I was just an excellent rider for years. I also had this problem many times before I learned a great deal about ground work. Horses can learn to bring their head down to your level. When their head is above you they are not paying attention to you. On the ground I built an attention span. I got a friend of mine to teach me ground work and professional halter showing. It made a world of difference in the horses. I had to deal with. I must add that pulling their heads down to your level. the horse has a great deal more strength than a human being. Ground work teaches how to ask the horse to do so. research on ground work. Hope this helps and good luck.
Dec 08, 2011 Rating
@Horselover by: Tiger
Thanks! I will totally try that!
Nov 30, 2011 Rating
hello by: horselover
hello i think the best thing would be is to use a hackmore bit so when she trys to canter forward it will put prusher at the top of her mouth it help my mare does it to. hope it helps and good luck.
Nov 19, 2011 Rating
Don't let her by: Anonymous
Then let a better rider, ride her through that, don't let her buck and rear! Your putting that on because she is being disobedient, and she knows if she does that, she can get away with it!
Nov 18, 2011 Rating
To Unicorn... by: Tiger
Thanks! Lucy sure thinks she's pretty too. She loves attention. I will definitely try your methods for the stall, and jumping. And based on your comments from other pages, you are being way to modest about your ability! I think you spelled something wrong, instead of amateur, you mean super experienced :) Thanks again for your help!
Nov 17, 2011 Rating
Hi Tiger by: Unicorn
Whoa... Lucy is a beauty! With regards to the stall thing, well, I don't know how you can stop Lucy doing this, but perhaps you can offer to help the person who has to muck out the stall next to her. That way you can even make a new friend :) I'm no expert, but I must say that Lucy sounds like she gets overexcited when going to the jumps. Perhaps she's been over-faced and is afraid of jumping, or maybe she looooves jumping and gets too excited about doing it. Sounds like she needs to calm down. I would go back to the starting point with her. Starting with a pole on the ground, I'd walk her over it at a relaxed pace, focusing on keeping her head down and making sure she's paying attention to her rider. When she's doing that calmly from both sides, I'd take it at a slow trot, and eventually, if she behaves, a very slow calm canter. If she started to rush again, I'd go back and calm her down. Then slowly I would increase the height of the pole and walk over it (if possible, once it gets higher you'd have to trot), and so on slowly increasing the pace and the height, and always focusing on keeping the horse calm. A martingale would be a nice quick fix but if she freaks out then it is a BAD IDEA. Rearing isn't fun! I think trying out my method wouldn't do any harm, but I'm an amateur, so please consult your instructor or any experienced person. They know best! Unicorn
Nov 14, 2011 Rating
Lucy by: Tiger
Also, She can't use a martingale. When she throws her head up and find's she is restricted, she freaks and bucks/rears. So, anything other than a martingale :)
Nov 14, 2011 Rating
P.S. by: Tiger
I can't use a martingale on her, it makes her feel restricted and then she freaks out and refuses or bucks/rears.
