stubburn horse

I rescued a horse back in May under weight. She is getting better and vat said ok to start riding. She is 18 years young and will do well on ground. But when I get on she dose not want to go. I do not want to use a crop on her. I can get her to go if someone is on the ground pointing her forward. Then I can keep her going. We do just short rides. She is a quarter hose. Need help.

Put as much pressure as you need to get her moving forward (use a crop if needed)but no more than necessary.

you only got her in may underweight shes tired and weak feed her and light duties until next may she will be a different horse then i had a poor one used to lie in the road whilst in harness and cart i was boiling but plain and simple it takes a lot longer to put their strengh back then it does to take it away

I would take her back to basics and work her on a line or in a pen and get her to understand walk, trot, canter, whoa etc. Then go back to the saddle. If you cant move a horse on the ground you will never move it in the saddle :)


Kay

I can move her on the ground. I do think she is strong enough to handle what I am asking her she is running out in the field. I am being understanding that she is under weight and has not been handled much. Just thout you all had more ideas.

I would say use a crop, or just the end of your reins. Kicking till the sun goes down probably won't help, but using constant pressure on her sides like kevinshorses said would.

I started riding on a rescue horse who had come to the ranch i rode at significantly underweight, and he also had an attitude problem. We used a crop on him and once he figured out what it meant you just had to carry it, and then eventually you didn't even have to carry it. The more weight she gets on her, the stubborner she'll get, so push her while she's still semi-sweet. Also try and lengthen your rides so she doesn't start throwing fits when you ask her to suddenly go on a three hour stint around the block or something.

Ill tell you what i did with my fiance's aunts stubborn horse and i read this in the Horse And Rider magazine. On a scale of about 1-10 rate how hard you have to kick to get him to move forward into the walk, trot, canter or whatever you want him to do. The one thing a lot of people tend to do is kick and kick and kick until the rider is out of breath and just gives up. The horse learns to ignore such strong kicks but the funny thing is that he can feel a little fly land on him and twitch his skin to get it off right? So that there just tells you that he is ignoring your ongoing kicking. So get on and urge him forward and kick him light at about a 3 or 4. If he doesnt go nudge him with your crop or spurs right away, dont kick any stronger than 3 or 4 just use your crop or spurs after the first light kick. Think of it this way... (this saying is from Stacy Westfall by the way) Your mom asks you to clean your room and you say "sure ok" but you dont so she comes back in and says "you need to clean this now and i mean it!" you say "i will do it in a minute." You still have not done it so she comes back in and says "your grounded!"

He's probably doing the same thing. So basically dont give him a chance to say "ill do it in a minute" Once he doesnt do it after the first kick you need to reinforce this with the crop or spurs. Kinda like this... your mom says "clean your room." you say "ok i will" she comes back in and its not clean so she says right away "you are grounded!"

i hope you get it lol i dont explain it as well as Stacy Westfall does

Good luck

What does she do if you plop a horse in front of her to follow on a fun trail ride?

Maybe this isn't "training advice" and its cheating to some however some of the rescues I have owned, especially older, tend to be arena sour or just from being out of the loop, dropping weight, picking weight back up and living the pasture pet life/for whatever reason don't move to quickly. Most green horses I have are the same. I never ride a horse for its first time in the arena, I have my fiance take one of the trained horses out in front and for "babys first ride" ("Baby" being 3-4 years old) its a trail ride!

Just throwing it out there, maybe a ride in a group, just an easy 15-20 minute walk, would cheer her right up. I know I'm bored spit-less riding in circles - so are they!

Ride looking forward where you want to go, think to yourself "Standing is not an option, the back door is closed, move forward" Try all leg, vocal and kiss kiss noises, swatting your reins back and forth across her neck could work also - sometimes a combo of ALL of that.

thank you all, i do ride out with other horse, I thought that would help and it dose. I think just being understanding of her. She is my first rescue.