Getting my horse 'on the bit'/round... Am I doing this correctly?

Question

So, what i've been doing, I've been lunging my horse in farily loose side reins about once a week.

Under saddle I ask him to frame up by having contact, and pulling a little on the reins. Once he gives in to the contact (Puts his head down and tucks his chin) I reward him by giving him the reins. Then I repeat.

He seems to be getting it. But the thing is, I always have to reward him by loosening my reins a little. So it's hard for him to work at a trot in a frame because i'm always rewarding him.

Am I training him right? He is a quick learner and gives into pressure easily now. He just has trouble keeping his head tucked for a period of time. Whats my next step? He can do this at the walk/trot.

Answer 1

I shall not go into; Is he coming through from behind? etc, etc,etc, because Quite frankly I find I am wasting my breath ( or fingers), but you never just give the reins as such. Well not both reins anyway.

Answer 2

Ok, I don't know much but I learnt this the other day. My friend got on my sister's competely green horse. All that he has had done is have me sit on him and trot but nothing really with reins. A tiny bit of steering and stopping.

She has been riding for 11 yrs so I asked how you make a horse round and she said to put your outside leg on and hold your outside rein. Don't play with it, just squeeze it in your fingers. Then give and take with your inside rein. She did this at a halt for me and she put her leg on and he snapped his head down straight away and he has never ever had that before.

Also, never ever see-saw. It may work to make them round but it stuffs up their back. One of my not so good riding friends told me to, I did and my good friend said that if I ever did it again she'd slap me and she would. She's done it before.

SO yeah, I hope that was vaguely helpful. I don't think you're an idiot and so I'm sorry if it sounds like that but all I'm saying is one method to do it.

How old's your horse?

Liz

Answer 3

I'm going to answer this without reading the edits and banter, since it will cloud my initial thoughts.  What I noticed first was your description of pulling the reins, which was not preceded by telling us what you did with your legs.

Start with your leg cues and just keep light contact on your reins (use just your finger to "open" and "close" the reins.  Only after you feel his back elevating should you begin to think about his head position.  Just work on that for now.

Answer 4

sigh...... the only one who is making any sense here is Bobbi, "You do not pull your horses head to his body , you drive your horses body to his head" Now, mind you I have ridden and trained, HUS, WP AQHA, Western, Reining,English Pleasure and Park, with Arabians, National Show Horses. Done Fine harness Driving, and just plain trail riding. You need a Mentor, books and videos can explain things but trying to transfer the finesse that riding and training entails takes practice and instruction from a seasoned professional as my instructor once said " a great pair of hands is not taught its a gift" collection is a process that takes time and patience and not just ring work ether, all of our horses get trail riding to improve balance and to stimulate their brains and thinking about where they are placing there feet. Why dont you take your boy out on the trail for a few weeks and then come back to your ring work and see if you see a difference. If you dont understand that collection isnt about pulling your reins back then maybe you do need some lessons from a reputable instructor.

Answer 5

I'm assuming your horse has been fully schooled?

Because if he hasn't then you'll be teaching him everything new? And you might want to keep the side reins on while you're riding until he really gets the jist.

I do dressage with my mare and i use a constant pressure on the inside rein to keep her bend while using my outside hand to wiggle the rein and control speed.

That's the German way of riding, whereas English is using inside rein for wiggling and bend and outside for controlling speed. When i ride i use my legs to steer more than my reins so my hands are free to focus on maintaining the outline.

He seems to have got the hang of coming down to the bit so when he comes down, try giving and then not taking it back, as soon as he brings his head up ask for it down again.

I can tell when my mare is about to bring her head back up so i can catch her before she does it.

You could try constantly wiggling (or i call it give and take) gently but when he brings his head up make it more pronounced and sharper.

The ideal thing is to get some lessons! Then you can be sure you're doing it right!

Best of luck!

x*x

Answer 6

Frankly, I think that you are getting things out of order and I will explain why I say that.  The bit is not the driver, it is the steering wheel...your legs and whatever other aids that you use to get your horse's hind end up under him, (teach him to harness the power that is in his hind haunches) and push himself forward...the bit is only to say, "here is where it stops" and also to simply steer your horse.  you can actually get your moving and impulsion long before you ever take the slack from your reins.  If you teach collection in more than one way, not only with this method, but at any given moment, stop, turn back into the rail, causing your horse to again, get his haunches under him and reverse directions...keep your horse naturally ready...do a lot of "out of the arena" riding....get your horse "naturally" collected...they have to be to go up and down ravines and ditches, etc...or they will lose their footing, so they learn naturally how to collect and be ready for anything (which is collection)  That way, it doesn't matter if you have no slack in your reins or they are dragging on the ground, your horse is going to continue traveling the same..  Furthermore, even if you need to use your bit to slow  your horse down or put the wall up, so to speak, do it with half halts, NEVER hang on your horse's face...remember, any action will cause the same reaction...so, it you are less than subtle, so will your horse be.  

EDIT****If you are referring to me, and I take the time to share with you what I know and what has been successful for me for over 40 years, I would think that you would at least read and contemplate what is written.  I, in no way, intended to imply that you were deficient in your knowledge or experience, I actually thought that you asked the question for some genuine help. Having a horse truly collected in not accomplished overnight...if you want a veneer, you are indeed, following the correct method.

EDIT*****When you get to the point of sitting the saddle and using your hands on the reins, side reins become a moot point.

EDIT******I apologize for what I said and how I said it...

Answer 7

what i do is ask for a little more each time.. like the next time you ride him, instead of giving right away make him hold it all the way down  that side of the arena and then give in and pat him... and just keep lengthening the amount of time... also work on bending him with his nose in...

the wiggling of the inside rein works just as well... it's more for bending while in that frame...

the lunging in loose side reins is a good idea... i personally dont lunge my horses but i agree with the ideas and the effects...

you seem to be doing great so far just keep it up... if he's as fast a learner as you say he should be trotting all the way around the arena in just a few rides!

good luck!

:)

Answer 8

my 2yr old arabian is under saddle and when I ask him to frame up I see-saw the riens( like I pull, release, pull, release, really quickley, in very small movements with both of my hands) when he frames up, I hold him in that position with my hands closer to my knees b/c its a lil easier for him... it sounds like your doing it correctly, i'm sure he will get the hang of it!  just practice alot, and some horses get ADD, so After 1/2 hour, I give him like a 10 minute brake... GOOD LUCK!!!  -try expandable riens while you ride