Getting on the bit?

Question

At the moment im trying to train the horse i rede for dressage. She has pretty good movement but is a bit lazy some times. Im working on getting her to carry herself and at the moment she moves really nicely through her back and her legs move under her but only with her head low. When ever i try to take up some contact she just sticks her head in the air and all the nice movement is gone.

What can i do? I dont want to use any sort of quick fixes because i want her to be a nice dressage horse not with her head pulled into a fake outline.

Answer 1

Do not touch your hands. Grad a saddle strap or touch your saddle or something but movement in your hands makes a horse's head shoot up. All you aids come from you seat and legs and abdominal muscles. NO HANDS. In theory, dressage riders should be able to ride without a bridle. Don't worry about her head, it will fix itself when your body is correct. Your are not judged on the horses head position but it overall correctness in its back.

Answer 2

Yeah, it'll just take time and patience. DO NOT use draw reins or any other artificial aid, they will do more harm than good. You should just be kind, patient, and understanding to her, and eventually she will soften up and start accepting the contact. Whatever you do though, do not use draw reins. They are dangerous and abusive.

Answer 3

If she is truly moving well through her back, with her hindlegs underneath her powering her forwards, the head will come.

It's impossible to say without having a picture or video, but I might hazard a guess that your reins are a bit long. You do not need to hold her tightly or introduce any force, just shorten your reins a few inches and keep your hands and arms soft. You need to have shorter reins to keep the horse collected - otherwise you lose all the movement out the front. If she sticks her head in the air, keep your hands quiet and carry on riding her.

She'll need to develop a heck of a lot of muscle in order to truly carry herself - it's hard work!

Answer 4

In order to teach a horse to accept active, light contact on the bit you must have independent aids and be able to maintain a light contact without jerking or jolting her mouth.  In addition the horse has to be properly conditioned.

Sidereins, when properly used, can help with the conditioning process, but they are not a "quick fix" to get a horse on the bit.

Here is a great link with some expert advice:

http://www.equisearch.com/horses_riding_...

Answer 5

just let her and if she is throwing you of try seeing if she likes to get a diff. position on her head

Answer 6

This low head carriage is quite common. To improve it takes lots of upward transitions. I'd try and work on halt, trot. or walk canter.

In order to catch some of that energy the outside contact must not be lost. Try and work inside leg to outside rein. Some horses have no idea about the neck flexion and it requires a tweak from the inside rein to find some flexion at the pole.

The long low outline and nice swinging hindquarters that comes from your work out is often lost when asking for a little collection. Then with a little time the two merge and you get outline and form.

Good luck, I'm not sure if I've helped or confused..

Answer 7

you are doing everything right. eventually she will understand. just make sure that you are being very gradual. really praise her if she lets u pick up your reins even slightly. you can being really slight by just squeezing the reins for a second. that feels like slightly picking up contact. draws reins are a quick fix but tense some horses up

Answer 8

My dad when he had problems putting the bit in the horses mouths he would put a little molasses on the bit so that they open their mouths. (it's also good for hiding a pill in so they will eat it.)