It is good to sit to the trot for short periods of time for only the amount of time that the horse can maintain it's back lifted under you. Becoming sensitive to whether the horses back is up while you are riding is the most important skill that the rider must develop so that they can get the most out of their horses without however going beyond that point of exhaustion and losing the back. Refer to the video "How To Develop The Sitting Trot".
Hi Will- I have a very green hunter jumper large pony, only under saddle for about a month. She is extremely compliant and fast learner as I've done some Clint Anderson ground work and a little riding, but she is really having trouble accepting the bit, gnawing at it, tossing her head. It seems very offensive to her. I've been riding with very little contact to help her and figured out when lunging to put snap on noseband and bit. When I was seeking advice about how to deal with it, I landed on your videos. Very helpful! Thank you! It's a new way of thinking for me. You advocate to help the horse to accept the bit we should encourage them to stretch down to find contact and ride and lunge like that. This also builds up their back and top line - It makes sense. I tried the lunging with side reins today making sure she relaxed and reached and then rode her letting her reach down- She was more content. My question is, how long do you ride a horse stretched down? weeks? months? Or do you do it for 20 minutes and then pick up the reins for more contact? what is the normal timeline? I've only seen you and your riders trot (when riding) When do you canter when mounted and do you try to stretch when cantering? (I can't imagine that?)
f mendoza Hi, yes we stretch in all three gaits. It is really very simple, once you get the horse to stretch into the contact and work over it’s back, everyday you start from that stretched position and then bring the horse’s head and neck up as high as you can without losing the connection across the back. If you do lose it, you simply stretch back down until you feel the horse reengage across it’s back. The hard part is the rider having the correct feel of back to know when that is happening. Most people today have never felt a horse connect correctly so they don’t recognize the moment when they can bring the head and neck up or need to lower it. Watch our videos carefully and study how the horses move when they are correct. Then at least you will have an idea of what it looks like. You were right to put the snap on the noseband as to try ride a horse that has not accepted the bit without the rider on is only going to be worse when the rider tries to take contact. You should never ride a horse that has not settled in the mouth and accepted the contact with the bit, to do so only leads to fighting. Remember, no matter how high a level a horse is, it should begin and end each session the same as any other, stretched! Watch the full length session with Amber and Legolas to get an idea of how we integrate the stretches throughout the training session.
Hi Will! I was wondering if sitting trot should be avoided altogether when developing a horse's topline? Or if it is good to sit trot but not ask for collection? Thank you.
The problem with Vienna reins is that they, like all other forms of draw reins, pull the neck backward or curl the neck over in the middle of the neck. When you learn to do ride correctly, you will understand that the head and neck go into the right position when you have the back end working correctly. That's what it means to work a horse from the back to front, instead of trying to position the head and neck first by using some form of device that give the rider more strength in their hands.
Why do you put the clip of the lunge line on the inside hoop of the bit? Does it matter what you do with the clip? I've always learned to do it either through the bit's inside hoop, under the chin and clip it on the outside hoop; or put it through the inside hoop, then over the horse's head and hook it on the outside hoop...
Hi Will, I notice that sometimes Vienna reins are used and sometimes side reins. What is the major difference? Does it come down to what a specific horse needs in regards to a training issue? I use Vienna reins because my mare lifts her head and hollows her back out. I thank you in advance for your thoughts!
each time i see you bending the horses nick i bend my own nick involuntary...i really thing you should consider doing a dvd about the way of a correct lunging
Like most devices, in the hands of an expert they can be helpful but in the hands of a beginner they can ruin a horse in no time. Remember, the neck should go down and out with the nose in front of the vertical with no break anywhere in the neck and flexed at the pole. So beware of over flexing with the Vienna reins. Side reins simply limit the length and allow the horse to develop contact without being pulled behind the vertical.
Hi Will, I have an issue, every time I lunge my boy Baylee he never seems to get into the zone and will eventually try to face me up and then buck, kick out and run. I have no idea why he does this because under saddle he is fine. Do you have any suggestions on what I should do?
It is good to sit to the trot for short periods of time for only the amount of time that the horse can maintain it's back lifted under you. Becoming sensitive to whether the horses back is up while you are riding is the most important skill that the rider must develop so that they can get the most out of their horses without however going beyond that point of exhaustion and losing the back. Refer to the video "How To Develop The Sitting Trot".
