Menu

Stay in Touch
Sign up for ENews
Subscribe Now

Unlimited access >

Menu

OTTB/Giraffe

Dressage
#1

This is my fourth OTTB, so I’m not unfamiliar with OTTB issues, but they’re all wildly different and this is the first I’m restarting (with help) from square one - not at the trainer’s. This guy has naturally high “giraffe-head” and is green enough that simply pushing him forward into the bridle isn’t going to help. His back is tight, so I’ve been working with a chiro/massage/PEMF practitioner with whom I have a great relationship and gradually he is getting much more comfortable. He has no additional veterinary or saddle fit issues - I spent 4.5 months making sure of that.

He doesn’t “get” side reins and instead sucks back, so I quit that pretty quick. He lunges obediently and calmly and has small moments of stretching down and out after say 20 minutes or so, but all bets are off when saddled. I’ve been working with an eventing instructor/trainer, but she is off for awhile and it’s been so f$%$@QI cold here that I have to take ride time when I can. She’s had me patiently turn tightly in a tiny circle, encourage him to step under in the hind, and give rein when he stretches down. As he stretches down and out, I am to make the circle a bit larger but return to small circles when his head comes up. Obviously this is an exercise and not something I want to pound away at for an entire hour…

I’m riding in a French link, and I’d prefer to stay in Snaffle Land unless it becomes necessary down the line. So: any thoughts on ground OR saddle exercises to work on this for a few weeks until my trainer is back?

Fairly enough, I visit Dressage Land a bit at the Novice eventing/Training level for a good start in the jumper ring, but (don’t kill me…) it’s not my fave. I’m not looking for a dressage horse, but it’s clear we need to build a good and lasting foundation to get to those jumps. I think he’s got some real potential as a 1.30m+ horse…but we’re not going to get there with this giraffe thing.

#2

I admire you for taking on an OTTB! My daughter has worked with 3 who went on to become successful event horses --but it’s a lot of work!! Anyway --I think your trainer is correct --I no longer ride dressage, but had this same issue with my new (to me) fox hunter. Every time I ride him (and I ride daily even in the cold), the trainer told me to start with what you call “little circles” and my trainer calls “softening” --outside rein loose, inside hand slides to middle of inside rein, tilt nose by pulling (horse should relax and touch my foot or stirrup, while moving hind quarters by crossing legs. Front legs are moving too, but tiny circles. Active leg inside on girth. And as soon as horse relaxes the inside rein, release and walk forward --do again, and again. And then when that’s going well, we start trotting --posting lines to cones then sitting and making a “bending” circle (10 m) around the cones 3-6 times, then off we go to another cone. At times we canter between cones, but since horse anticipates a slide down the rein and a tight turn, he keeps himself well balanced. The circles become bigger, the distance between circles greater --and this IS an exercise I “pound away on” for 30 min a day --or until horse is carrying himself (head neutral) --soft contact.

For me this translates well into the hunt field --when my guy starts “looking” --head up --or becomes nervous --we do our little circles --always room for that with the hilltoppers --but what I’ve found, is it only takes my hand starting to slide down the rein that my giraffe drops his head --he is learning rapidly. We’ve been at this for about six months --well, since hunt season started in Sept. --and his giraffe-ness began --but it is working for us.

Oh, and I use earplugs --always when I ride --trainer said my horse may be “over stimulated” by the sights, sounds of the hunt field --so he wears ear plugs every time I ride. Don’t hurt. and seem to help.

#3

Good on you for taking him on and asking for advice sooner rather than later.

If he is sucking back in the side reins you have them too tight. I f they are not too tight and swinging in the breeze and he is sucking back it sounds like a sore mouth.

Also remember that you are teaching a being who does not understand English and you are teaching him to do something that he has no idea about and no want to do.

The mare hubby bought went around with her head parallel to the sky. You never tighten side reins for a horse that does not understand contact. Side reins are not supposed to pull a head in. I put them on loose and she went around without taking any notice of them. For a week. But on the day after that she was now starting to give to the reins correctly. Just a touch. I used plenty of praise. The next day she gave more. By the end of that week she was giving correctly. Once she as giving correctly I did tighten them a bit more, but never pulling the head in.

