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can your break in a horse who is 18 years old and has only ever been used as a cart horse?
by Danielle lee
(Birmingham, United Kingdom)
i've recently got a new horse. he is 18 years old and has the same owner since he was 6 months old, unfortunatley the owner recently died. reece is a lovely horse and we want to try riding him. he was sent of to be broke in for 2 weeks, they sent him back and said it couldn't be done. is this true? can he not be broken in? and information would really help. thank you.
Answer: Anything is possible. Maybe they just couldn't do it. Although I'm not sure I would spend the money on training an 18 year old horse. But, it can be done. One more thing, there IS, NO WAY to teach a horse what he needs to know to be safe to ride in 2 weeks. Can you learn everything you need to know at school in 2 weeks? I don't think so. Horse training is an ongoing thing and at the very minimum, I would say that he should spend at least a month with a reputable trainer, not just someone who says they can break a horse. There is a difference in breaking-vs-training.
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what is groundwork and how does it work
my trainer told me to go online and find out what ground work is and that i needed to do ground work before i got on my horse. i got him a few weeks ago and i dont understand why ground work is so important.
Answer: I don't know about you, but I think you need to find another trainer. He doesn't sound like a very good trainer if he tells you to go online to find out about groundwork. That's supposed to be what you are paying him for. Groundwork is very important. I can't stress that enough. It not only deepens the bond between you and your horse, it also establishes dominance and control on the ground. If you can't control your horse on the ground, you can't expect to control him on the ground. There is to much detail involved in groundwork for me to explain it all here. So I'm gonna give you a link to follow to get you started. First thing you should do is FIRE YOUR TRAINER!!!! Find one that will actually help you.
I don't have enough room to finish so please use the contact me form and send me an email, I will explain in more detail.
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How do you work with a horse that has become herd bound?
My friend just bought a horse several months ago. The horse has spent most of her life by herself. Since moving to my barn, she is with 6 other pasture mates and has become very herd bound. Her owner has a difficult time handling her when she is out of the pasture. Any suggestions?
Answer: She obviously hasn't built any respect for your friend as leader of the herd. It is going to take a lot of groundwork to getting her to trust her as leader. Horses don't give up dominance very easily and if your friend has no experience with groundwork, it's going to be a very difficult task. Try bringing another horse with her to the barn in the beginning, so that she doesn't feel so alone and nervous. I am currently writing an ebook on the basics of groundwork, but it won't be ready for at least 3 or 4 more weeks. If your friend doesn't know how to do groundwork, she may have to enlist a trainer for help.
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How can I get my three year old to stand still while her saddle is being adjusted
by Sally
(Lakeville CT)
I have bought my first horse, a three year old. She's fine with having a saddle put on her while she's on cross ties, but out in the ring if the trainer needs to make any adjustments to the saddle she becomes over excited and tries to surge forward and away. I'm having trouble keeping her in place and often end up having her drag me along with her while I wrestle her back into place.
What am I doing wrong here!
Answer: Maybe I missed something here, but did you say that the TRAINER can't keep her still? What kind of trainer is it?
Sounds to me like she has cinching issues. This is created by humans cinching her to tight to fast, and it's not an easy fix, but it is fixable. Start by cinching a horse in small increments. First cinch it up just a little, not to tight, then walk her forward a couple of steps and cinch a little tighter. Don't cinch it up so tight that your gonna cut off her breath. This can be very uncomfortable for a horse. Do this in increments, not all at once. Secondly, make the doing the right thing easy and the wrong thing hard. When she runs forward, grab her lead rope by the clasp and make her run backwards. Everytime she acts up do this and she will soon see that it is easier on her just to stand still.
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How do I slow down a horse besides pullig back on the reins and saying easy and besides checking her head and besides doing a small circle?
by Abbie
(Michigan)
i have been riding this horse for about 3 years and now i am showing her. And when i show she goes really fast and it makes me not ride the best and it hurts my points so how do i make her go slower?
Answer: Can I ask what your showing in? I cant really answer, because I don't know how fast she is supposed to be going. If it's barrels, you should want the speed. Let me know a little more.
Melinda
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Untraining the Spur Stop
by Sharon
(Minnesota)
I have a horse that I purchased last spring. I was told by the previous owners that she rides, and also watched him ride her up and down the driveway. He said he didn't believe in bits so he rode her with a halter. When I tried to bridle her she refused a snaffle bit, so I put her in one of those bitless bridles. But I really don't think this is the issue. I do plan to try just the halter to rule out the possibility though.
The problem is that she refuses to go forward. I've tried to find solutions online, but no one seems to know how to get rid of a spur stop. I realize that there are many different reasons for a horse to plant itself, but in her case I'm pretty convince that my leg pressure is what's holding her back. I haven't tried riding her much because of my own health issues, but I would like to explore different options before I try a bunch of stuff that may only make the situation worse.
When I did ride her she wanted to head back to the barn, just as her previous owner described, but yet she wouldn't move when I applied leg pressure. She even stood and pawed, facing towards the barn, on a loose rein, while I squeezed and clucked to encourage her to go forward. She acted as if I was holding her back from where she wanted to go. I've read about plenty of balky horses. We got a POA pony from the same people and he's got the same issue, although it wasn't as obvious with him because he didn't act like he wanted to go. He just displays typical stubborn pony behavior. And when you try to get him to go he sometimes jumps up a little in front like he wants to rear. But the mare doesn't act stubborn at all. Nor does she seem to just "check out" from her surroundings out of fear. She just acts like I'm holding her back. I'm hoping to find someone who has successfully untrained a spur stop so I can get her over this faster and easier.
Answer: It sounds to me like she may be a little barn sour. If she hasn't been ridden very much, she probably just doesn't want to leave the barn or her buddy.
If the man that owned her before rode in a halter, I would continue with that. That's all my horses have ever been ridden in. If I try and put a bit in their mouths they go nuts.
Try a lot of ground work with her before you try riding. Make sure that she sees you as the lead mare in the herd. If you have a round pen, that would be great.
When you do get on her, if she won't move forward, pull her head around and make her walk in circles. She may not be moving ahead but at least she is moving. After a couple of circles, try and get her to walk out of the circle. If she won't, pull her and walk circles the other way.
Once you get her moving, don't try and head out straight away. Walk and little ways and turn back then turn and walk a little further away next time.
Some horse have a big problem leaving their buddies or the barn. You have to cure these problems in baby steps. Each day get a little further away from the barn.
I have a 16 year old mare and we have her colt here also. Even though he's almost 2 years old now, she hates leaving him behind. It's a fight with her every time I ride. But after the initial fight is over, we ride off happily. But she is going to try me every time, just to see if I will give up and let her go back to the barn.
Try this and let me know what happens.
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how do i become the dominate
by Keanna
(AR)
Ok i just bought two horses who see each other as a herd. Bella is 10 and the one who is in charge, Jazz is two and he follows.
It is to the point where if i tie them both up and let Bella go she will go and leave. Jazz will go nuts rearing and bucking and choking himself. It is dangerous for him and me, and if let him go first he will not leave.
If i try and take him away from her, like when they are in the pasture they both go nuts she charges at me and he does too, and he is at the end of the lead. I am scared and i don't want to give up on them, they are so sweet when you are allowed to touch them.
Jazz is only two and he is not cut but he has not dropped yet and when he is not tied you can do whatever you want to him. But not bella she will not let you near her and she will not let you do anything and if you try she uses he weight against you no mater what you do. HELP
Answer: You are probably going to get really mad at me for saying this, but It sounds like your are really in over your head.
I may be wrong here, but it doesn't sound like you have had very much experience with horses. It sounds like the 2 year old is way to young for you starting out, and a stud at that. Also, he does not have to be dropped, to be cut. There is an old saying in the horse world, that green on green, make for black and blue!
As for Bella, she is showing you her dominance, and it will only escalate if you don't get a grip on her.
One problem here is that horses don't like to be left alone, period. You have to remember that they are prey animals in the wild. A horse that is alone is an easy target. And if you know he's going to get upset, never leave him tied up. He could really hurt himself seriously or even kill himself.
I'm going to suggest that you get help from a reputable horse trainer. Someone who can show you how to gain control over your horse. It's not as simple as it looks on tv.
Seriously, I'm telling you this for your own good. I've been hurt by horses before, and believe me, it's not a pleasant experience.
If you can't find a good trainer in your area. Use the Contact Me form on my home page and let me know. I will get you in contact with someone who can probably help you.
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very nervous and spooky horse
by deb
(north bay ontario)
bolts, shys, wants to go back home all the time, fearful of everything. She is 4 years old. Has a stubborn temperament I need suggestions to help solve these issues. I've trained horses for 40 years myself and have been successful with all the techniques I've used over the years but this horse baffles me. I have gone back to basics with her, ground work, sacking out, ring work. Any ideas other than the usual stuff that might help?
