Im not sure if this is where i should post this but i need some advice.
I have my 5 year old gelding, a thoroughbred/tennessee walker cross and ive had him for almost 2 years now. When i first started riding him he was an absolute dream but now im fearing there is something wrong.
He was good for the first year an a half until recently he bucked me off and bolted all the way home. I thought maybe at first it was something i did but after talking to my mom to watched him start bucking for no reason i realized it had something to do with my tack.
I had him in a Tom Thumb for the first year an a half with a chin strap loosely on. He responded really well to that but i thought i would change his bit to something else. I am sending my mare out to get trained in August and talking to my trainer she told me that it wasnt a good bit to use so i opted to switching it out and trying out a different saddle, thinking maybe there was something wrong with that as well. I have switched it to a c-bit, i know one of the harshest bits someone can use, hoping that maybe he was just getting stubborn and not wanting to respond anymore.
Well no, not the case, i then tied my chin strap, still nothing. I am not a harsh rider, i dont even kick my horses to go, i click my tongue but my horse doesnt want to turn the way i want him to (he doesnt neck rein) i am now having to resort to using both hands to turn his head the direction i want him to go and really kicking him. Its not just in one space its almost everywhere we go now. I fear hes lost the joy to go riding now =( but hes so young still!
I have on order a driving sinch for ground driving and a full cheek bit hoping to start out fresh again with ground work. But i want to hear some other ideas =( im trying to find out different options before i send him to the vet to get his teeth checked/done.
I am really concerned about this, i just dont understand how a horse using a Tom Thumb for a year an a half perfectly just suddenly ups and decides that he doesnt like it anymore, i mean its happened of course but i keep thinking that its me doing something wrong, when i know im not.
Please help and im really sorry about this long post!
I have my 5 year old gelding, a thoroughbred/tennessee walker cross and ive had him for almost 2 years now. When i first started riding him he was an absolute dream but now im fearing there is something wrong.
He was good for the first year an a half until recently he bucked me off and bolted all the way home. I thought maybe at first it was something i did but after talking to my mom to watched him start bucking for no reason i realized it had something to do with my tack.
I had him in a Tom Thumb for the first year an a half with a chin strap loosely on. He responded really well to that but i thought i would change his bit to something else. I am sending my mare out to get trained in August and talking to my trainer she told me that it wasnt a good bit to use so i opted to switching it out and trying out a different saddle, thinking maybe there was something wrong with that as well. I have switched it to a c-bit, i know one of the harshest bits someone can use, hoping that maybe he was just getting stubborn and not wanting to respond anymore.
Well no, not the case, i then tied my chin strap, still nothing. I am not a harsh rider, i dont even kick my horses to go, i click my tongue but my horse doesnt want to turn the way i want him to (he doesnt neck rein) i am now having to resort to using both hands to turn his head the direction i want him to go and really kicking him. Its not just in one space its almost everywhere we go now. I fear hes lost the joy to go riding now =( but hes so young still!
I have on order a driving sinch for ground driving and a full cheek bit hoping to start out fresh again with ground work. But i want to hear some other ideas =( im trying to find out different options before i send him to the vet to get his teeth checked/done.
I am really concerned about this, i just dont understand how a horse using a Tom Thumb for a year an a half perfectly just suddenly ups and decides that he doesnt like it anymore, i mean its happened of course but i keep thinking that its me doing something wrong, when i know im not.
Please help and im really sorry about this long post!