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Trotting in hand?

1K views 4 replies 4 participants last post by  Saddlebag 
#1 ·
I'm working with a warmblood mare for a lady and she wants me to teach her to trot in hand. I have absolutely no experienc with that, and figured I'd ask all you horse people; what's the best way to teach it? I've managed to get her to start trotting on line about 2 or 3 strides, but then she swings her body away and faces up to me. Any suggestions? I don't think she's had a lot of work done, I've been lunging her a bit but she won't even stand tied without pulling.
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#2 ·
Once you get the mare to lead nicely (required before trotting in hand will work well), the mare will follow you at whatever speed you set. Standing tied is kind of a basic, too, and I would address that before worrying about whether the mare will trot with good behavior.
 
#4 ·
I've been doing other work with her. She wants her trotting in hand for the fall classic sale, but the girl who was working with her before pretty much let her push her around, the only time she ever got her to trot the mare knocked her down and she didn't try again.
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#5 ·
Then first and foremost you need to get this mare respecting your space. I used a dressage whip to tickle a knee to back then out of my space and maybe a light tug on the lead. I may reward the horse with a treat ( great motivator) or a rub on the forehead. You can enter your horse's space but it cannot enter yours. Your space is the length of your arm. Draw a circle in the dirt and do not allow any part of the horse's body to enter that under any circumstance. When lunging her as you see she wants to turn and face you move your whip toward her jaw and wiggle it, even tap her to move her back out. At 3 she may not understand what is expected of her. Work on this at the walk only, both ways until she understands about staying out. Keep it to only about 15 min per session.
 
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