Comments on: Trotting horse – Jennie’s won’t stop

By: Jenny

Jenny — Mon, 22 Jun 2015 09:23:38 +0000

I am not sure how this plea for help surfaced now, since I sent it in two years ago! Nevertheless, thanks to everyone for your constructive advice. I did in fact get the same and similar advice from other sources in the meantime and had some success. However, I eventually decided she was too much horse for me to handle and gave her to a young friend who is a braver rider than I am and who loves her just as much as I did – so everyone is a winner.

By: ELFREDE

ELFREDE — Fri, 12 Jun 2015 16:57:18 +0000

😀 To all, The TTellington Touch books( Human- Equine Therapy) and Centered Riding by Sally Swift are 2 real ‘bibles’ in solving individual rider and horse problems.

Please resource them and buy them,,,,it builds confidence and trust for both human and equine.

Happy Horsing,

Elfrede

By: Naj

Naj — Fri, 12 Jun 2015 16:08:17 +0000

In reply to Marylou.

Hi Marylou
That depends on weather you are ok with him playfully nibbling or not. I, personally, am always ok with that. However, some people aren’t and you’re in control of the relationship you build.
What I do if I’m bitten hard/aggressively, is say (immediately) ‘no/hu-uh/don’t/etc’ firmly, not shouting, but louder than normal, and give a small but firm slap on shoulder area. It should never be a big hit (where you raise your arm and bring it in or anything of that sort). the trick is not violence, but rather, an attitude of no-nonsense as another horse would react to the behaviour.

By: Naj

Naj — Fri, 12 Jun 2015 15:52:33 +0000

In reply to Mary. Yip. Mary's advice sounds really sensible to me. Very often, riders get frustrated and even if you're not flinging your crop in the air, screaming, horses sense it and you go nowhere

By: Faye hall

Faye hall — Thu, 11 Jun 2015 07:15:13 +0000

Hello.If u want your horse to stand still while you get on you have to teach him to stand.First you have to flex him to the left getting him to hold it there then release,then keep doing this till he knows to flex..then proceed to flex the head and proceed to get snored,he will Probebly go round in circles,but will eventually stand then proceed to mount again,He may keep moving round ,but wait till he stops again. This could go on for some time, then he’ll get sick if going round and let u mount.Do this exercise until he knows to stand when you want to mount..Please have patience..Good luck..

By: Angela Carter

Angela Carter — Wed, 10 Jun 2015 22:37:59 +0000

Good suggestions from Sandi
We have a steep hill on the homeward run and I have trained hundreds of young horses not to cart me home over 20yrs or more.
They all vary but most techniques have required time in whatever amount required to imprint an appropriate behavior.
If u do feel the need to dismount it’s not really letting her win. Lead her with no interaction except quiet commands and use ” no” be terse but not angry, whenever she doesn’t comply. Half halt and halt frequently for at least 10 seconds. Hold her head parallel to u and don’t engage and talk except to say walk on, whoa and stand etc
If she tries to look elsewhere or at you just keep her facing forward. By not offering her any companionship at this time and massively slowing the transit time, without actually getting cross it gives her two option. One where she is bored and isolated or one where she is encouraged and loved and included. Get off and do it the first sign of trot and her resistance. Its quite hard to do because you are role playing at disliking your horse. But it has worked dramatically well in many cases of tension and disobediwnce. When they “give in ” it usually comes with a huge sigh and a massive change in behavior. Its by no means the first technique to try but has always worked for me with tough cases.
As for bar bits, they can seriously bruise the bars of the mouth or even cause fractures so be extra careful as they injure themselves on them as they throw heads about – even the rubber and vulcanite mouth pieces. My son is an equine dentist and has seen hundreds of horses with fractured bars from bar bits even when riders seem to be using good light contact.

By: carolyn

carolyn — Wed, 10 Jun 2015 12:18:06 +0000

My horse use to trot downhill. At first I would turn him into a circle when he try this, and then I suspected something physical. I brought in a equine message therapist, and she suspected shoulder pain, which would make sense. After a couple of her sessions he has not trotted downhill once since…

By: Ray

Ray — Wed, 10 Jun 2015 12:01:43 +0000

Jenny, at 4 years old, I assume you filly hasn’t had more than basic training under saddle. I don’t know if her conformation is downhill or not but but she would naturally carry about 60% of her weight on her forehand. Going down hill will make it worse and unless she has learn to shift her weight to her hindquarters she would naturally be inclined to speed up on downhills. I don’t know how steeply sloped your downhills are but try asking her to stop at the beginning of the slope, let her stand while you praise her and scratch her withers. Then ask her to walk forward a few steps and stop again. If the slope is long stop a few more times. Do this for several days until she expects to stop then stop her at the beginning of the down hill and reduce the number of stops on the way down until all you need do is slight check her as you begin the down hill decent.

Also, difficulty handling downhills can be a symptom of soundness issues. If you continue to have problems, ask your vet to check your filly.

From your comments I am guessing you don’t have a lot of experience on horseback and you are on a nice but green horse. Because you were looking for an answer to your problem online, I’m guessing you aren’t working with a riding instructor/trainer.

To prevent your horse from developing bad habits you may do well to find a good instructor/trainer to work with.

By: Purple Bonnie

Purple Bonnie — Wed, 10 Jun 2015 08:33:48 +0000

If you stand at the side of your horse to mount ..take hold of the saddle front and back and rock the horse from side to side..he will plant his feet to steady himself..you then get on ..if he moves repeat until he stands to mount ..then back up 2 steps..Good luck

By: Purple Bonnie

Purple Bonnie — Wed, 10 Jun 2015 08:22:06 +0000

In reply to Mark. HI..Imho your horse has 2 issues..He is unconfident about your leadership..GROUNDWORK!! Work your horse in a circle but give very gentle squeezes on the lunge line ..he will stop and turn to face you..walk straight up to him not looking him in the eye ..get up but not on and then off..walk away and ignore for 5 seconds..repeat until he copes well then get on and off..repeat again..dont lunge unless he moves away from you when you approach..the second issue is fear based..to safely deal with it make a mannikin and ask him to wear it while in the paddock..when he confidently does this you can get on ..if he moves off before you ask school in a circle..when he is still rub and pat him all over..progress to bouncing in the saddle and touch between the ears and on his rump randomly..he will put his head down..Then get off and let him think..Good luck