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Horse
Training Problems
Before blaming the horse,
check these off to
see if you, the Rider are doing everything correct. If
you do not understand what I have written about bits, or
your saddle or the location your training in or any of
it..................... then learn it first before
blaming the horse!
QUESTION: I bought
a 9 year old, quiet, but apparently poorly broke horse.
I ride when I get a chance to do so but this horse is so
useless that it won't even Bond with me? I want to
retrain it for Western Pleasure. I ride it in a pen.
It does not listen. I am a experienced rider as have
owned horses before. Why won't this horse learn??? He
just resists everything I am trying to teach him. I
don't have time for this and am giving up.
ANSWER:
1) How much training has the
horse had anyway? Just started? Green? Some advanced
training? Spoiled already by inadequate riders/handlers
as many older horses are?
(2) How many horses have you trained
for Western Pleasure?
(3) What bit are you using?
Is it the correct bit for this particular horse?
(4) Is the bit correctly adjusted
for this horses mouth?
(5) Is the bit the correct size for
this horses mouth?
(6) Is your saddle fitting the horse
perfectly so it is not irritating this horse? Each
individual horse needs to be carefully fitted with the
saddle used. Saddles can fit dozens of horses then not
fit the next horse? An ill fitting saddle can make the
best of horses resist in many ways.
(7) Is your balance in the saddle
correct?
(8) Are your hands on the reins
adjusted to correct length? Are your hands
SOFT
on the reins?
(9) Have you had extensive training
in when to pick up on the reins, when to give, exactly
how much pressure to apply?
(10)
Do you have your leg aids down pat
so as to not confuse the horse?
VERY IMPORTANT WHEN TRAINING!!!
(11) How many times a week are you
training? Our recommendation is minimum 5 days
a week. Any less and you will get no where?
Sporadic training sessions with animals does not work.
(12) Do you warm the horse up before
beginning your training sessions? Are you careful to
cool the horse down afterwards also? Very
Important to not sour the horse on training.
(13) Do you have the correct sized
arena or pen to train in? Even more important, a
correct ground base for the horse to work in and on???
(14) Do you quit always on a GOOD
NOTE?
(15) You of course are riding the
horse minimum 5 days a week in a correct sized pen or
arena on a good ground surface. Once the horse has
learned that day's basic schooling lesson, you quit on a
Good Note? Then the next day, you start with each
simple lesson the horse has already learned, you do it
correctly, then you move on to the next step you have
taught the horse, do it correctly, then onto the next
one, correctly, on and on
REFRESHING the horse on what it
already knows, thus RELAXING the horse................then
you move on to "The Next Step/Lesson" you want to teach
the
horse...................................................
Remember the
big 4 when training any animal. Patience, Kindness,
Repetition and Consistency. All 4 together never
fails. The animal can LEARN only if the TEACHER can
understand the BIG 4.............................. let
me repeat: Patience Kindness Repetition and
Consistency.
As for not bonding with
you??? The horse will bond with you if your using the
big 4.
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