Post by Elaine on Oct 9, 2007 10:35:43 GMT
It can be useful to know how to retrain a horse who is difficult to stop, or who you constantly find yourself in a tug of war with when riding, with both of you pulling on the reins or your horse leaning on your hands a lot. 
Firstly, there's a few reasons you should look into - does your horse have sore teeth, back pain, badly fitting saddle (horses can run forward to get away from any sort of pain), badly fitting bit for his mouth shape, too much high energy food, not enough time outside to gallop around by themselves, etc.
You can retrain your horse's brakes if its just a learnt thing, but if its any of the things above, its better to fix those first in order for thr retraining to work. eg. If your horse pulls cos he has a sore tooth, you can retrain him all day but he'll still pull cos his tooth is sore.
+++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++
OK, so you have checked that your horse has no issues such as above, and instead it is just a training issue. So lets retrain your horse.
GROUNDWORK
Lets start on the ground in an enclosed arena or small paddock, with just a headcollar and lead rope (ideally a nice 12 foot one)on your horse.
1. Stand slightly off centre in front of your horse, looking at his face. Give him a rub. He should be standing still and relaxed.
2. Put two fingers very lightly on where his noseband usually is, across the centre of his nose.
3. Softly put a little pressure on the nose (like a tiny push with both fingers - REALLY lightly) to ask your horse to take a step back.
4. Your horse will probably either stand there half asleep, or look out at whats happeneding next door. Thats fine. He hasn't figured out your asking him to do something yet.
5. Make this *light* nose pressure rhythmical. Touch with two fingers on noseband area, then take hand away, count for three seconds, then touch again on noseband area. Continue like this for 20 or 30 seconds. remebr this is something new for your horse, so give him time to think it out. Good teachers have patience
6. After maybe half a minute of this (remember the rest in between the light pressure, these rests are REALLY important, and your horse will normally move DURING a rest) keep that *light* nose pressure, but now gently throw the end of the lead rope towards your horses chest.
This is a bit like rubbing your stomach and patting your head but if you concentrate its possible
What you are looking for is for that *split second* where your horse is thinking what you are thinking.
So look at your horse's chest, and the second you see him start to shift his weight backwards, even bore a step has been taken, stop everything and just stand quietly beside him.
Repeat this, always starting from light nose pressure only, and only slowly building up to flicking the rope against your horses chest, until you see that slight movement backwards.
What you are doing is retrainig your horse to learn is that:
Light pressure on noseband area = think (and move) backwards.
Do this for two or three days, and work up from thinking backwards, to one step backwards, to two or three steps backwards over a few days. Don't rush, be patient, and only do it for max 5 mins a day. Keep your lessons short and interesting.
RIDING - reverse
Riding will only work if you've done the groundwork first.
1. Sit up on your horse, and stand still.
2. Pick up a very light contact on the reins.
3. Wait.
4. Your horse might try to shake his head, walk forward, walk sideways, waggel an ear, etc. Hold the light contact.
5. The *split second* you feel him *start/think* abotu moving backwrds - even before he takes a step backwards, release ALL pressure on reins (ie give him the reins in horse talk), then give him a rub, relax, and just enjoy the view.
6. Repeat for no more than 5 mins for a few days, only releasing all pressure on rein when horse either thinks of going back, or when you get good takes a step backwards.
RIDING - walk
RIDING - trot
RIDING - canter
*more to come*!
Anyone any more ideas?
Firstly, there's a few reasons you should look into - does your horse have sore teeth, back pain, badly fitting saddle (horses can run forward to get away from any sort of pain), badly fitting bit for his mouth shape, too much high energy food, not enough time outside to gallop around by themselves, etc.
You can retrain your horse's brakes if its just a learnt thing, but if its any of the things above, its better to fix those first in order for thr retraining to work. eg. If your horse pulls cos he has a sore tooth, you can retrain him all day but he'll still pull cos his tooth is sore.
+++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++
OK, so you have checked that your horse has no issues such as above, and instead it is just a training issue. So lets retrain your horse.
GROUNDWORK
Lets start on the ground in an enclosed arena or small paddock, with just a headcollar and lead rope (ideally a nice 12 foot one)on your horse.
1. Stand slightly off centre in front of your horse, looking at his face. Give him a rub. He should be standing still and relaxed.
2. Put two fingers very lightly on where his noseband usually is, across the centre of his nose.
3. Softly put a little pressure on the nose (like a tiny push with both fingers - REALLY lightly) to ask your horse to take a step back.
4. Your horse will probably either stand there half asleep, or look out at whats happeneding next door. Thats fine. He hasn't figured out your asking him to do something yet.
5. Make this *light* nose pressure rhythmical. Touch with two fingers on noseband area, then take hand away, count for three seconds, then touch again on noseband area. Continue like this for 20 or 30 seconds. remebr this is something new for your horse, so give him time to think it out. Good teachers have patience
6. After maybe half a minute of this (remember the rest in between the light pressure, these rests are REALLY important, and your horse will normally move DURING a rest) keep that *light* nose pressure, but now gently throw the end of the lead rope towards your horses chest.
This is a bit like rubbing your stomach and patting your head but if you concentrate its possible
What you are looking for is for that *split second* where your horse is thinking what you are thinking.
So look at your horse's chest, and the second you see him start to shift his weight backwards, even bore a step has been taken, stop everything and just stand quietly beside him.
Repeat this, always starting from light nose pressure only, and only slowly building up to flicking the rope against your horses chest, until you see that slight movement backwards.
What you are doing is retrainig your horse to learn is that:
Light pressure on noseband area = think (and move) backwards.
Do this for two or three days, and work up from thinking backwards, to one step backwards, to two or three steps backwards over a few days. Don't rush, be patient, and only do it for max 5 mins a day. Keep your lessons short and interesting.
RIDING - reverse
Riding will only work if you've done the groundwork first.
1. Sit up on your horse, and stand still.
2. Pick up a very light contact on the reins.
3. Wait.
4. Your horse might try to shake his head, walk forward, walk sideways, waggel an ear, etc. Hold the light contact.
5. The *split second* you feel him *start/think* abotu moving backwrds - even before he takes a step backwards, release ALL pressure on reins (ie give him the reins in horse talk), then give him a rub, relax, and just enjoy the view.
6. Repeat for no more than 5 mins for a few days, only releasing all pressure on rein when horse either thinks of going back, or when you get good takes a step backwards.
RIDING - walk
RIDING - trot
RIDING - canter
*more to come*!
Anyone any more ideas?
