I've taken up the challenge! But need some clever NR's help!

[Kc..]

I have posted a few times about my friends horse Poppy, she is for sale as my friend doesn't get on with her. We hacked out last sunday and had to swap after not long (as some may know) as they were winding each other up . So while S ploded round on lovely Nim i rode Poppy she's 9yo TBx very green & highly strung. She generally jogged alot and did a rocking horse motion while throwing her head up and down. After a while with me ignoring her she settled, i was so proud. So anyway my friend has asked me to ride her in the week (when i can) to try and settle her down a bit. She needs work which is something S can't give her with school etc.

So anyway i rode her today i was out for around 1hr, we went out snorting and jogging however after about a minute she settled and walked. But it was more of a walk jog "walk" then walk jog etc etc. She's very impatient and very higly strung, even the way she looks around she darts her head around etc. So anyway we had a long trot down a lovely rode and let of some steam, she seemed to be going well and walked after.

However once she knew the rode was one home she really started the rocking horse thing got higher and higher and she really was being a muppet. This doesn't faze me as it's Nimby all over (when he was younger ) However i just have no idea how to stop her doing it, i can get her to slow down eventually. But i thought it would be worth asking to see if any of you brainboxes had a few tips!?

Just so you know i don't want any criticism only the constructive sort be nice

 

[x.fat-pony.x]

Sorry, I don't bring any advice (show me a rearer and I'm off the yard before you can say mollichop! ), just wanted to say good luck with her! I think, given a bit of time and patience, which you are obviously offering, she will turn into a real sweetie

I'm rooting for you hun!

x

 

[Kc..]

Thanks! I hope she does, i'm determined to get her going nicely. I think it's obvious she won't be a happy hacker just as Nim wasn't. But every competition horse needs to be able to hack..

THanks for the support!

 

[noodles]

Hi K.C, she sounds rather like my pba mare who I got last May, she also wanted to jog everywhere (very tiring) and once we turned for home the head-shaking, pulling and jogging would start, it was like riding a giraffe. I found the best way to handle her was to totally relax, no leg at all, and use my seat to try to slow her down. If it was safe I gave her a long rein to encourage her to stretch her neck down, though sometimes she would take this as a signal to trot off even faster so you've got to be quick to gather them up again. Also if surroundings allow I would turn to face the other way and make her stand completely still for a good few minutes until I allowed her to turn home again ,i'ts suprising how quickly this focuses their minds when they're not going the way they want to!. I am pleased to say that we have now resolved these issues and I am also now riding her in a bitless bridle which she seems to love and has relaxed even more, not tried her on the beach yet though.

Good luck, I hope you get her to calm down, stick at it

 

[cariadbach10]

I second the bitless bridle thing. It sounds like what she is trying to do is resist you all the way. If one by one you are taking away the resistance by sitting calmly, loosening your reins etc then there is gradually less to fight against! You could try long renining her in one first and see how she goes. Dr Cooks do a thirty day free trial so you have nothing to lose by trying one I suppose?

 

[emmathechief]

Hi Kc! Do you know what Poppy has done in the past? Reason I ask is I have a TBx who used to do Point to Point racing. She was the same to hack as Poppy. She was very impatient and desperate to go faster for the whole hack!
I've done a few transition in the school with just loads and loads of walk to halt. Sounds boring but in the end she didn't see the point in marching off because I kept making her stand -so we actually got a steady pace!
Then out on hacks I started stopping for no reason and just standing for a few minutes!
As well as that I have found less is more with TB's!!! When racing they learn that when the jockey picks up the reins it means "lets go". When I first had her I didn't really think about her past so I found every time she got quicker I would take more hold on her mouth and she would pull against me (head shaking and jumping about). Mixed signals really she thought I meant "go"!
I now make a really big point of be lazy on her!!! When she jumping about all hyper -I have a little chat with her to chill out! and keep my position totally relaxed (quiet hands and feet)
I hope this helps! Keep us posted on the progress

 

[Kc..]

Hey thanks everyone
She has done XC and things like that as far as i'm aware, but when my friend got her a year ago she hadn't been worked properly for the previous year.
When you head out and relax etc etc she does come back and start to walk, just when your heading home she gets realy silly
I do like the idea of a bitless bridle but i don't think it would be a good idea to put one on her t ohack out just yet, as she might react badly - plus i don't have one
She doesn't tend to resist contact etc infact once you've got contact she tends to concentrate on that and slow down a bit, she's so impatient though. Which is her biggest problem, i will be riding again this sunday so i will keep you up-dated
Thanks for the replies!