Keeping a horse going for a beginner?

[Sydnielb]

Hey everyone, I’m new to this site so I’m sorry if this is in the wrong category or anything else haha.

Anyways, so I started riding about 3 months ago. I got a job mucking stalls, feeding and turning out at a stable because of my long time love of horses. I got a late start at 16, better late then never I guess. I’ve been taking one lesson a week however felt that it was not really enough. I talked to my trainer and I just started leasing an 17.3 Irish draft. He’s more of a beginner horse, basically bombproof, and I know enough that my trainer thought it would be a good option to get saddle time and more experience. Right now I’m just walk trotting when I ride 4x a week, because we are still working on getting the canter. I’m having a huge problem though, I’m having such a hard time getting and keeping him trotting!

My first few rides on him were great, and I’ve seen his owner buzz around on him, even jump him 2’6+ jumps, so I know that he’s not too lazy and that its a problem with me instead. Of course you would think I should go to my trainer, however coincidentally whenever I take a lesson in front of her, I do fine and have very little trouble keeping him going.

However now I’ve stated to ride alone, and can barely get him trotting. It’s so frustrating because I really need to work on my posting, posture, position, ect, but I can’t because I have to try so hard to keep him going. When I do get him trotting, I begin posting and my leg comes off and he slows right to a walk. (That’s a whole other thing I have to work on, keeping leg on while I post). If he doesn’t pick up a trot, he just picks up a very fast walk and I can’t get him to break, even with pressure, kissing/clucking and a kick or two. I think some of the problem is when I first started riding him, if I squeezed really hard and even gave a kick or two and he still wouldn’t budge, I would get frustrated and release. I’m sure this translated to him that if he just waits it out eventually I’ll take the pressure off and he won’t have to do anything. I know, I hate myself too!

So what should I do? I cannot use Spurs yet as I am still focusing on keeping a quiet leg and wouldn’t want to give him Spur rubs. I also can’t use a crop, I havnt really asked my trainer why, but I think it has something to do with the owners wishes as she doesn’t ride with one…?

I’m just not sure what to do at this point. He’s such a great horse and a good mover, when he’s actually moving. It’s not my hands, because oddly enough I have extremely quiet hands (according to two different trainers at my barn). I even tried no sturrip work and he still didn’t want to trot. Did my release of pressure before he moved really mess it up that bad?

Any advice or tips would be great. And if you have any further questions just let me know.

Thanks in advance!!

[Dutchmare433]

[QUOTE=Sydnielb;8959542]
My first few rides on him were great, and I’ve seen his owner buzz around on him, even jump him 2’6+ jumps, so I know that he’s not too lazy and that its a problem with me instead. Of course you would think I should go to my trainer, however coincidentally whenever I take a lesson in front of her, I do fine and have very little trouble keeping him going. [/QUOTE]

I taught beginners through Novice level eventers, mostly on schoolies for 3 or 4 years in my late teens/early 20s. The ease you have in lessons is either A) your instructor is there and can catch any position faults/gripping/whatever before they cause you to lose balance or your horse to break gait B) your instructor is there period, and horsey knows he has to behave or C) both of the above. When I taught, I could just give a stern look at the schoolies and they would quit whatever schoolie behavior they were doing.

In general, on lazy horses, you don’t want to be working very hard. They need to respond to your aid to go forward (walk faster, transition to trot, etc), and then STAY there until you say otherwise. So you want to be able to ride lazy horses with your legs off unless asking them something specific. If you ride with legs on all the time, you’ll be exhausted and the horse will just tune you out and just keep walking on ignoring you.

I wouldn’t go to spurs at your level, but I would ask about holding a crop or dressage whip. When I taught beginners, I taught them squeeze, kick, crop, in fairly quick succession. If squeeze gets the correct answer stop there and so on. I think this horse needs to realize he’ll get a smack if he keeps being lazy. Of course I don’t know the horse, so he could be one that’ll throw a buck if you smack him, and that’s why you aren’t carrying a bat.

At any rate, talk to your trainer, tell her what you’ve said here, that he’s great in lessons but a pill when she’s not there.

[RockinHorse]

Are your lessons private or group? What about when you are riding outside of lessons? Some horses are much happier to go forward if working in a group.

I agree you should talk to the trainer. Even if the horse is good in lessons, she would be the best one to give you ideas of things to try since she is familiar witn you and the horse.

[Sydnielb]

[QUOTE=RockinHorse;8959602]
Are your lessons private or group? What about when you are riding outside of lessons? Some horses are much happier to go forward if working in a group.

