Question, if you would care to take the time to answer, it’s greatly appreciated. I’ve a teenage horse in training. Just getting to know him. Finding holes in his training, as I’m sure you have encountered. Will Go nicely round and except contact, but it’s fake. He never pushes up under the saddle. He’s such a great mover, rhythmic with suspension, that you’d never know. Unless, of course, you were trying to get him to stretch down to develop his back. He has no idea how to seek the bit. Doesn’t seem inclined to want to figure it out, he’s scared. I’m asking him for something he doesn’t understand and he’s a worrier. He starts to go with the bit then disappears behind it.
Any suggestions? He’s in a plain hollow loose ring snaffle.
Find a good dressage trainer.
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Assume you are teaching him about contact for the first time. If you’ve never taught a horse how to accept contact, then you need a trainer. Can he collect at the walk? No? Then don’t even think about trying to collect at the trot let alone canter. Start at the walk and just try to get a step. Then 3 steps. Then 5 steps, then 10, then down the straight away in the arena, then half way around the arena, then a lap. Then repeat the trot. The problem a lot of people make when they’re on a green horse is that they try to ride as if the horse already knows what he should be doing. They don’t know and they’re not going to all of a sudden figure it out without building up to it.
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You can start from the ground, while he is bitted and before you get on… with light contact on one rein ask him to bend and lower his head. Then with the other rein ask him to come straight and then bend in the other direction. As you ask for bend consider that he should lower slightly as well. Lots of praise. The you can ask the same at walk. If you can’t get it at a halt dismounted don’t expect to do it at walk…if you can’t get it at walk don’t expect to get it at trot. Take time to fill in the holes in his training. Sounds like he is worried that he will do the wrong thing, maybe because he was disciplined at some point. Allow him to try, accept kindly what he gives and when you don’t get exactly what you want GO SLOWER. Time, patience and praise.
Circles, transitions, circles, transitions, transitions, circles, transitions, circles, circles, transitions - you get the idea. Circles of various sizes, transitions within and beteeen gaits. Also use pole work to provide some interesting variations when doing the circles and transitions. Also, work away from the perimeter of your arena as horses learn the use the wall to balance. Try some free school jumping over a low cross poles so he moves athletically without a rider. Stop worrying about his frame.
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Start out on a long rein walking and walking…add circles, serpentines, any sort of bend. Shallow bend, acute bend, really feel his hind legs pumping and get him pushing strongly forward and down. Gradually and slowly pick up the contact while still doing all the bending work. Gentle, keep him forward and marching and reaching down and out. Bend, pick up contact, let. him long again, repeat…a thousand times. No pressure no big deal just pick up a bit of contact keep him marching under you and let him out again. Smoothly seamlessly. march, bend contact reach…eventually bring him up a little higher into a working frame. same deal, marching walk, forward, soft, release and down. Then eventually add some trot, same deal. Easy no pressure contact, bend forward but not rushing and down and low. Stay balanced in the saddle, sit up, keep him balanced. If you can start to add some shoulder fore and shoulder in that will help.
No mental pressure on him, just soft contact and release, follow him down with your hand.
Repeat for many months if necessary. It works. It’s not work that blows the socks off spectators, but it works.
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Right now, it may difficult to find a trainer so here’s a few suggestions.
I dont know if you are familiar with dressage terms so if you are please pardon me if I seem to be talking down to you.
Teaching a horse to seek contact comes from the horse using his hind.
Since he is a worrier you want to work on exercises that create relaxation.
For instance , work on asking him to lengthen at the walk. You want him to push off from hind legs and step further under himself, tracking up.
You use your leg aids to do this.
Keep just enough rein length to maintain contact.
As he moves along , his head will lower.
That is what you want.
When you and he are comfortable, you can start working at the trot.
The goal here is self carriage and that takes time for the horse to build the correct muscles.
He will learn to seek contact because he will learn to trust that you won’t cause him pain or discomfort.
A soft giving hand does not mean dropping the reins .
It means using the least pressure you need to apply the aid
You dont have to limit yourself to just these suggestions. There are many excellent resources on the internet and books that will explain in greater detail the information you are looking for.
If you read something or see something you arent sure about then dont be afraid to post again
Down the road , depending on your goals, you want a trainer who can demonstrate and explain the training scale.
But in the meantime , you can still work with your horse .
Good luck, hope this helps.
I tried to give you enough details without overwhelming you, but if I am not clear I do apologize.
