first time owner questions

Hey, my horse I have just now used to be a carriage horse, so her transitions are not too great. She sticks her nose out too at times so how could I stop that?

She's also been brought back into work recently as I had an injury caused by another horse, and I havent been doing heavy work with her, just light to get her fit again, but she has started putting her ears back when going into a transition, even without the saddle and I don't know why she would be doing it because her saddle fits her fine, and she does it when bareback aswell.

Id also quite like to get her onto an outline once her transitions are sorted but im not sure if it's possible as she used to be a carriage horse. Im a first time owner so I havent really had much experience with problems like this.

Also, her hind legs click all the time, but she doesnt show any signs of lameness or being sore, she's pretty natural with it haha. But is this a problem or going to be a problem in later life? She is 11 years old just now.

Answers will be well appreciated :)

It sounds like she is in pain somewhere. I would personally get her checked out. Check her legs, joints, hips, and feet for issues. If that isn't the problem then I would look at getting someone in to help you. Either an instructor or a trainer would be ideal.

If she is not used to bearing weight on her back, then it'll take time . I guess you might have to be pretty patient. Could the ear thing be just attitude, like "I don't want to work!" Some mares just are that way. Does she put them forward once you transition up to the gait? You are certain that you aren't bumping her mouth when she does change gait? It could be, that since she flings her head into the air when transitioning, that she gets bumped by the bit.
Carrieage horses do most of their work by pulling with their shoulders, and they really need their heads for balance It'll take time for her to start using her hind end more and once she does, she won't need to throw her head for balance.
(assuming this is not a pain issue)

When you say her hind legs click do you mean that they click inside the joints? Like the stifles or hocks? Or are you talking about the hooves click against each other?

I used to ride an ex-carriage horse. He seriously trotted so big there was some AIRTIME between each stride! As tinyliny said, they use their shoulders so you're going to have lots of nose-in-the-air until you retrain her to use her hind end. The clicking is probably her hooves hitting. They're really sloppy with their hind end because they just aren't used to using it. Just start on the ground with building up her butt, maybe ride her up some hills, and she will improve.

Good luck!

I shall look into that :)

Nah she has been a riding horse for a few years now but hasnt had an owner in a while as she used to belong to a riding school but no clients were able to ride her because she likes to have only one rider to ride her, but she's getting better with that :) she also used to get left in the field over the winter, I have no idea why, its just something that the boss did, and I think this is the first winter that she is working.

Ye her ears go straight forward again and she's fine after the transition, I find it so strange. She always has her ears pricked forward after the tranisition too. The ear thing could possibly be attitude aswell though as she does get abit grumpy haha. And ye im pretty sure I don't, I have her reins pretty loose as she likes a soft contact. Aah right I see, so lots of up hill walking and stuff to build her hind muscles then yes?

Its not the hoofs going against eachother, its like ...hmmm, how do I describe it? I think its inside the joints, like when someone has a wrist that clicks or an ankle or whatever, its like when your crack your fingers. Someone told me that I should get joint supplements as that might help, but they are so expensive!! Any suggestions?

Aah thanks snookeys :)