teaching pony self carriage and bending

[tinah]

So I love my mare, I really do, but she’s been sitting in a pasture for 3 years because life happens. We’ve got her on the pssm diet, and she looks and feels a million times better, but arena work is driving me crazy. If we do big circles, she is going everything but paying attention. If we do little circles, she tries to motorcycle around the turns and it takes more contact on her mouth and LOTS of spur to get her to bend and quit leaning on my leg. Straight is a completely foreign concept, and she’s so naturally catty that she offers up that sit and spin rather than push from behind in a straight line. I can get her to walk straight, but it takes micro-managing and my legs are exhausted by the end of a 30 minute ride. Even out in the pasture she’s three -tracking and watching everything else. It’s like riding a stiff wet noodle. I’m exhausted, and I’m sure she is too.

any advice? Is this just normal green horse stuff? She’s not a bad horse, but it’s like every single ride we have the same conversation about straight, bend, track up and carry yourself.

[beau159]

@tinah

So I love my mare, I really do, but she’s been sitting in a pasture for 3 years because life happens. We’ve got her on the pssm diet, and she looks and feels a million times better, but arena work is driving me crazy. If we do big circles, she is going everything but paying attention. If we do little circles, she tries to motorcycle around the turns and it takes more contact on her mouth and LOTS of spur to get her to bend and quit leaning on my leg. Straight is a completely foreign concept, and she’s so naturally catty that she offers up that sit and spin rather than push from behind in a straight line. I can get her to walk straight, but it takes micro-managing and my legs are exhausted by the end of a 30 minute ride. Even out in the pasture she’s three -tracking and watching everything else. It’s like riding a stiff wet noodle. I’m exhausted, and I’m sure she is too.

any advice? Is this just normal green horse stuff? She’s not a bad horse, but it’s like every single ride we have the same conversation about straight, bend, track up and carry yourself.

If she’s been sitting for 3 years, she is NOT going to have the muscle strength or stamina to do what you are asking.

Give her some time to simply get back into shape before you start asking for something as advanced and difficult as self-carriage.

Also, I’d get out of the arena and just ride. That often helps immensely to teach them to travel straight instead of walking a zig-zag line.

[luvmydutch]

Have you ever seen Warwick Schiller’s videos? He has really simple exercises for both of those issues …and his site is only like $25/month. Highly recommended!