How to teach horse...

Hello
I just changed my horses bit to a snaffle since she has been having issue fighting the bit when I want her to go certain directions.She only wants to go her way and so we have been working on it. Anyways,this evening I went out to go ride and she was doing great since she had another horse to follow BUT if she doesn't have any horse to follow or if she doesn't see her goal,which would be going back to see her friends she will have a fit. I have been doing circles with her and making her stand and be patient. Sometimes this doesn't work.

Also I was reaaallly excited because it was the first time my horse and I were actually galloping.It was a little scary cause I never did before. I was keeping good balance untill the end when I wanted her to slow down(I was losing balance and leaned forward and grabbed her mane).She was so worked up she didn't want to stop running but I did and I finally got her to stop.
My husband went to go take care of the horses since he was done riding and my horse was not liking that her buddies were not near her so she tried to go her way and I made her go the other way. I finally got her to pay attention and thought we were getting somewhere untill after a few circles we started heading back and she tried taking off while I was going to do a small trot and then walk. She didn't like that and snorted and reared some which scared me. I purposely yanked the reins back that time and she stopped and we walked back. I lunged her afterwards and she bucked and stuff and I got mad BUT I didn't take it out on her. She only likes going one way when lunged and she gets nervous and began to poop. She had a bad experience because my old friend use to hit her all the time because well my horse isnt found of being lunged.
She might be heard bound.She is only like that while riding. She doesn't mind if she is away from them if she isn't saddled up.

I need some help with her. She has been spoiled and I am trying to fix that. I do not have money for her to go to a trainer and no spare money to take lessons so I am taking it into my own hands. I am hoping someone has some advice.


Sorry for the novel.

Please, before you gallop a horse, have control of them at a walk?

I agree. Though exciting, letting your horse pick the speed is just going to make her harder to control. You want to continue to work with her at a walk/trot until she consistantly listens before going any faster.

Keep bending her in circles, she will realize that it's easier to listen to you than to keep bending in circles. Never!! Never!! Yank back on the reins. A horse can brace against it and keep on going. Lunging is good when you get back because then if she's barn sour she will realize that she has to work when she gets back, so she won't be looking forward to it. The only way to fix a spoiled horse is consistency.

How old is she? When was she broke? How long have you had her? Was she rode consistently before you got her?

If she is really fighting you to go one way or the other, you might make sure there is not a physical reason she fights it. She may be having pain on that particular side.
If that isn't it then I suggest you do lots and lots and lots of transition work. Take her from a walk to a trot then slow her back down so she knows the proper cue for each speed. I'm not sure how experienced you or your horse is so pretty basic, chose a cue either a click or or the word "trot" "canter" etc. for each speed. Use your legs, seat and hands (move your hands forward) to give the cue to move forward. Once she is at that speed and you want her to slow down, chose a cue either "easy" "walk" etc. sit back in the saddle and squeeze and release the reins till she slows. Do this over and over and over until she will change speeds with just a word or leg/seat movement. So many people will get in a horses mouth with the bit at a constant pressure. After awhile that pressure is meaningless to the horse. Make your cues clear and consistent.
If you can't afford a trainer for yourself or your horse, try to get as much knowledge as you can from a horsey type friend or wherever you can. Never let your horse go a speed you have not asked it to go and never let it run home. Try to stay safe, don't get emotional (horses don't understand it) and take your time. Good luck

She isn't seeing you as HER leader... and you aren't seeing her tension before it turns into a bigger problem.

It sounds like you need to work on your own emotions and getting a hold of them too. Learn to be 'neutral' around your horse - because the horse can feel every emotion (if not every thought) that goes through you. Even if you don't take your anger out on the horse, the horse feels that anger - and it will only compound any issues already being seen. Remember to leave your human 'stuff' at home when you work with your horse.

Take some time to do simple ground work with her... alone, with other horses nearby, with other horses leaving her.

Do it without the tack, and with - have her move away from you, towards you, in circles, backwards... sideways... well any direction you might ask her to go from the saddle. Keep her focus on you.