Thank you, great video. Can't wait to practice these techniques on my new guy.
Hi Will- I have a very green hunter jumper large pony, only under saddle for about a month. She is extremely compliant and fast learner as I've done some Clint Anderson ground work and a little riding, but she is really having trouble accepting the bit, gnawing at it, tossing her head. It seems very offensive to her. I've been riding with very little contact to help her and figured out when lunging to put snap on noseband and bit.
When I was seeking advice about how to deal with it, I landed on your videos. Very helpful! Thank you! It's a new way of thinking for me. You advocate to help the horse to accept the bit we should encourage them to stretch down to find contact and ride and lunge like that. This also builds up their back and top line - It makes sense. I tried the lunging with side reins today making sure she relaxed and reached and then rode her letting her reach down- She was more content. My question is, how long do you ride a horse stretched down? weeks? months? Or do you do it for 20 minutes and then pick up the reins for more contact? what is the normal timeline? I've only seen you and your riders trot (when riding) When do you canter when mounted and do you try to stretch when cantering? (I can't imagine that?)
f mendoza Hi, yes we stretch in all three gaits. It is really very simple, once
you get the horse to stretch into the contact and work over it’s back,
everyday you start from that stretched position and then bring the
horse’s head and neck up as high as you can without losing the
connection across the back. If you do lose it, you simply stretch back
down until you feel the horse reengage across it’s back. The hard part
is the rider having the correct feel of back to know when that is
happening. Most people today have never felt a horse connect correctly
so they don’t recognize the moment when they can bring the head and neck
up or need to lower it. Watch our videos carefully and study how the
horses move when they are correct. Then at least you will have an idea
of what it looks like. You were right to put the snap on the noseband
as to try ride a horse that has not accepted the bit without the rider
on is only going to be worse when the rider tries to take contact. You
should never ride a horse that has not settled in the mouth and accepted
the contact with the bit, to do so only leads to fighting. Remember, no
matter how high a level a horse is, it should begin and end each
session the same as any other, stretched! Watch the full length
session with Amber and Legolas to get an idea of how we integrate the
stretches throughout the training session.
Hi Will!
I was wondering if sitting trot should be avoided altogether when developing a horse's topline? Or if it is good to sit trot but not ask for collection? Thank you.
The problem with Vienna reins is that they, like all other forms of draw reins, pull the neck backward or curl the neck over in the middle of the neck. When you learn to do ride correctly, you will understand that the head and neck go into the right position when you have the back end working correctly. That's what it means to work a horse from the back to front, instead of trying to position the head and neck first by using some form of device that give the rider more strength in their hands.
Why do you put the clip of the lunge line on the inside hoop of the bit? Does it matter what you do with the clip? I've always learned to do it either through the bit's inside hoop, under the chin and clip it on the outside hoop; or put it through the inside hoop, then over the horse's head and hook it on the outside hoop...
Hi Will,
I notice that sometimes Vienna reins are used and sometimes side reins. What is the major difference? Does it come down to what a specific horse needs in regards to a training issue? I use Vienna reins because my mare lifts her head and hollows her back out. I thank you in advance for your thoughts!
each time i see you bending the horses nick i bend my own nick involuntary...i really thing you should consider doing a dvd about the way of a correct lunging
Where in the world did you get those side reins? I can't find any that long! I have to add baling twine. What brand are they?
Zayden G Any with rubber donuts will do, just be sure they are long enough. We get ours at Mary's Tack.
Like most devices, in the hands of an expert they can be helpful but in the hands of a beginner they can ruin a horse in no time. Remember, the neck should go down and out with the nose in front of the vertical with no break anywhere in the neck and flexed at the pole. So beware of over flexing with the Vienna reins. Side reins simply limit the length and allow the horse to develop contact without being pulled behind the vertical.
Hi Will, I have an issue, every time I lunge my boy Baylee he never seems to get into the zone and will eventually try to face me up and then buck, kick out and run. I have no idea why he does this because under saddle he is fine. Do you have any suggestions on what I should do?
+Amchara Kebngoen www.art2ride.com/blog/horses-that-spook-teaching-relaxation/
+Amchara Kebngoen www.art2ride.com/blog/training-tip-get-your-horse-in-the-zone/