Tell me about your difficult horses that turned out well

[CindyCRNA]

OP so happy to see your update!

[outerbanks77]

@MapleBreeze

5 and 6 are heeeeeeellll
7 1/4- 8 they come around and you will effing love them

I would like to think I’m past halfway though hell.

My girl really has been better every ride since my instructor was here. I think she is starting to enjoy having more questions thrown at her now that she isn’t so stuck. I hauled her out for a lesson on Wednesday and we worked on stretchy trot to keeping the feeling in a swingy shoulder in, and it was lovely. Last night I was replicating that, and then thought, let’s see what happens if I try this exercise I use with my other mare - shoulder in, keep the angle and ride a couple steps off the rail, then LY back in SI position. She immediately got it and we did two reps down the long side. I suspect that she’s going to get more engaged as she learns that riding can be more than me just nagging her to GO as she is a smarty pants and needs to have her brain kept busy.

[eightpondfarm]

@Scribbler

It’s also not possible to instruct anyone how to have a good relationship with a given horse. You need to access your inner 11 year old girl and spend quality time with him, until you feel he is with you on the ground and in the saddle. I would suspend actual schooling for now. Concentrate on the things he knows that are safe zones for him. Don’t get on him until he is calm and focused, and when you do, just walk. Ride during quiet times if that hls. Don’t ride during other people’s lessons if he doesn’t like to hear “teacher voice” bellowing across the arena. Pay attention to what he is seeing and hearing. Have him halt and chill under saddle. Practice things like turning with no reins, just seat. Quiet down your ride and concentrate on him being quiet.

@Scribbler

You need to change how he feels about being ridden in the arena. He needs to feel this is where things are calm and happy and make sense to me. Until you get that he won’t be learning anything in his schooling anyways.

Really good horsemanship right there

My first thought was: Ditch that trainer and start over from scratch.

I’d had some decent experience riding-into-training some hot horses. I think it wasn’t until i had the second really hot one going as a liberty horse that i fully understood just how very much a connection with horse changed the paradigm.

Ok, so i suppose it’s woo. But that bond, that alone could make a profound change in your rides on your horse. As-in partnership.

My coach says that my horses all have one thing in common, they work to please me. They want to do what i want. And, we take it slow, VERY slow, in the beginning.
I ride from the bond. And, for my own safety as well as my philosophical approach to animals, don’t get on one of my new green mustangs until i feel they are ‘mine’.