start riding again?? Or should we have someone come ride them first?
Hi I had a similar problem with my gelding when I first got him 8 years ago. I just bought a plastic step stood that I could move around easily and every time he moved, I moved the step and tried again. It didn’t take long and he stood still for me to mount up. He still stands still now, 8 years on and is patient and quiet when I am waiting for others to mount up. It was just practice practice practice! Good luck!
On our thoroughbred farm we have a chestnut gelding, Surprise Account who will also hug you. You have no idea as to how many times we have heard squeals of delight from people, usually women . When they find out we have a horse who is a very good hugger and back scratcher . The only problem is with their boyfriends or husbands who always throw up their hands as if to say, how am supposed I to compete with that! Fred and Joan
Hi I am 15 and I loan a pony called Storm. He used to do the same with regards to the trotting down hills and moving when mounting. To stop the trotting down hill I tried gentle nudges of the rein but he persisted to throw his head, so I changed his bit to a bit less bridle and he was totally relaxed – perfect with steering and he completely stopped the urge to trot down the hills.
Them with the moving when I mounted I put my foot in the stirrup and mounted but he commonly moved and then flicked a leg out. So to stop him doing this I tied a mounting block but he was beaten and disliked the idea of me towering over him. After that I tried mounting with my foot straight in the stirrup but instead if having my toes going straight into his side I made my foot paralelle with his side making my toes face his head, and he didn’t move, I think this was because he was being sharply jabbed in the sideand this caused irritation then for him to move.
WHAT A WONDERFUL CUDDLE IN THE PIC ABOVE
lots of good advise for jenny from all over just wan ted to mention i had downhill problems on my horse till i realized from a rubbed patch on his skin that the saddle was slipping forward downhill and pinching his very round withers and causing discomfort with every downward step a new better fitting saddle and his problems vanished.