need more impulsion...

[widowmaker06]

I have a five year old NSH that I am training myself. So far we are doing very well, but lately I have had a problem with sending him forward into his bridle. When I give him leg to go forward he slows down, pins his ears and raises his head out of the bridle.

I have tried using the crop to reinforce forward motion but he gets more mad, the best way I know to get him to go forward is to completly give away the bridle and take up when he finaly goes forward.

Any advice as to send him forward without completly giving up the bridle? This happens going from the walk to the trot and even while trotting when I ask for more forward motion. Any advice would be extremly helpful!

[VLayne]

Barring any physical issues that would be causing his refusal to move out...

Try using spurs, or take off your spurs if you are using them (some horses hate them, some need them). Try different types of leg contact (sharp kick versus long "hug") and do not let up until he complies.

Cessation of the request is his reward for doing what you want.

He'll get it. Young'uns go through this once in awhile.

You can also work on this in lines. You can teach him that clucking means "move your booty, now" with a lash whip. Probably one or two reinforcements of "cluck means MOVE OUT" and he'll jump to attention when he hears you cluck under saddle. (I'm not advocating tarring and feathering him with it, just one or two reminders that you are in charge, not him).

Then once he understands "cluck means move" you can tie the clucking into a leg command or tap of the whip on his shoulder when riding.

[widowmaker06]

I work him in the long lines quite often. He used to be sluggish and then I really got after him to move forward ( with lunge whip) and it really helped him. He is spectacular in the lines its just getting the same results under saddle.

I will definitly try clicking when working in the lines so he can assosiate that with moving froward and I will try wearing spurs when I ride him. Thank you for the good advice!

[JLWmassage]

I have all so found that riding with a dressage whip can help. I feel a few taps on the butt or crop gets a horse to pay attention better than using a shorter whip on the shoulder.

[Cynthia]

I'm sure that you already know this, but just in case...
Make sure that when you are driving him forward, that you are giving him somewhere to go. You don't want to take too tight of a hold of his bridle AND drive him forward with legs/crop/spurs etc. More often than not, especially on a younger horse, this just encourages upward rather than forward, which you don't want.

Get him used to going forward with your leg pressure and voice (clucks) and then take in the bridle while he is going forward. He needs to respond to your cues for going forward while under saddle before you can really get the impulsion to properly collect him using both your legs and the bridle.

Once he gets used to going forward with your leg pressure, you can work on driving him forward into a collected, driving trot straight from the walk.

Once he understands/is comfortable with the leg pressure meaning FORWARD, one good way to get him into a nice trot can be sitting the trot for the first several steps using your legs to drive him forward and then your hands to collect him into the bridle. This allows the horse to settle himself into a trot before you throw in the posting motion of the rider.

[mskyar]

If you are using the crop on the shoulder make sure you aren't hitting him in the mouth at the same time, a very common occurence, best to put reins in one hand and tap him behind the saddle and your leg.......I agree, make sure he knows what a cluck means....and if possible while 'pushing' him forward lighten on the curb but maintain the snaffle pressure (to keep in form) then once he is moving, slowly increase the curb.

[High Stakes]

Are you working him under saddle in a snaffle or a double bridle? If he is now responding well in lines he should be able to carry that over to his under saddle work - what has changed from ground work to saddle work? Your hands? A curb bit?

Ride him in a snaffle with a martingale and leave the double bridle off until you are getting the response you want.

[Daisygirl]

Ride him in a snaffle with a martingale and leave the double bridle off until you are getting the response you want.

Ditto. And when he's where you want him to be in his snaffle, put a running martingale on the snaffle of his full bridle. This will help you and him develop a feel as to where his head should be and mouth should feel like.

WHen he goes to put his head up in the air, DON'T give the bridle to him. Keep your hands back to your body, keep pressure on the snaffle, and kick him forward with both legs until he he goes forward. If you crack him on the butt, make sure you don't turn his mouth lose and give him the bridle back. You have to keep his mouth while you crack him. It's tricky.

[SmartAlex]

If you crack him on the butt, make sure you don't turn his mouth lose and give him the bridle back. You have to keep his mouth while you crack him. It's tricky.

Whip in right hand, Choke up on your reins, knuckles on the neck, take a loop of mane in your left middle finger, transfer right reins to left hand, gripping between index and thumb, warn horse with "get-up you (add own adjectives and nouns)" swing away with the right... see, not hard at all! :rolleyes: