Crops are my friends?

Question

ahah, i have just started leasing a horse named Flash. I rode him 3 times so far. he loves to be worked, but when i ask him to trot, he doesnt. well at least until i hit him with the crop once, then he listens from then on. should i keep using the crop?

also he likes me, but how do i let him get to REALLY know me and trust me?

Answer 1

def. keep it, he's just lazy

Answer 2

I think you should definitely  continue using a crop they are very helpful and don't hurt a horse in any way. I use a crop for every horse i ride. If you want your horse to know and trust you more spend lots of time with him it really helps. Feed him treats when he behaves and give him a lot of attention. Also try free lunging in a closed arena it helps with the trust. Ride him a lot and verbally praise him a lot. He will grow to love you!!!

Hope I helped :]

Answer 3

how hard are you hitting him??? if it's just a tap then I think it would be ok to keep doing it. But before everytime you tap him with it start clicking to him so he hears that noise and then feels the crop so eventually you would just have to click and he should start trotting.

if your wacking him pretty hard I would move up to spurs. Nothing harsh just maybe some english spurs.  

Answer 4

Try and get more information from the owners. Or if you start your ground work, with a lounge line and teach him your commands, he should start getting your trust. I have never used a crop, once he learns his Aids and commands just a little pressure from your legs should keep him in a steady  trot.

Although, I would start some ground work.

Can you also have his back check? Does the Saddle fit okay, or is he sore. Do you have shoes on him, and are they fitted correctly. And check your feeding. If there is nothing wrong with his health, or saddle.

He could just be plain lazy.

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Answer 5

You could braid his mane or just hang around him and get to know him :-) yes keep using the crop and if you want to ease off of it, you could try getting him to trot and when he starts to slow down, keep squeezing and if that doesnt work keep up with the tap and if he is good and doing the speeds you want him to drop the crop secretly so he wont notice and maybe he will think you still have it. another thing you could do is talk to him and just play with him... my horse likes to play with my shirt sometimes and even eats icecubes now and then! find something he likes to do to be silly or maybe just groom him extra long, and just get to have some quality time together and eventually you will know him almost as much as yourself!

i hope i helped have fun with Flash! he sounds like a great horse!

ps he will get to know you in time =]]

Answer 6

Are you asking him to trot the way his owners ask him to trot. He might have been trained to take a different cue aside from the obvious ones. If not then he's probably just testing you. Every horse does this. THey want to know if you mean buisness. Click and touch him with your legs to trot(If that is his cue). If he doesn't respond bump him with your legs slightly harder. I fhe still doesn't repond, give him a good wack with your legs. I mean hard. It's very unlikely you will hurt him unless you are wearing spurs, then you have to be more careful. He should go then, but if he doesnt' kepp whacking heim with your legs and add the crop.

Answer 7

It sounds like he may be unsure what you want him to do if you aren't giving him enough cues. For some forward horses, all you need to do is point them in the right direction and they'll trot forever. But most need to be reassured that they are doing the right thing. So using the crop is a good idea. When a lot of people see a person using a crop, they think you are beating the horse into submission. It's not, it's just another aid. If you want to work on his responsiveness without the aid of a crop, use the crop right behind your leg as you are legging him on. It will make him pay more attention to your leg. Then gradually phase out using the crop.

You haven't really been with this horse that long, so it's going to take a while for you to take to each other. Go for hand walks in the woods, hand graze him a bit. Take your time grooming him, and don't ride him every time you come to visit. Just stop by to give him treats and hang out.

I wouldn't resort to spurs, because he's responding just fine with the crop.

Answer 8

spend lots of time with him, love him, and eventually he will live to please you. thats how both of my horses have come to do anything for me.

Answer 9

well thats what your legs r for...id say abandon the crop...if he isnt wanting to go forward it could mean that doing so causes him pain in some way or he is dead to ur leg so to get a horse undead to your leg you need to use a lighter and lighter leg aid and praise him if he moves forward even a little(even if he doesnt trot) and u will eventually get there with persistance and patients but this is in ur case there are many other reasons why horses dont like to go forward but im just focusing in on the most likley things.and unless u have lost his trust there is no need to gain it as u already have it...but make sure u arent confusing submission with trust...if u are trying to get him to trust u and thinking that doing so will help him listen to you that isnt the case and u are really talking about submission which is achieved but being horsey smart and kind to the horse @ the same time

good luck! =]]

Answer 10

He's just being lazy. You shouldn't kill your leg just for the sake of not using the crop. If you carry a crop you use it, if you don't use it I see no point in carrying it.