oooh, who rattled YOUR cage?
Radar really is getting quite feisty as he gets fitter and he's going to need a firm hand, carefully applied. He's a very sensitive, to the point of oversensitive, horse, but he needs correction if he is to stay safe. He doesn't like standing still, he wants to be always on the move. That includes immediately after you have swung you leg over to get on board. I stopped him moving off forward, and for the last several times he has shot backwards as I got on. Today he went one better and shot backwards and then reared because I put my leg on to stop him going backwards but wouldn't let him go forwards. It was only a half rear, but a rear is a rear and he must stop, it is not funny.
I got off and got back on again and this time he didn't do it. But when I stopped him moving off, he struck the ground with one and then alternate front feet and dipped his whole front end downwards as if he was bowing. Finally he stood up and still for one moment and immediately I let him move off.
After all that nonsense, he did the best arena work he has ever done. It is nowhere near "good" in dressage horse terms, but he is listening, flexing, bending and trying to behave well. I finished with some halts and he did those really well, the first time he has not swung about or pawed. I am having to be very careful how I ride him, his combination of sensitivity and naughtiness are a difficult mix.
I am on tenterhooks for the hunt season, I think we are going to have so much fun!
C
posted by cptrayes @ 3:19 PM
8 comments
8 Comments:
That nonsense for the mounting is a bit scary. At that point you are at your most vulnerable.
Some extra ground work, might help. The Kenny Harlow approach is to work the horse in hand. You work him to back, move over, circle, all kinds of movements to the lightest touch. The idea here is to make him 100% responsive in hand. Then, you teach him to stand, untied. You put him where you want him....perhaps with a command to "stand" or some kind of purr. If he moves even one foot, you work him. Not movement that is his choice, but movement fully directed by you. Stand him again. If he moves, work him. This continues until the horse associates movement with exercises totally under your control.
You are kind of reprogramming his brain to associate moving off with your control instead of his. If he stands without moving a foot, that's good. If the foot moves, he works according to your commands. I've seen some pretty bouncy horses settle down this way.
Then, it moves to the mounting block/area. (Do you use a mounting block? Hopefully yes, because sometimes the saddle shift/tree can make a horse anxious about mounting.) You repeat your exercises again. It might take just putting your foot in the stirrup and standing up so you can get off at once to work him back to a standstill.
I only go on about this because it sounds as if Radar could get dangerous about this and I'd feel a lot happier knowing you had concentrated on fixing it before you get into serious trouble.
He certainly is an interesting horse. I bit like Tucker in a lot of ways, and a constant puzzle to challenge all your training skills.
Glad he's figuring out the riding part, though. You are making great progess there.
I use a technique to teach my horses to stand that you could try. The premise is that the horse gets to make the decision to stand or move - you don't restrain them - and you work with them until they figure out it's easier to stand. Don't know if it'll work for you, but it's worked for every horse I've tried it on.
It helps to have a halter and lead under the bridle. You position the horse at the mounting block. If the horse fidgets or moves you circle the horse (on a loose lead or rein) around you (you stay on the mounting block) until the horse offers to stop - watch closely for this - it'll be a momentary hesitation. Let the horse stop wherever it wants. Bring the horse back to the mounting block, repeat. Once the horse stands reliably - you're not trying to mount yet, take them for a walk-around as a break and to allow them to think. Then do the same exercise putting one step in the stirrup, then putting your weight in the stirrup, etc. Very slow, baby steps. The walk-arounds and breaks are critical to the learning. If my experience is any guide, pretty soon you'll have a horse that stands like a rock at the block on a loose rein as you adjust your stirrups, until you signal to go. And a horse doesn't have to be quiet or dull to do this successfully - all my horses are hot in temperment.
There's another exercise to get the horse to come up to the block without being positioned and stand where you can easily mount, but I won't go into that now.
pretty much what i have to do to get on molly! and of course with a movable block (I.e., not one fixed to the fence, or built into a wall, or whatever) you can work the horse round the block!
pretty much what i have to do to get on molly! and of course with a movable block (I.e., not one fixed to the fence, or built into a wall, or whatever) you can work the horse round the block!
Got a twin Claire :-))))?
Radar isn't moving until I have my backside nearly in the saddle. We cracked "standing still at the block" with Kenny Harlow/Jean's advice, thanks Jean.
I think more work on the ground before I get up may be a very good idea. I do use a block, too old to mount a 17 hand horse without one :-)
I'll try the groundwork and let you know, thanks!
C
By the way, I use a "purr" to tell my horses to do a downward, or stop. It's quieter than a the chirping trill some people use, so I can sneak it in during a test if need be. Only the horse and I can hear it. I find some kind of "verbal" command will help reenforce the stand concept.
OOOH, one more thing. When you do get in, instead of holding both reins to hold him still, use only one. (The right will pull his hind end/body towards you, the left will pull it away.) But, by only holding one rein you are FAR more likely to just get a circling from him rather than a rear.
Sorry. I forgot that little trick. Pressing down on that rein helps too.
I'll do hold one rein more than the other Jean, but I'll try making it more obvious. Today painting took priority. Emulsion unfortunately, not landscapes :-)
He does understand "stand" he just doesn't want to actually DO it when I'm on board. He's so keen to get moving, he's a very motivated horse!
C
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