Question:

Self Carrige?

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Well I actually have 2 questions...

1.) How do I help my paint develope self Carrige?

2.) How lond will a horse "stay in shape"? (I'm goin on a vacation for a week, and theres a little schooling show 3 days after. She is in "tip top" condition right now)

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  1. i tried to answer your first question but you need to give a little more explanation. is your horse laying on your hands? running around with her head in the air? leaning hard thru turns? what areas like these make you think shes lacking in self carriage, and in what discipline are you riding?

    and the fitness thing kind of depends on your horse, but you should be ok to leave her for a week, give her a light tune up when you get home and the show should be fine. if you board, see if there's anyone you trust willing to maybe hack her around once or twice while youre gone just to get her out and moving.


  2. Your horse will not get out of shape in a week..now, what do you mean by "self-carriage"?  are you referring to collection?

  3. Self Carriage is a horse's ability to carry them selves properly.  They must have self carriage to go down a steep hill when trail riding, jump a jump, turn a barrel, or successfully do dressage.  It is achieved by getting the horse to drop his head, enabling him to lift his back, allowing him to get his hind end under him.  Depending on what realm of riding you do - there are many ways to get it.  In dressage in you'll mainly do this by riding correctly and balanced.  In western pleasure you'll do this by using draw reins and/or a martingale.  Most barrel racers do this by using a martingale and by riding properly.

    Yes your horse will stay in shape.  I would ride it though when you get back - I wouldn't worry about him physically getting out of shape - but sometimes horses can get some extra energy and lose a little bit of their smarts with extra time off.  Work him when you get bakc - but not so hard that he will be sore.  It may be a good idea to atleast have a friend lunge him to keep his brain functioning while you're out of town.  If he's an older, well broke horse that's been there and done the show thing - no worries about anything - you'll be fine.

  4. Teaching your horse to have self carriage is mostly strengthening and conditioning.  You want to focus less on the horse being "on the bit" initially and more on teaching him to stretch long and low, developing muscles at the base of the neck first.  When you do take up contact, keep your outside rein as a source of support always and when you feel your horse pulling or leaning on you, give the inside rein slightly to release the pressure.  This might make him hollow in the beginning but what you are basically saying is this :  "I am supporting your outside, but you need to carry yourself on that inside hind leg and come through from behind, not lean on me and make me hold you up. "  Self carriage does not come overnight, or even in a few months, you need to be doing tond of transitions on the flat, lots of half halts at all 3 paces and always allow your horse to have a stretch and go long and low as much as possible during a session, your reins should go to the buckle and he should reach his neck down like he's eating grass.  This lifts the back and makes the loin muscle work, increasing his strength and suppleness and allowing him to carry you better.  

    going on vacation for a week shouldn't do any harm to your horse's fitness, he'll probably enjoy his vacation too.  Ride the 3 days you get back just to tune him up before the show and you should be fine.  Hope that helps!
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