I have been working with this paint recently and she has one annoying habit. When we are working in the ring (and I found out today she’ll do it on the trail to) she will just stop once she is distracting. She doesn’t spook or bolt or anything of that nature but she just stops and nothing I can do in the saddle will make her go forward (I need to buy a crop because she seems to respond to that). Since I wasn’t going to resort to just kicking her I hoped off and we trotted in the direction I wanted to go down the rail and then I got back on. Is this right or am I just teaching her to keep doing this? She did this twice on the trail today.
Get a crop and use it before the horse balks. She will start feeling sticky (this is what Fella does) and you’ll feel like you’re pushing rope. That’s when you leg or lay on the crop.
JMO of course.
Paula
Cool article. Thanks, Equibrit. Indeed I can only describe what works for me and Fella, I can’t speak to the OP’s horse in particular. I ride at a Western barn where the sensibilities are very different from other barns I’ve experienced. Here the idea to the horse is, “Yes it’s scary, but do it anyway”. This approach works for the both of us (Fella and me).
He is not particularly challenging in the ring or on the trail -he’ll balk (we fixed that), he may jig, but he can be convinced to go forward. I hack on a loose rein and a loose leg except on the occasion that he doesn’t want to pass the scary tree/pile/rock etc. Then it’s leg on and if not leg, then leg and crop.
Paula
I try to get at them before they stop, I the case of my mare who has this habit of blowing up when you get stern with her (rearing, bucking, trying to bite) With her and some of my greener horses I just sit with a little bit of leg on and wait until it’s their idea to move, just enough to be mildly annoying I don’t let them turn and if they go backwards I increase the “pressure” by taping with my leg/ the crop/ reins and getting firmer until they stop backing up/ go forward. When I started with my mare we sat for a looooong time walked a few steps and waited some more. Now occasionally she’ll stop I’ll sit for a second and she’ll continue on, work in progress.
Other times I try to turn them just to get their feet moving then head back in the direction we’re going.
Also check for HYPP and EPSM/PSSM. Sometimes abrupt stop means muscles so sore they are ‘tied up’.
I think it is one of those things they try as they progress through the book of learning - most have something they try. If it is about being nervous, then they need bolder company to start with. I just sit it out with a bit of a nagging leg and (with my mare) she just eventually thought it was not a bad thing, and went on. I don’t get after her with a stick except to use judiciously, as she would get really upset and that’s not my goal.
They will often try to spin, and it is usually the same way, so have the opposite rein at the ready and slightly on, so you can stop the spin before it
happens.
Backing up is worse, especially if there are ditches.
With time it gets put into history and becomes a non-issue as you become accepted as the leader.
How old is the horse? A greener horse does not understand the leg('s effect), with those the worst thing a rider can do is get into a #$#&$ing match, use of bats, etc. Ideally they are asked to follow a group. With many babies they just need time to look, and it may be awhile (like minutes), and then asked to go. If the horse is hitching/tensing against the leg stronger use of the leg is useless since it has already tensed the belly (more true with mares). Keep the connection (with the mouth) and wait, the turn the horse and THEN add the leg/bat (noise on shoulder WHEN the horse has started to move, do not use behind the leg when the horse does NOT understand it in the first place). Many horses (esp mares) stop when the riders grip, and then gain power to stop more because the riders have released the rein; understanding the role of what the rider creates in the horse (as to movement) is key to understanding why the horse stops, and what makes it choose to move.
Maybe she is just scared. Of what is the question.
I think this is a situation where you should figure out why she’s doing it before you pick a solution.
