Hi all, I just bought a sweet sweet quarter horse mare named Honey that my trainer rescued from a kill pen in colorado. She's perfectly healthy according to the vet just not very well muscled.
I've ridden her exactly 2 times, the first time went awesome, second time (today) went... not so great. It's my fault I think, I made the mistake of not lunging her first and not moving her saddle farther back than normal (because she's slightly down hill and not well muscled at her withers so the saddle likes to slip forward and pinch her shoulders). She wasn't very willing to go forward and bucked a few times... I'll try lunging her and putting her saddle farther back... today made me realize training her to be an english is going to be more of a challenge than I realized, but I'm ok with that!!!
anyway, onto my question : does anyone have experience starting a western horse in english? If so what's your experience with getting the horse to accept contact with the bit? What about getting the horse to collect properly? Any challenges I might not have considered that you've run into?
Thanks! I'm starting to worry a bit although I know today was my fault and it'll turn out ok but I need some reassurance...
I've ridden her exactly 2 times, the first time went awesome, second time (today) went... not so great. It's my fault I think, I made the mistake of not lunging her first and not moving her saddle farther back than normal (because she's slightly down hill and not well muscled at her withers so the saddle likes to slip forward and pinch her shoulders). She wasn't very willing to go forward and bucked a few times... I'll try lunging her and putting her saddle farther back... today made me realize training her to be an english is going to be more of a challenge than I realized, but I'm ok with that!!!
anyway, onto my question : does anyone have experience starting a western horse in english? If so what's your experience with getting the horse to accept contact with the bit? What about getting the horse to collect properly? Any challenges I might not have considered that you've run into?
Thanks! I'm starting to worry a bit although I know today was my fault and it'll turn out ok but I need some reassurance...