As with never pulling the head in it is the same in the saddle. What you need is for him to understand. Without the side reins - as I ride horses at a riding school in a group lesson and only have that 45 minutes. When tacking the horse I teach them that it is good to be stroked and what the words good boy or good girl mean. I teach them that they get stroked and good boy when they lower their head when I ask with the reins for them to come down when I say down and use the reins. If this is really not working I just use a bit of carrot as they just have to do it right once and get the praise for them to understand.

I make sure I am mounted first. In halt I do the same thing asking with the reins for them to lower their head and they get stroked on the neck and told good boy. I will try and get them to stay there from halt to walk. That is enough for the first lesson. These are horses that have been in the lessons going around around not giving correctly for months before I get on them so they are already going forward and they are already fit.

I do this once a week. I cannot tell you how much the horses will work their hearts out for the stroke and the good boy. I use good boy all the time. When they get a break through I use the stroke as well. If it is a mega breakthrought I will halt in the middle and really really stroke and everyone will hear the good boy over and over again.

Hee hee I did this with their rescue horse which they put me on for my lesson and I HATED her. She would fight for the whole darn lesson and not give once. Not once. Not for a nano second.

She was in their heart. I decided if I was going to have to ride her I would make her the best horse there. My instructor walked past the lesson. The result? A text message saying he loved how Clover was going, how would I feel about a private lesson each week to work with her.

How would I feel. Like all my Christmas’s came at once!

The instructors there do not believe me when they ask me how I did it and I say the secret is the stroke on their neck. The secret is for them to understand what you want. Once they understand they do it. The circles described above help. The giving of the inside rein is important.

Just a word of warning. It is these horses that do not understand contact with riders that want them to bring their head down that you are in the realm of danger. As with the side reins too tight. You can not tighten the reins and just hold. Horses can rear up and fall over backwards if too much pressure is applied. It is much quicker to teach them to come down on their own to a good boy than risk that. It is not just beginners this happens to. It also happens to experienced instructors who are frustrated and want things to happen quickly.

Once the understanding happens things happen quickly. Give the horse the time they need to understand.

4 Likes
#4

Step one, go back a few steps here. Teach the horse to stretch and relax. First at the halt, then at the walk, then the trot. No asking for connection until the horse can stretch down when asked in at least the halt, walk, and trot.

4 Likes
#5

^this. Too much too soon. Forget about contact until you have the lower levels of the training scale accomplished. Since he likes to suck back, the last thing you want is for him to figure out how to duck contact. Since you know TBs, you know that will happen very quickly and it’s very hard to fix.

Since it’s January, I get that a loose rein probably isn’t going to happen, but give him a long enough rein that you have a little slack in it. Work on very simple things at the walk.

1/4 turns on forehand (aka riding squares) will introduce him to the outside rein without overwhelming him by asking for an entire turn at once. Once he has it at the walk, trot the straight lines and transition to walk for the turns.

Long shallow figure 8’s introducing him to turn on haunches at the walk. Again you can trot the long sides once he understands the game.

Very shallow serpentines. Get him used to feeling your legs asking him to go on and off the rail.

Spiral in/out at the walk or trot, careful with this one to not go too tight and lose his balance.

Ride him 2’ off the railing. You will need outside leg with this one to keep him from drifting onto the railing. If he feels ready, introduce him to a little outside rein to help keep him off the rail.

With all of these, the walk should mark. None of this constipated cat thing. He’s not going to reach forward if he’s sucking back the whole time. Remember leg fixes everything. Hope this helps.

#6

It is hard to tell someone to ride on no or a very light contact. Racehorses do come back to the seat though. When the rider sits down, closes their legs and sits up, gallop time is over. And they understand rising trot, so stick to trot work, large circles, small circles, but not too many of small , they are hard on the joints. Add in change of direction on an almost loose rein. Trust them to come back to you. Ask for a stretch down at the walk, ideally in a hack out situation. And yes, a scritch on the neck, and a “good boy” when it happens are helpful. It can be a long process. You can then try it at the trot after a work session, carrying the head’giraffe like’ is hard on the back. He might be very glad to stretch that back…

Just be sure that you personally are strong enough to maintain a slow steady rising trot with a strong leg. That is the secret of a good ‘stretchy circle’.

2 Likes
#7

Omg, I’m dying. This is hilarious! I 100% agree with everything else you posted as well, but this had to be highlighted. “None of this constipated cat thing”…I’m SO going to use this line again :lol::lol::lol:

1 Like
#8

I believe I owe credit to Jim Wofford for this line. It certainly does drive the point home!