I agree you should talk to the trainer. Even if the horse is good in lessons, she would be the best one to give you ideas of things to try since she is familiar witn you and the horse.[/QUOTE]

All my lessons have been private, and I’d say 90% of the time I am alone in the indoor durning them. And I’m usually also alone when I’m riding alone, just because I ride earlier in the day due to work or school schedule. Even when his owner was jumping him and just flatting they were alone in the indoor and he was okay. My trainer had mentioned to try no stirrup work to work on my core and to strengthen my leg but he still wouldn’t budge. It’s strange.

[Sydnielb]

I like how you mentioned that you don’t want to be working very hard on lazy horses cause that’s what I’m always doing lol, whether it’s squeezing, clucking or anything else.

I think I will mention the crop when I ride tomorrow. He is in a walk/trot lesson with a little girl tomorrow so I might watch and see how she does with keeping him going.

Thank you for your reply!

[right_horse_at_the_right_time]

Maybe he feels you off balance and doesn’t want to move any faster.

My horse does this with my daughter; it’s not something I want to train out of him ;).

Work with trainer.

[GraceLikeRain]

Is your trainer around while you are riding outside of lessons? Every barn is different but many trainers don’t mind giving 2-3 minutes of their time. If the problem disappears during lessons there is likely a specific position issue going on where the horse is going into a babysitter mode of walking even though you are trying to ask for the trot.

If your trainer is willing to poke her/his head in for a minute or two once you’ve completed your walk warm up it may help you figure out what is going on.

It sounds like this horse is the perfect partner for helping you become an effective rider.

If you ever have a day where you get stuck at the walk you can still work on your position, breathing, how subtly you can use your aids to turn, etc. so that it is a good use of your time.

[crosscreeksh]

As others have offered…it is hard to concentrate on YOUR learning when you are devoting all your energy and attention to keeping the horse moving!! If a crop doesn’t inspire him some…I’d see about riding a quiet horse with a little more work ethic!! Good luck.

[meupatdoes]

If you aren’t allowed to use a crop, try changing the character of your leg aids. The leg aid does not always have to be the same … if can feel reassuring, it can be a soft whisper, it can be a sharp bump.

So if a horse isn’t paying attention you can try “boxing” him with your calves. This is a sharp, quick WHAP with both legs. If you are quick you can double box - WHAP WHAP! On a tuned horse a subtle “box” can get almost the same reaction as a tickle from the whip.

The other thing is once you put oressure on, you must be unrelenting until you get an answer. Too many people ask once or twice, and then say ok let me reorganize for a circle and try again. The horse learns he only needs to wait out your brief spurt of commitment and then he will get a break while you “reorganize.”

So, if he is tuning you out, pretend like there is A MILLION DOLLARS on the line but you have to get the horse trotting within 10 seconds to get it.
How hard and furious would you try?

Do that til he goes.

[luckymaverick]

You may also want to pay attention to where on his barrel your leg is actually giving him the cue. For example, the Pony I ride has several different cues. At the girth means move forward, just behind means leg yield, lots behind means side pass. Notice where the aids are given when the horse successfully stays trotting. Also make sure you’re not giving conflicting signals, such as giving leg aids for forward and rein aids for slow/stop. Body position is also key too, not too far forward or back so as to not inhibit the forward motion you are after.

[Railbird]

How big are you? If he is really 17.3 then I suspect a horse who fits you better might make for a better learning experience since you can wrap your legs around his/her barrel. A strong rider can handle a big horse, but when you are just learning and the horse is too big, that can be a challenge.

[eclipse]

I second the idea to see if trainer can watch you (preferably when you think she’s not there) so she can really see what’s going on! Dollars to donuts you’re probably sending mixed stop/go signals… kicking with your leg but not realizing your hands are saying “no stop”. Not surprising on a lazy horse that’s also very big!

[m_m1]

Is there something that you trainer reminds you about on a regular lesson, especially early in the ride? I think there are some good suggestions by previous posters, but to them I will add to review what she tells you in lessons and see if you think those things need to be adjusted. Is she constantly telling you to sit up straighter? Shorten your reins? Lengthen your reins?

[MtnDrmz]

All these tips sound great, but I have to say if you are only at a walk trot, learning to canter level, then there are so many different issues that could be going on it would be nearly impossible to pinpoint it on a message board.

Have you gone past walk trot canter on other horses? Are you just having troubles with this one? Or are you just now beginning to ride and literally just learning the canter?

If this is your first time learning these things, and you are only at a walk trot level, I am surprised you are allowed to ride on your own, and I would question the trainer that allows that. Sorry, but there is a reason why in the beginning you should have lessons when on a horse, or at least an educated friend present at all times. If you are walk trotting four times a week, there should be definite improvement with in a month or two. If there is not, either the program or the horse match is not right. Maybe both.