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Problem with turning

1K views 5 replies 5 participants last post by  Valentina 
#1 ·
Okay, I know this makes me sound like a total imbecile for asking but when I am riding in the arena my horse turns easily left and right when I ask him... BUT when I am out on a hack (or anything else outside of the arena) when he does not want to do anything... e.g; walk further down the road or if he is by himself, he stops and he will not turn right, he opens his mouth to evade the bit and wont even move even when I ask him with stronger aids. I have tried to ride him with a flash band but he still does not listen. On the other hand I can turn him left but he still will not move forward.
I would really appreciate the help :)
CraziHorsies

P.S He moves easier on the left side
 
#2 ·
Horse has your number. It doesn't suit him to ride off, so the holes in his training show up.

And the flash does nothing. Gaping mouth means either you are IN his mouth too much, hands aren't still, or he is using that to keep from moving off.

This is rider respect problem, not equipment problem.

Imagine it is showing up elsewhere too, as it usually does.

You need to get this horse paying attention to you ASAP.

There are many threads on here for dealing with barn sour horse, which is what you have.
 
#3 ·
Yep horse is chumping you. There a couple things you can do one is work him really hard and hustle feet in the arena and make going down the trail easy work. Second when he plants his feet on the trail yield his hind quarters with energy right where he is in both directions then ask him to walk forward. Third and if it is feasible and this will take more time start in the arena or where ever he wants to be work him hard, walk down the trail and before he quits you, go back to where he wants to be hustle his feet, go back down the trail a little farther. Make the right thing easy and wrong thing difficult.

Also get him soft at lateral flexion on both sides, he is stiff and knows how to avoid the bit, if you only use one rein at a time and teach him to give to light pressure the turning right problem will take care of itself. When he won't give bump him off the bit on the one side and and as soon as he gives release the pressure. Hope this helps.
 
#5 ·
Thanks for all the feedback, I will try to do that. I do ride him quite hard in the arena and a trail ride is just for fun for the both of us. He is easier to turn with leg aids so that is what I do to turn him as well as slight rein use. He only does this when I ride alone... when I am with friends he is almost perfect. Where would these holes in his training be? I mostly trained him myself so it would be my fault, he was only racetrained when I got him. How would I teach him to leg yield and more lateral work?
 
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