Here is a question I received from a gal from MI.

I recently purchased an 8yr old "Morgan gelding" that I was told was an experienced trail horse, no vices, etc. The seller only had a very cluttered pasture area so we rode him there among the other horses they had and he seemed to go fine. While loading him after purchase, my friend with me, later mentioned that the owners daughter told her they had only had him for 2months, after getting him from an auction. Anyway, I have found out from a friend who is an experienced rider, that he is rideable and plow reins, but very green. AS in started under saddle! He is very sweet and willing to please, stands well for grooming and mounting etc. One of the problems so far I have never come across is, if he does not want to go where I want him to go (under saddle) he walks backwards. He does this quickly and is very persistent. I have been making him circle, then I make him stand still, and then ask him again. I do not let him get his way on this, but he is stubborn! Any suggestions? Mona

The answer to 99% of all horse problems is to train the horse to go forward willingly, in a manner that is relaxed and under control. Some horses rear, buck, kick, shy, stand still when they are not willing to go forward. Your horse has chosen to back when he doesn't want to go forward. So the cure for all of the above problems starts with teaching the horse to go forward willingly, both mentally and physically.

First you have to get his attention, and I wouldn't recommend using force, fear or intimidation tactics or you may end up hurt. Second, ask yourself am I giving my horse mixed signals? Do I say go with my legs but whoa with my hands? Are you rewarding his forward motion with a loose rein or blocking it? The biggest discouragement of forward motion usually comes from a stiff rider with hands that constantly jerk the horse's mouth because they haven't developed an independent seat yet.

A rider who has an independent seat moves along with the motion of the horse's back , they don't need reins for balance, they don't grip with their legs, their feet just rest on the stirrups and their head is up looking where they are going, not at the horse's ears. When a rider has an unyielding seat, it assaults the horse's back and makes him reluctant to move forward willingly.

I like your idea of circles instead of straight lines. But I'm confused about why you would make him stand still, when you want forward motion. When you tell a horse to go forward, it is essential that you do not immediately tell him to slow down. I would ride a circle then turn it into a straight line for 20 feet, and then another circle followed by a 30 foot straight line. Gradually keep increasing the distance until he says, "Hey, we're going somewhere, me too!"

Another thing that I would do is focus on the hindquarters not the forehand or head. If you can loosen up the hindquarters, it is like revving up an engine. Move the hindquarters from side to side using an indirect rein and then turn it into a direct rein with a squeeze of your legs. Give a smooch and then spank your own chest as a warning that you are going to spank the horse. Start with a gentle spank, keep a steady rhythm until the horse takes any step forward. Immediately release your legs and the spank, then ride your horse like you are going somewhere.

Remember you are retraining your horse and this is always more work once a bad habit has been formed. You will need to go back to the foundation to fix this problem. I would recommend working the horse from the ground first to establish a good forward movement by tapping behind the drive line with a training stick (not a stingy whip) or the popper on the end of a lead. Most people underestimate the power of training your horse on the ground first. But I guarantee the responsiveness or lack thereof will transfer from the ground to the saddle.

Happy Trails,

sherry

"The trail is the thing, not the end of the trail. Travel too fast and you miss all you are traveling for." Louis L"mour

This is a picture of Dolly as a three year old in a horsemanship class at a show in Lander Wy. We've come a long way since then. She is now 8 years old, no she will be nine this spring. How time flies!

Just wanted to share a quick story about riding Dolly yesterday.

We were cantering along a fence line, and on the other side of the fence is a tree line wind break. I was working on cantering with straightness doing point to points. She was doing great head low, nice cadence, relaxed, ears pointing straight forward. All of a sudden I realize that there is a branch lower than it was last summer and it is about to smack me in the face, at a canter. Knowing it was going to hurt, I ducked and shifted my weight. I didn't try to slow her up or turn her in anyway. The reins remained loose. With a fluidity I have never felt before with her, she did a perfect flying lead change. She never missed a beat and stayed in the same cadence, and emotional stability. It was so fabulous because it was so natural.

I only wish that I could reproduce it every time I ask for one. As I arrived at our point to rest, I sat there chewing on what just happened as I allowed her to graze.

The big AAHA is that the reason it was so good is because it was so natural. There was no force, no resistance, no pressure (mental, emotional, or physical). There was only pure harmony of movement between horse and rider. She felt my shift and did in her body exactly what my body did. It was joyous.

I know it was an accident but it doesn't take away from the feeling it gave me. It reminds me of what I have heard some great trainers say, "take what the horse offers you and mold it." Now if I can just figure out how to do this.

The other AAHA is that I know the reason I have trouble reproducing this on command is that I brace and get very demanding . As soon as I start thinking it she feels my body tense up and she thinks "oh no here it comes, she's going to slam me into it. "

I do get flying lead changes with her, but never with the ease and comfort that I just experienced. It was a real lesson on being natural and riding with fluidity and harmony instead of pressure.

If I can train my brain to think, move into the lightness instead of away from the pressure I believe I will begin to get better results. I also have to convince her that I will give her the confidence and feel she needs to do it without resistance.

Another AAHAA, happened when we were again, cantering for straightness going point to point. I like to stop in front of our big poop pile. Behind it is a fence and more trees. It was about our third time to stop in front of this pile. I was confident and relaxed because she has an awesome stop. Just as I asked her to put on the brakes a barn cat jumps out of the trees. Well, you can probably guess that it startled both of us. Dolly did the most beautiful canter sideways to the right, and I stayed right in the middle like we were doing a dressage pattern. It only lasted about 4 strides and then she stopped and relaxed.

I was so proud of her, because she faced the scary cat the whole time. She didn't bolt. She simply stayed in cadence while going to the right, and then she relaxed quickly. This was a perfect controlled catastrophe on her part, all I did was stay in the middle of the saddle and stay off her head. I was the balanced passenger and she took care of me.

The AAHAA is that I have been working on lateral trotting and starting to move into canter with her. But the canter wasn't going well. I now know how it should feel, because again we did it naturally. At least I know we can do it well. It will just be a matter of me being able to approach the request in such a way that she understands and doesn't feel the need to resist it. Right now, I know I am expecting too much too soon. If I will build the steps a little at a time I know we will have better success.

"I've spent most of my life riding horses; the rest I've just wasted." --unknown

Happy Trails,

sherry