Working on relaxing?

Question

I just purchased my first gaited horse. He is a smooth-mouthed foxtrotter gelding.. WONDERFUL guy! Love him. We just need to work on relaxing under saddle. He listens to the bit and breaks at the poll, I just need suggestions on teaching him to actually WALK instead of constantly wanting to gait. I don't want to make his mouth hard by contactly pulling on him. Any suggestions?

Answer 1

haha my horse is the saem but sadly becoz he was abused by his previous owners he has a hard mouth :(

You could try teaching him command like

Halt: To make him stop

Woah/Walk: To bring him to a shorter gait

Trot/clicking tongue: To bring him to a trot

And so on so forth =)

Goodluck =)

Answer 2

Well, what I normally do when the bit is tight and the horse has a hard mouth, I slowly shorten my reins and lean back. BUT - teaching a horse to do something is not all hand and leg commands. You have to talk to the horse - when slowing down, tell him - "Easy boy, easy. Ho." Tell him softly at first and when he doesn't listen tell him more firmly. Eventually you'll get the hang of it. (:

Answer 3

Your horse is avoiding the bit, and working behind it.  He is not listening to it, nor your other cues.

If you aren't already working him in a plain snaffle bit, that's the first change I would make.  I prefer the full cheek snaffle copper or sweet mouthpiece for training.  Work on impulsion should come first, with collection as the goal.  I would also do tons of lateral work with him....start by getting him to flex his neck sideways until he touches your toe with his nose.  At arm's length, bring the rein out to the side and then back toward your toe, gradually releasing your pull every time he gives, and do it until a slight rein cue brings his head all of the way around in either direction.  Start at a standstill, then get him to do it at a walk, maintaining his forward movement with leg cues.  This will soften the poll and prepare him for accepting the bit later on.

Just work on that first, the bit change and the flexion, and keep asking what's next...one step at a time.  You might also look for a good training video to learn lateral work, and how to teach impulsion/collection.  Also, natural horsemanship ground work will help to get him more responsive....also available on video. He sounds like a nice horse that just needs a tune-up!

Answer 4

It sounds like you're horse anticipates gaits a lot. my mare use to be the same way with her jog. what works for me is;

When she breaks out of the walk i stop her and back her up. this teaches her that when she doesn't listen, she will get punished for it. Most horses don't like backing up so this is a less harsh (because you dont have to fight the horse), but a little more time consuming thing to do to help fix his problem.

Answer 5

sounds like he isnt really in a TRUE frame when you say he breaks at the poll...he may break at the poll but that doesnt mean he is in the proper frame and wen ur horse is in a proper frame they HAVE to b relaxed...its crucial so work on getting the right frame but as for relexation specifically...horses arent relaxed because they are in pain either from a poor fitting tack, a medical issue or most descrete the way u are riding.get him walking on a long rein at the walk and get him very forward and wen u shorten ur reins to trot you may want to try some counter flexion at the trot for BREIF moments and this helps my horse also and work on you being relaxed too and really trying to establish a rytham also dont pull on the reins this prevents impulsion from happening because it collects the hind end only so only give light squeezes and back it up with leg

good luck