When you're in the saddle do the same sort of thing. Learn to use your seat and leg before your hands - eventually you'll find you don't need your hands at all. Learn to feel your horse, when she starts to tense up, when she's relaxed... when she's in between. Learn to notice when your horse's focus is not on you, and learn how to bring it back to you - quietly.

I do about 30 minutes of ground stuff with my horses to go with 30min-1hr of riding. From the ground I can let my horse show me how I'm feeling on the day, if I'm holding onto things or letting things go, if I'm clear of any blocks (mental or physical)... and it will help set up a dialog for our riding work (*note* I don't HAVE to do the groundwork first to go for a ride, I choose to do so because it's a good starting point)

I also agree with the others... learn to walk before you run.

She is about 7-8. I am not sure when she was exactly broke but she was a gaming horse for the majority of her life. She was ridden by some children before during a summer and the guy I got her from rode her as well but she had an attitude then as well but that was because she had a bad back. I have had her for 6 months.
I had the vet out and we got her back fixed and she doesn't have any problem now. I also bought an ESP theraputic pad for her and that has helped tremendously I think she is spoiled and a bit sour to be honest and yes, I should have not galloped with her. I can walk no problem and she listens,I can trot and she listens to my cues except she does break but when I know she is I try to keep her motivated and she does keep going.Sometimes I'm not aware of when she is going to break so I do need to focus on that. I can lope with her and have no issues. She will slow down when asked and I can an emergency stop with her as well with doing the side pull rein and bringing her head across.
I have also been working on flexion and I do lunge her but she gets so scared. It's traumatic for her and I understand but she can also get a little dangerous. She has good days and bad days. She will stop when asked and she will face me when stopped and she will come when asked and I can back her up. There are just some more things we need to work on because we are not all the way there.
It seems like some days I can control her and somedays I have trouble. I know it was foolish to gallop yesterday but I got excited so my emotions got the best of me I won't do it again untill we master the rest completely.
Am I making any sense?

I am sure we have all had days where we get excited and let our emotions get the best of us when it comes to horses yet this can be very dangerous. I know I should be lectured about it but I just want some help and I know that people are helping me. I just hope I don't get any rude comments cause that sucks.

What bit did you change her from? If she needs flexion at all, beit left and right, and lateral, I'd suggest using a ported correctional. Sounds to me like she was running through the snaffle, and to be honest, I wouldn't be trying to learn with a horse and teach it correct cues in a snaffle.

One good exercise you can do with her is walk her in a small, tight circle. 8 ft diameter or less. Use pressure on your inside foot to bend her ribs around your inside leg. You will need to slightly tip her nose INTO the circle, and make sure she has at least ONE ear AND ONE eye on you (just the corner of the eye... you don't want her head cranked around too far). Once she has the ear and eye on you and doesn't even make the slightest glance to the outside of the circle, lift up on the reins to shift her weight to the hind end, and apply pressure with your outside leg while relieving pressure on the inside, to encourage her to turn around and reverse the circle. Do the reverse, then the same exercise on the other side/other direction.

This will teach softness.

Soon, you will be able to expand your circle to 20' diameter at a trot, nose tipped in, ear and eye on you, ask for a whoa, lightly direct the nose around, relieve pressure on the inside leg as you apply to the outside leg, and encourage the turn.

Once she gets this down to an art, you will notice how much softer she is, and how much more accepting of direction she is. For this exercise, you will probably need a bigger bit than a snaffle to reduce having to pull on her face or rip the corners of her mouth if she refuses.

I suggest something like this:
http://images.auctionants.com/5348.jpg

Make sure that you get something with swivel shanks to encourage left and right. A solid port bit will not give you this.

Thank you so much!
I do have that bit.She does great in it but I was told I should work her in a snaffle..she had an O ring snaffle in the day I was riding. I was told that the one I was using was too harsh.

" I wouldn't be trying to learn with a horse and teach it correct cues in a snaffle. "

Is this because you can rip at the mouth or what?
Why do so many people recommend snaffles. Even beginner's do.