Hello.. For those of you who dont know, i have a 4YO gelding who had a bit of an attitude problem. Basically the long and short of it is he has had 5 homes in 4 years (im his 5th) and his previous 2 owners was a 17 year old girl who didnt have a clue, and a gypsy. He doesnt trust humans and hasn't had real time and work spent on him.
I have him now on a new yard (he loves it), new tack, rugs ect everything. he is now ridable. and i am schooling him to the best of my abilities. I will walk, halt, and trot him confidently. but when he decides he has had enough he will try taking me to the gate. i never had any control from him during this napping. so a friend of mine mentioned a Myler combined bit instead of the snaffle. she said. try this for a few months or until he has more respect for you as a rider and the bit, then go back to the snaffle. SO... today was day 2 with this new bit and i ADORE it! I am very light handed, and i pride myself for being so.. he still leans a little on the bit, but im letting that slide at the moment just until he is used to the different pressure.
I would like to know what i should work on next. His balance was very bad. as bad as cutting all corners so the school was actually a circle! now i can ride him calmly, and not rushed through every corner, and trot circles. I do not want to head into a canter until all aspects of trot have been established, but i dont want to take him to advanced trotting without a rewarding canter somewhere in-between (i lose control with canter, he will take off around bends and hurry back to the gate and try barging through. so until his manners improve, i do not feel confident to canter him. he is learning very quickly though !)
I know i will be getting "work on his manners first" but i am doing that with creating something new in the school to do. he can serpentine through the school in walk and trot without rushing, he can have a beautiful flowing trot picked up at any point in the school, we are even beginning to tackle trotting poles (shown in video). I'm stuck with the 'what's next' question. I dont plan on doing it right away, not until he has learned to think about his feet with poles confidently, without clipping them, or stepping on them and skidding off (yeah he done that haha)...
Any advice given will be welcomed ! Has anyone else been here and done this??
This is when i first met him. and being honest since then i been in control. his owner didnt have a clue so i took charge. ended up loaning him, then buying him.
This is now. (please excuse the napping.. i am working on this )
Day 1
Day 2
Day 2(With ground poles)
What do we think?? I dont know 100% what im doing, but i wont do anything unless i know both me and him are comfortable with doing so. I also have support from other people on the yard. (plus i do my research too)
I have him now on a new yard (he loves it), new tack, rugs ect everything. he is now ridable. and i am schooling him to the best of my abilities. I will walk, halt, and trot him confidently. but when he decides he has had enough he will try taking me to the gate. i never had any control from him during this napping. so a friend of mine mentioned a Myler combined bit instead of the snaffle. she said. try this for a few months or until he has more respect for you as a rider and the bit, then go back to the snaffle. SO... today was day 2 with this new bit and i ADORE it! I am very light handed, and i pride myself for being so.. he still leans a little on the bit, but im letting that slide at the moment just until he is used to the different pressure.
I would like to know what i should work on next. His balance was very bad. as bad as cutting all corners so the school was actually a circle! now i can ride him calmly, and not rushed through every corner, and trot circles. I do not want to head into a canter until all aspects of trot have been established, but i dont want to take him to advanced trotting without a rewarding canter somewhere in-between (i lose control with canter, he will take off around bends and hurry back to the gate and try barging through. so until his manners improve, i do not feel confident to canter him. he is learning very quickly though !)
I know i will be getting "work on his manners first" but i am doing that with creating something new in the school to do. he can serpentine through the school in walk and trot without rushing, he can have a beautiful flowing trot picked up at any point in the school, we are even beginning to tackle trotting poles (shown in video). I'm stuck with the 'what's next' question. I dont plan on doing it right away, not until he has learned to think about his feet with poles confidently, without clipping them, or stepping on them and skidding off (yeah he done that haha)...
Any advice given will be welcomed ! Has anyone else been here and done this??
This is when i first met him. and being honest since then i been in control. his owner didnt have a clue so i took charge. ended up loaning him, then buying him.
This is now. (please excuse the napping.. i am working on this )
Day 1
Day 2
Day 2(With ground poles)
What do we think?? I dont know 100% what im doing, but i wont do anything unless i know both me and him are comfortable with doing so. I also have support from other people on the yard. (plus i do my research too)