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Stopping at the door

804 views 3 replies 3 participants last post by  Magdalena 
#1 ·
Hello everybody!
I have a tiny little problem with my recently bought Hispanoarabian mare, I hope I'm writing it in the correct thread...


Every time I lunge her, as long as it's to her good side, which is right, she works perfectly. We change the side and that's when the problem appears... In the barn where I keep her there's a ring for lunging and, obviously, a door. Every time I ask her to trot to the left, she stops at that door. And no matter what I do, she won't go further.


How can I change that?
 
#2 ·
She must be showing signs of thinking of stopping moments BEFORE the door. Don't let that happen. If she has time to plan a stop, she's got too much time on her hands (hooves :D ), so give her something else to think about - whenever she starts showing even the slightest signs of just thinking of stopping, ask for gait transitions, direction changes, lengthening the stride, and expect immediate response. Remain calm and positive, praise her for even the slightest "try", but make sure all her mind is on you, not the door.

If she goes by the door effortlessly, concentrated on what she has to do right at that moment, let her, you should find the sweet spot in which you feel relaxed and she feels like she could be going like that forever. I would suggest that after the first time she crosses that point without showing even the slightest hesitation at the door, you should praise her heavily and end the session until next time, so that the point is very clear - just make sure you don't stop and end the session at the door!

One more thing - try stopping your sessions, praising her and letting her relax away from the door, but the door itself - a place where most of the work HAS to be done. She'll quickly lose interest of that spot, that I can guarantee. ;)
 
#3 ·
You lead her from the left-correct?.Baring any physical problem, she is just deciding that work is done, stopping at that door, going in the direction of the side you lead her from.
Mix it up. Lunge her to the left first, so she is not thinking of work being over, soon as she changes directions, There are show horses, where it is usual to first work them to the left at all gaits, then change directions. Some will try to drift in to center, once this happens, anticipating line up, and end of class
If you know she is going to try and stall out at that gate, don't wait for her to stp, but drive her forward, hard, before she gets to that trouble spot
 
#4 ·
I normally start out with the easier side to warm her up, today I started with the tougher one and right away happened the same... It might be also because I react too late to it, now that I think about it. I guess I give her too much time to think.
 
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