Answer: Do you know the history of this horse, has he been abused? Abused horses are very hard to re-train. It is possible, but it's a lot harder than a horse that hasn't been abused.
I know that building a horse's confidence will stop a lot of the spooking. Making him face objects that he is afraid of and showing him that there not going to eat him.
I would try plastic bags, feed sacks, umbrellas, blue tarps and anything else I could think of. It sounds like it is going to take a lot of time and patience with this horse, because you certainly don't want to push to far to fast, or it could get worse. Read some of the post in the groundwork section and see if you can get any ideas from that. I know I explained how to use the blue tarp and the plastic bags. I think by slowly building his confidence up, you will slowly see a change in his attitude. Hope this helps!
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How do I control and/or stop a bucking horse?
I have been riding my horse for a couple years now and have for the most part not had many problems. She is a 5 year old Missouri Fox Trotter. Over Memorial weekend this year I had a pretty bad experience with her. We have 3 horses on our property and typically take all 3 out to ride and ride around on the property. Memorial weekend we only had 2 riders, so we decided to take 2 horses out and leave 1 behind (we took mine and 1 other). We left the third horse in the pasture on his own and he immediately started whinnying and running around. My horse (who is the alpha horse in the herd) decided to act up after riding just a short distance. It happened very suddenly and unexpectedly. She reared up and when she came down she started bucking hard from front to back. I was caught by surprise and went flying off landing on my side. I ended up with 3 broken ribs and a partially collapsed lung. This has never happened to me before and never has she acted this badly.
My question is, how do I handle this situation in the future when we only ride 2 of the horses? What kind of training can I give her now so she will not do something like that ever again? If I don't gain my confidence back with her I will not be able to ride her and then will end up selling her which is absolutely not what I want to do. Any help or advice you can give would be greatly appreciated!!
Thanks!!!
Answer: The answer is groundwork, groundwork and more groundwork.
If you have a round pen, it's probably best that you stick to it until you gain your confidence back.
You have to re-establish yourself as the alpa horse, not her. This is best done on the ground before you ever try and get back in the saddle.
There are many different videos or dvd's that you can buy that show you how to do groundwork properly. Keyword here is properly! Just lungeing a horse around and around accomplishes only one thing.....to make you dizzy.
If you are riding her now, if you see that she is starting to act up, pull her head around to the side and make her walk in circles. A horse can't buck when he's going in circles.
A good dvd to watch is by Ray Ainsworth. He shows step by step how to correctly do groundwork with a horse. You can get a copy of his dvd by going to his website. Click here to post comments.
i can't steer my horse a certain way, what can i do to give myself more leverage in that direction?
by grace
(ireland)
when i practise jumping my horse gets really excited and powerful. he also side steps and i can only steer him right. he is so headstrong i cant turn left. i tried changing him into several diferent bits and im now using a three ring dutch gag. should i be lunging him to the left? was this caused from not being lunged both ways?
Answer: I ride all my horses with nothing but a halter and lead rope. It's not the head that you have to control, it's what's between his ears that you have to control. And yes I would suspect that lungeing him only one way could be a major factor here. Always when lunging your horse, teach him to go both ways. But you also have to know how to lunge him the correct way. Running him around and around in circles, teaches your horse nothing, (except how to run in a circle.) You need to start from scratch doing a lot of ground work. If you can't control your horses movement on the ground you can never expect to control him in the saddle. It's not the size of the bit that matters, it's what you teach him that counts. As soon as I get some time, I am going to put up a page on lungeing your horse the correct way. So keep watching for it.
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what hackamore or combintation is right for me and my mare.
by alexandra
(palmerton PA)
ok so i recently started training my 16 year old off the track thoroughbred mare for barrel racing. she has speed and agility to achieve in the barrel racing lindustries even though she is 16 years old.. when i used to ride her english and western i would ride in a dee ring copper roller bit.. but it she trys to run through it sometimes.. then when i started doing barrels with her i tried draw gags and a little s hackamore..
she does good in the hackamore but she sometimes fights be with it,. she has been riding in it for a couple of months and it hasent changed.. so i went to the horse store near by and bought a combination hackamore.. it has a twisted mouth peice and about 9inch shanks.. i thought it would be perfect for her but when i showed it to my friend who's been competing in barrels all her life she said it would be too much for my mare.. when i read about it online it said it is good for horses that need more rate and it can be used on green horses.. which my mare is green on barrels.. what would you suggest to use.. and why?? im stuck i dont know if i should go with my instinks or not use it.. i really dont wanna spend more money on another hack if this will work on my mare..
thanks
Alex
Answer: I will probably catch a lot of flack for this answer, but I'm going to say it anyway.
