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heathermcbreen
Platinum Member
England
2132 Posts |
 Posted - 19 Feb 2007 : 10:44:59 AM
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My mare Asheena silver (high crabbet, Silver sheen grandaughter)... is fantastic in everyway, bought as a 9 yr old last summer unbroken .. just was a companion mare. I backed her and she is ridden out alone and in company no trouble .. novices ride her and she is very safe and sensible..... however.... to start with she was happy to just go along behind my other mare... now she argues and wants to be in front... this makes my part bred sulk and look miserable as she likes being in front too. When Ash is not allowed to go the speed she wants....(she has become more and more forward going the fitter she gets) she tries to get the reins off you by shoving her nose down to road level and then trying to trot or jog. She is only in a eggbutt snaffle and I dont want to keep her on a fixed tight rein. Some of the time she is happy to do a free walk on a relaxed rein but then... no .. she feels we should be moving quicker .. "give me more rein ...I'm off again"... She has a lovely neck carriage and never chucks her head in the air, it's not really a big issue but she nearly pulled my friend out of the saddle yesterday, cantering up a track.. that I admit I often gallop up .. she dropped her head to try to get free rein so she could gallop. I am really anti gadget and my paddocks are too wet and muddy to school... I wondered about trying her with a parelli rope bitless... thats what I used when I first backed her. Can you really stop a horse with one when out riding.. I dont mind using one in a confined area. This mare is superb, her full brother is an experienced and very sucessfull endurance horse called silver linnet. She obviously could do this herself as she can keep a good pace for miles..and she happily jumps ditches logs etc, its just she now likes going at the speed she chooses not the one you choose. I would like to try to stop this nose dropping before it gets too much of a habit. Any tips?? PS she is also in a grackle crossover noseband which is not done up tight. I am going to remove it and see if that helps.
Heather
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Big Mover
Gold Member
United Kingdom
999 Posts |
Posted - 19 Feb 2007 : 1:01:31 PM
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I would maybe get her teeth looked at before you change anything? Or have you thought about a Hackamore? |
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Adara_Arabians
Gold Member
England
736 Posts |
Posted - 19 Feb 2007 : 1:15:26 PM
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| have you thought about changing the pattern of your hacking, i find cantering and galloping up the same tracks makes them expect it, maybe if you changed things round and if possible went different places she may be a little more interested in what you want her to do rather than what she normally does. Does that make sense? |
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heathermcbreen
Platinum Member
England
2132 Posts |
Posted - 19 Feb 2007 : 1:18:13 PM
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| I rode her today on my own (I had not ridden her myself)for two months , and she was perfect, I have discovered that the problem was caused by me taking advantage of her good nature. I have been letting novice(ish) friends and relatives ride her because she is a good safe ride (unlike my part bred who is slightly unpredictable and spooky) Novice ish riders tend to keep more of a contact on the bit because they are possibly more nervous. This is what she resents.. I broke her in and I have a very light bit contact.. infact I ride on a very relaxed free rein using my voice a lot. I trust her because I know her. She did not snatch the reins once this morning on a five mile ride at various speeds and only needed the slightest contact and me saying whoa or walk please to slow down. Although I now know its not her with the problem how do I explain to my keen but inexperienced wanabe riders that they have crap hands and are messing up my horse. The horse dentist is booked in April to check both horses so I will do that as well. |
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Adara_Arabians
Gold Member
England
736 Posts |
Posted - 19 Feb 2007 : 1:51:07 PM
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Can you not kindly say you would prefer no one else to ride her until you have established the cause behind the problem, trying to refer to her teeth. By April they may have found something else to ride?
I personally cannot bear the thought of anyone else hacking out my horses or riding while im not there, which is terrible if i ever require a sharer. Its nice you have that bond with your horse to trust eachother and she clearly listens to you more than the others and proberly only appreciates you riding her. |
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anne
Gold Member
England
877 Posts |
Posted - 19 Feb 2007 : 5:10:11 PM
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Heather
If you do want them to ride why don’t you suggest them having lessons on her and make sure the instructor is aware of your concerns regarding their contact. No riding out until the problem is solved or they accept they do not have light enough hands
But if you are not bothered about them riding just use the she really needs a single rider until she is settled in her work angle and if she is getting more naughty with them they will probably accept without causing offence.
I have the same problem with my 13 2 New Forest I have often been approached by friends and family members who after there offspring have had an a lesson or two, or been pony treaking once on hols have suggested that they could always ride Ghost for me in that laughing but I'm deadly serious way and to be honest on a lead rein he is quite happy to walk up the lane and down doing the perfect pony (except when he does his full body shakes without any warning) but the minute the lead rein is of he is a full on 16 2 eventer I tend to suggest to them to come to watch us at an event and once they have seen use fly round a cross country course they get the point.
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..................................................................... Photo by David Evans |
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guisburn
Gold Member
United Kingdom
562 Posts |
Posted - 19 Feb 2007 : 8:51:16 PM
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Hi Heather
When we bring Shameerah back into work she pulls like a train on my arms. I asked my sons riding instructress (who gave me a couple of lessons when I was 11....enough said) and she advised raising the height that I positioned my hands above the mares withers, and when she tried to dictate the speed, to perform a series of 'half halts'. I believe my hand position was too low, and it does seem to reassert who is in charge.
Hope to see you again at the Nahl show/s this year!!
All the best
Melanie |
www.guisburnarabians.co.uk |
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heathermcbreen
Platinum Member
England
2132 Posts |
Posted - 20 Feb 2007 : 11:33:34 AM
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Thanks for all replies, My problem is ... having two ridden horses it is nice to go out hacking with them both together.. otherwise one is left out. The four people who are keen to ride out with me have to ride Ash as they would probably fall off Crystal .. the part bred who exhibits all the worst flighty arab traits to a high degree. Ash (the pure bred) is far more intelligent and sensitive to her rider which is good for me but not when more novice riders are on her. I would not say I am an especially good rider, I have not had lessons and dont do schooling .. some peeps would probably say I am sloppy and relaxed to the point of lazy. However I suppose 30 years of riding arabs means I am not fussed when they are quite on the ball and on their toes. I will have a go at trying to get the other riders to loosen up and give her more rein, if that doesnt work I will tell them they cant ride her. Shame as one is my son and at nearly 12 its the first time he has shown an interest in riding. I did sit him on a few unsuitable too big for him ponies when he was little but he fell off a few times and it put him off!!!
She is such a good mare, a one in a million super find, I cant risk her being messed about. She does not pull or shove her head down at all with me riding, unlike my part bred who can pull your arms out when she is in the mood for speed... which is quite a lot of the time. Another reason why I cant put relative novices on her.. that would really put them off. She can leap sideways at full gallop and stop in a cow pony skid you certainly need your wits about you. |
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