I have recently been asked to train a SSH and I have never worked with a gaited horse before. He rides nice,when in an enclosed space, but 1)he doesn't quiet understand the reining concept and 2) I for one do not know how to ask for each of his gaits.He's 8 years old and was ridden before I got ahold of him, but I have no idea how he was reined. I've tried everything I know to steer him. He does respond a little to direct reining but really over bends his neck and tries to spin around completely when I only ask for a small bend (the corner of the arena).
His owner and the lady who owns the barn where he is boarded wants him to be a trail horse. Well, I took him out in the bigger field today and walked him along the perimeter (all trees) and he freaked at one end of the field. The thing is, there are deer EVERYWHERE around here and he flips out at them. He refused to go anywhere near the end of the field that possibly had deer in the trees. I would appreciate any advice on "deer de-spooking" :wink:. He's definitely terrified of them and that end of the field. Even as I was walking him back towards the barn he acted as if he was going to rear :shock:.
His owner and the lady who owns the barn where he is boarded wants him to be a trail horse. Well, I took him out in the bigger field today and walked him along the perimeter (all trees) and he freaked at one end of the field. The thing is, there are deer EVERYWHERE around here and he flips out at them. He refused to go anywhere near the end of the field that possibly had deer in the trees. I would appreciate any advice on "deer de-spooking" :wink:. He's definitely terrified of them and that end of the field. Even as I was walking him back towards the barn he acted as if he was going to rear :shock:.