Why do people think that the bigger the bit or the more tie downs and restraints that you put on a horse, the more control you will have?
Control of a horse doesn't come from the mouth, it comes from what's between his ears. All a bigger bit does is makes his mouth harder and sore.
I am probably the wrong person to ask this question, because I don't believe that bits help. I believe that if you train your horse well enough and their is enough respect between the two of you, then you don't need a bit.
As I've said before, I ride all my horses with just a halter and lead rope. I know a lot of girls around here, that barrel race with only a halter and lead rope.
If you are just getting started in barrels, then start trying to ride your horse without a bit and just see where it leads. However you will need a good three knot rope halter, not a nylon one.
Start by getting into an enclosed area, and just riding and see if his attitude changes. Then just start walking the barrel pattern, then trotting it and just see. Hey, it's worth a try before you go and spend anymore mega bucks on bigger bits. There is no where in the rule books that say you can't barrel race with just a halter and lead rope.
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How can I get my horse to move in the round pen?
by nancy
(Maine)
Star is a Belgian X mare who has done plenty of free-lunging in the round pen. Suddenly, I can't get her to move, either from the paddock to the round pen, or once in the round pen. She won't budge. Although I always have the lunge whip in my hand, I have never needed to even touch her with it. Now she just ignores it if I tap her to get her moving. If I keep moving her in circles, she sometimes gets bored enough to give in and start walking, but even that is wearing off. Any advice?
Thanks. Nancy
Answer: If your just lungeing her in circles continously, then of course, she gets bored. Proper groundwork is not about just running in mindless circles. It's about starting, stopping, direction changes and knowing that your horse is focusing on you and your cues.
I know I sound like a broken record, recommending the Ray Ainsworth dvd on groundwork, but it really works. I know this because, he is my personal horse trainer. He has trained two of my horses and his groundwork is great. He also taught my 11 year old son how to ride and how to do proper groundwork. Now he does it like a pro. I highly recommend his dvd. You can find it on rayainsworth.com. There is a link to his site on the Interviews page of this website.
Sometime in the very near future I will be posting a segment on the website about proper groundwork. So many people write and ask me about lungeing. It is very difficult to explain to someone how to do it properly without actually showing them. So check back often to see when the segment goes live. Until then, check out the dvd, you won't be disappointed with the results.
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how can I get my mare to yeild to the rein when I ride?
by cindy
(N.C.)
My horse is 5 years old and had 30 days of training before I got her. Great ground manners and she loads like a dream. With a Tom thumb snaffle or a full cheek snaffle she gives no yeild to the reins. She goes where ever she wants and won't even stop. I love her, but she is dangerous at this point. A rein pulled to my hip will bend her neck but she will continue and not stop.
Answer: If you have access to a round pen, put her in it and give her an emergency brake. What I mean by this is to teach her to yield to pressure. Don't put a bit in her mouth, a simple rope halter and lead rope will do. Start by grasping the lead rope about 15 inches above the clasp. Imagine that there is a five gallon bucket in the crease of your horses neck. Pull the lead rope around the 5 gallon buck and up to the saddle horn and hold it there. His head should be bent around toward the stirrup at this point. Step back closer to his hip so that you won't be in his way. The moment that he gives to the pressure, drop the lead rope. What I mean by giving to the pressure, you will feel a bit of slack in the rope, because he will reach in more toward his side. It may be only a fraction, but you have to pay attention and drop the rope at the slightest try. He may walk in circles in the beginning, if he does, just walk with him, do not let him have slack in the lead rope until he gives. Do this on both sides. You can't do this enough. Everytime you get on your horse you should do this maneuver at least 3 times on each side before you take off. That way, when you are riding and he won't do what you ask, just pull him around and make him do this a couple of times on each side and away you go.
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My green horse (3 year old) lacks control on the trail with new situations. How is the best way to fix it? Miles? or other?
by DJ
(Colorado)
My horse is still lacking some steering control particularly in new trails/stressful. He is very calm about it, but he will push through the snaffle and go ahead if worried. Any suggestions? Or just more miles? He is great with head yielding and all the ground foundations, but on the new trails, the flight response kicks in.
Answer" Sounds to me like your horse needs a lot of desensitizing to new objects. It will help him deal with things better.