#9

We’re definitely far from asking for contact, and that’s not what I’m going for. It really just is getting him to stop looking at the tops of trees and join us on Planet Earth. Teaching relaxation at even the halt and walk is challenging with this guy.

Shockingly, he’s fine on a loose rein and not at all spooky. I have had no problem with typical OTTB attitude, even when it’s windy or he’s fresh. Zero. Even on a loose rein, he’d rather leave the loop than reach forward or down at all. I 100% trust him not to run off. He ran 89 times. I’m pretty sure he’s cool with taking a break, lol.

We’re not to 20m circles or spirals or stretchy trot circles yet. I’m sittin’ on a horse with a neck almost perpendicular to the ground. I think that yes, maybe I do just need to start on the ground teaching him how to even stretch, tacked up? More leg won’t help this guy find impulsion yet because he’ll just run like a mallard on land faster without knowing what to do with his bum.

That neck, man. I’m tempted to stick a fluffy roll over his noseband and see if he’ll get his head out of the clouds to see where he’s going.

Thoughts on a chambon? I try to use as few “devices”
as I can, but I don’t hate the idea of training aids when used well.

#10

Ride the body, not the neck.

The neck is in front of the body, it is going nowhere without the body. Organize the body and the neck will perforce relax.

3 Likes
#11

The 20m circles are what creates the stretchy trot. And trust me, I did NOT think my greenie was at 20m circles yet, I could barely steer him. But you just have to go for it. It might not be beautiful or elegant and will probably feel horrible. My horse is a big, clunky guy and he didn’t even know where to put his feet. He steered like a 2x4.

Like others are saying, ignore the neck. Ignore the reins except for wide opening reins for the circles. He needs to relax into the pattern and he will if you just give it a shot and are patient and relaxed along with him.

If you really don’t think you can do a full circle, you can try to do a figure 8 or big serpentines, which I find takes the pressure off the “perfect circle” but still gives you enough of a pattern and bend to create a nice rhythm.

#12

@istriptopayboard Does he stretch when asked at the halt? Walk? Trot? If not, then I can explain in detail for you how to train the horse to do this. Just didn’t see the need to type it all out if he already is. I could actually do a short video for you that shows the correct way to teach the horse a “stretch/relax” cue.

FWIW Carl Hester starts all his horses on the stretch. Success comes from stretching. And not just walking around on a loose rein. A true stretch into the bridle.

1 Like
#13

The lungie bungee has been transformative for my OTTB who liked to giraffe. I am a convert.

2 Likes
#14

I think maybe I will give a figure 8 day a chance, too. A vote of confidence in trying it…I might as well try it and see if repetition lets him settle. Thank you.

#15

This sounds like a horse that could really be helped by learning some poll flexions and neck extension so he realizes that he can relax down and forward towards the bit. I’d teach it in hand at halt and walk, then from the saddle starting at the halt, then do it each day in hand before riding, probably for quite a while. Backing a few steps in hand with care that he is keeping the topline lengthened could also help (after he’s learned the neck extension and is consistent with it at walk in-hand). With 89 races under his girth, he has some really embedded muscle patterns. I’m guessing that was 5+ seasons of racing, so it will take a long time to undo that and get his topline to release.

#16

In keeping with some of these other suggestions, why don’t you put some sugar cubes in your pocket and every time he gives he gets a goodie. :smiley:

I had one who didn’t like to whoa, and this worked fabulous - to this day (even tho I no longer treat for it). :lol::lol:

And, FWIW, I’ve had a semi-similar issue with my current, green OTTB and yesterday, finally, she lifted her back - with her head down. A lot of the suggestions given above have been what we’ve worked on from day one and she finally “got it”.

Much as I dislike Clinton Anderson, he’s right when he says “lateral flexion before vertical flexion”. Circles, figure 8’s, serpentines, leg yield, haunch & forehand turns…all of that will help unlock his body. And continue with the bodywork. That also made a big difference for mine. If he can’t do it under saddle, do it on the ground.
Also, find other ways to get him to use his body. Stepping over poles of varying heights. Backing up. General trail obstacles tend to get their interest and a lot of times they’ll put their noses down to investigate.

And lastly make sure his saddle fits… :sigh:

#17

Carrot stretches on the ground before you ride.

#18

Messing around with a horse’s face doing this natural horsemanship flexion or that flexion is the antithesis of real contact.

