Uninterested Gelding

[LawsofMurph]

UPDATE!

Well I rode dear old Murphy today keeping everything that has been mentioned on here in mind.It was a shocking improvement.

We rode on a moderately loose rein pretty much the hole time and I consciously made an effort not to pinch with my knees/thighs and he was fantastic! There were no sticky spots, he threw no tantrums, and he even “jumped” into the canter instead of falling into it. I tried to keep it exciting and put up a course of poles and did lots of loops and circles and transitions to keep him on his toes.

Thanks, you guys, for helping me realize what I was doing wrong! This is only one day of this effort, but hopefully it leads to more!

[LHL]

What a handsome horse, looks like he could be wonderful. Looking at your photo, I think that, because of your hunt seat and defensive habits, you are getting in his way. As my Hungarian dressage instructor used to say, “First, the horse has to go.” When your horse closes down, he is talking to you loud and clear. So my suggestion is to first work on your own position and seat - exclusively, before working on your horse. Correct seat, position, and use of aids is essential. There is much to be learned by reading Sally Swift’s Centered Riding and other newer books about how to: locate and then sit on your seat bones, how to relax your thighs and lengthen your legs, how to soften your arms and hands, how to allow and then follow your horse’s movement. Do you have someone who could lunge you without stirrups or reins so that your body can learn a new way of balancing without being concerned about control of your horse? Switching from hunter-land to dressage is a process and may be a lengthy one. Enjoy learning your new skills and your horse should come along with you.

[ThreeFigs]

Cheers, LawsofMurph!