Try things like plastic bags, umbrellas, feeds sacks, blue tarps and anything that you can possibly think of.
Start with the blue tarp. Start with it folded into a small square. Place it on the ground and lead your horse to it. He will most likely be scared to death. Don't try and lead him straight to it. Instead, lead him around it, getting closer and closer each time until eventually he will step over it or better yet on it. When he is comfortable with that, unfold it to a little bit bigger square and repeat the same steps. Eventually, the tarp will be completely unfolded and he should walk over it with no fear. This also helps with water crossings.
Try the same thing with feeds sacks and plastic bags. Start by flapping them far away from your horse, eventually getting closer and closer. Or try what I did. When I finished pouring my feed out of the sacks, I would just throw the sacks out in the middle of the horses. Oh they would act like it was the end of time. They would run and snort like something awful was about to happen. But before I knew it they would walk up to the sacks and smell them, stomp them and eventually they even started picking them up with their mouths and slinging them around hitting themselves in the head and sides. So I figured, hey, their desensitizing themselves to that saved me the trouble.
I know your probably not going to encounter feed sacks and plastic bags on the trail, but believe it or not, it helps them to become more confident when in a fear situation. It also teaches them to think before reacting.
If you walk by an object, and your horses seems worried by it, immediately turn this into a learning situation. Whether it me a log or mailbox, rock or whatever. Don't just pass it by. Take the time right then to show him that it's nothing to be afraid of and he will be a more confident horse.
Also, your horse is still very young and the more time spent on the trails, the more confident he will become.
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How to make a stubborn horse to canter?
by Gabby
(Ventura, Ca USA)
Our horse Snickers won't canter and we have tried everything to make her do it. We NEED HELP!!! She also moves when we try to mount up on her.
Answer: I had the same problem with my older mare. She would walk and trot, but every time I would try to make her canter she would buck. I thought she was just being a witch, but I actually had a vet come and look at her just to make sure, I found out that she had stifle problems. She actually can't canter with me on her back because it causes pain. So maybe she's not just being difficult, she may be in pain.
As for her not standing still when being mounted, you need to teach her an emergency break. What I mean by this is to pull her head around to the side and hold it while you are mounting. It's kinda difficult to explain, but I will try.
To teach her this you need to take her lead rope about 9 or 10 inches from the latch and pull her head around to the side. Take the lead rope up to the saddle horn and hold it there until she gives to the pressure. The moment she gives, immediately release the rope.
Notice I said pull her head AROUND not straight back. Imagine there is a five gallon bucket on the side of your horses neck. Pull the rope around that bucket and up to the horn. Her head should be curved back toward the stirrup at this point.
When she moves her head toward her side, even a fraction of an inch, (that's what I meant by giving to pressure), immediately release. Then repeat again. Do this on both sides.
When you first try this, she will probably walk in circles trying to figure out what you are asking her to do. Just walk with her, do not release until she gives to the pressure.
Once she has this down, when you start to mount, just pull her head around and hold it there and mount up.
I hope this all make sense to you. It's not the easiest thing to try and explain without actually showing you. If you have any questions email me.
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How can I catch my horse eaisly in a pasture? I hate to bribe her with treats as this issue just started a few weeks ago.
by Dee
(Co.)
I recently adopted a horse from a rescue that I was a volunteer at over the past year. I relocated her to a pasture set up (she was previously stalled). Now she walks away from me when I go to catch her. It seems like all of a sudden her attitude has changed towards me.
She is especially bad about being bridled, but once I get her riding she is pretty good. However, I definitely see the need for major groundwork as she does have some issues that need correcting, but I don't fault her for this as no one has ever worked with her on these things until now. She's still pretty green.
She appears as though she just wants to hang out grazing with her new buddies and it's frustrating, especially as I'm trying so hard to be patient and build her trust and respect.
I always hoped my horse would just be willing to be with me because she wanted to be. I see other owners catch their horses with treats, but I was hoping to not have to go this route. I'd rather reward her for good behavior after a great ride.
Any feedback would be appreciated. Thank you in advance!
Answer: I never, ever walk in the pasture to catch my horses, ever. When I go to the barn, I whistle and they all four come running. How long have you had her? Have you had her long enough to establish a bond with her? If so, she doesn't see you as leader yet. Your probably right in the fact that she needs groundwork. This will help in establishing the bond and you as leader. I would start by spending as much time as possible with her, just grooming and petting her, then move up to groundwork. Don't bribe her with treats, but a treat every now and then won't hurt.
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