Small circles only create joint damage and irritation for the horse if the horse isn’t capable of correct self carriage and collection.

You need to ride this horse like he’s a baby just being started. You can’t have goals like good contact and pleasing topline position. His muscles aren’t ready to do that yet. And, he doesn’t speak your language yet. He doesn’t understand the aids.

The dressage training scale applies just as it would to a newly started horse. One must have a good, consistent rhythm, then comes relaxation, only then to we begin with connection.

As someone else said, don’t ride the head and neck, ride the body.

You say he isn’t a run off sort of OTTB. That alone gives you some great options.

Here’s what my plan would be in this horse in a daily training session.

Step 1. Goal: loosen horse’s body and let him look around/be a bit fresh.

They can’t concentrate 100% when we first mount. Walk around somewhere outside of the arena (weather permitting). If you can’t ride out, then you must begin in the arena. Always begin on a loose rein, just walking. It is great if there are cavaletti or poles on the ground because these naturally get a horse stretching through it’s back even at just a loose rein walk. Assess where the horse is today in mind and body. Every day is different and therefore the length of this part of the session will vary.

When the horse tells you he’s ready, trot on loose rein, over cavaletti some too. Continue to focus on freely forward movement. When you feel he’s ready, canter on loose rein, get up off the horse’s back so he can go freely forward. Walk. Do a mix of this until he’s ready to pay attention and learn something. Some days it’s 10 minutes, some days 20, some days, it’s the whole ride.

When horse is ready proceed to step 2.

Step 2. Goal:. Gain the horse’s trust while teaching horse to accept aids of rider. Work to establish a consistent rhythm/relaxation. This is where we establish a gentle feel in the reins and introduce seat and leg aids.

Use circles (no smaller than 20 meters at this stage), changes of direction, and easy transitions between gaits. At all three gaits, based on the horse’s comfort. If the horse is tense, back off what you’re asking. Always end the session trotting and then walking on a loose rein.

If you are patient and your aids consistent, using these 2 steps will eventually create a horse that on his own begins to come over the back and stretch down into better contact.

Mix this with trail riding too so he doesn’t get bored.

These simple steps can take months for a horse to become comfortable with.

Poor training always tells. Based on your description, I’d recommend that you get a new trainer, one familiar with good basic dressage training. Take lessons, but if you’re frustrated with your progress, let the trainer ride for a couple of months.

Consistency with the horse at this stage is critical so that he develops trust for the rider and an understanding of his new job.

If you do this part well, anything else you want to do later will be easier. Good luck and have fun!!

1 Like
#19

My horse likes to drop behind the contact, and the bungee neck stretcher has been helpful for us as well - I’m not big on devices (like most dressage riders), but these give him much better feedback on what I’m asking of him, whereas side reins just encourage him to suck back.

That being said, I don’t recommend it for OP’s guy at the moment, because it can’t give as much guidance as an educated rider’s hand.

As others have said, I’d treat him like a complete baby horse. Keep your hands soft and steady at first until he’s confident with your seat and legs at walk/trot/canter, and then you can start to worry about the neck/body - gently playing with the reins and softening/rewarding when he starts to relax and drop his neck/bring his back up. Keep him moving forward and not sucking back, if he gets too rushed, bring him back and push him forward again for bigger steps, not quicker steps. The idea of lateral work (pushing his inside hind up and under his body) using changes of direction can help with this.

Carrot stretches on the ground can also help him lift his back.

I also would work on this in the trot before worrying about canter, walk, or halt (and that’s the order that I’d approach them). Because there’s no forward energy in the halt, you can’t push him forward into your hands and soften - not in a way that he’ll understand. And being that he’s a OTTB, he’s probably going to be nervous/tense if you stand there and fiddle with the reins

#20

A good gallop always loosens up an OTTB and makes it a lot easier to manipulate their bodies. It was part of my warm-up routine with my hot redhead OTTB. Remember that you need to develop the horse’s strength and topline before expecting them to carry themselves.

2 Likes

Get your Digital Subscription here - only $21.95 / year

Subscribe here
See gift options

Sign up to our monthly newsletter!

By submitting your email, you agree to our Terms of Service and Privacy Policy. You may also receive promotional emails from The Chronicle of the Horse. You can opt out at any time.

Copyright © 2023 The Chronicle of the Horse