[Haas Horse Farm]

I have owned two horses that flat will not slide to a stop if they do not have plates on. I think the lack of proper ground and no plates is part of the problem. If your ground is that hard I would be concerned about your horse injuring himself. I think you have all the right ideas but not the right place to put them together. If you have a place where you can go for a lesson with the right ground I would do it. I think having someone there to watch you ride and tell you what is going on with your horse would be a big help... especially if they are knowledgeable about what you want to do. I honestly think you cannot fix what you cannot see. If you can get someone to take a video of you working your horse that would also be helpful as that will allow you to see what you are doing and freeze frame it for each part of the stop.

[TimmysMom]

Originally Posted by Haas Horse Farm

I have owned two horses that flat will not slide to a stop if they do not have plates on. I think the lack of proper ground and no plates is part of the problem. If your ground is that hard I would be concerned about your horse injuring himself. I think you have all the right ideas but not the right place to put them together. If you have a place where you can go for a lesson with the right ground I would do it. I think having someone there to watch you ride and tell you what is going on with your horse would be a big help... especially if they are knowledgeable about what you want to do. I honestly think you cannot fix what you cannot see. If you can get someone to take a video of you working your horse that would also be helpful as that will allow you to see what you are doing and freeze frame it for each part of the stop.

I totally agree about the ground and worrying about him tripping. I probably won't do reining or show anymore, so putting plates on him isn't an idea - I just want him to round up a bit and stop planting his front feet!
When I move to my new job, there is a guy next door with a regulation sized arena for cutting, and we have a deep, soft round pen to work in. My potential boss and the neighbor hate each other, though - he shot her dog. But I have contacted him through his website and asked about the events they have, and they are thrilled to have a new person coming! Until they find out where I work! LOL

[Haas Horse Farm]

Okay let me understand... you are saying that he plants the front feet as in like stopping on the front first? This is totally different from what I thought you were saying before.

[MuckMuck]

From the original post I gathered that the horse was not pedaling in front.

Hill work helps condition the horse in this area as they have to work their FRONT end and control speed with their back end.
This can all be done at a walk and then brought up to a trot to strengthen the correct part of the body without shocking the front legs from "posting" during the hard stops.

[Gutter_Doll]

You can feel the difference between a horse trailing in the backup and a horse rounding his hocks and back. Because it goes in order:

Pick up > Nose tips > poll breaks > hock bends (this is all before his feet even move) > take a step back.

A horse that can't back won't stop well. He also won't collect well.

[Haas Horse Farm]

LOL I have a mare that backs the best... but she chalks her stops bad. Unfortunately someone did something to her in her initial training and she will always lock up on the front end. Personally I think it was running barefoot for too long on bad ground before I owned her. She was like that when I bought her and we thought we could fix it. We have had lots and lots and lots of professional reining trainers try to fix her. Not going to happen. She rounds up perfect and collects well and makes a perfect dressage or huntseat type horse.

[spinandslide]

Originally Posted by TimmysMom

I totally agree about the ground and worrying about him tripping. I probably won't do reining or show anymore, so putting plates on him isn't an idea - I just want him to round up a bit and stop planting his front feet!
When I move to my new job, there is a guy next door with a regulation sized arena for cutting, and we have a deep, soft round pen to work in. My potential boss and the neighbor hate each other, though - he shot her dog. But I have contacted him through his website and asked about the events they have, and they are thrilled to have a new person coming! Until they find out where I work! LOL

Remember though, "cutting" footing is usually deeper then what you'd use for regular riding or reining.

[BlingRacer]

I'm not sure why everyone keeps talking about sliding and sliding plates...It does not sound to me as if the OP is the slightest bit interested in getting slide...More so, just wanting a nice soft stop rather than a jarring one.

[TimmysMom]

Originally Posted by MuckMuck

From the original post I gathered that the horse was not pedaling in front.

Hill work helps condition the horse in this area as they have to work their FRONT end and control speed with their back end.
This can all be done at a walk and then brought up to a trot to strengthen the correct part of the body without shocking the front legs from "posting" during the hard stops.

MuckMuck, Gutter_Doll and Haas Farm:

You are totally right! He does not pedal in front and may BE stopping with his front legs first - whatever he's doing, it's jarring my brain!
I do do a lot of walk-trot up hills to keep him muscled up, but will find some steeper inclines to really make him work - we have plenty here.
He does not back in that order either - lately it's been pickup - nose UP, the poll break and fidgets before backing. Guess it's back to the baling twine someone mentioned that worked like a charm! (Tie a loose piece of twine and let it hang around his neck, ask for back, and lightly tug on twine - this gives the signal he can't go forward).

Thanks, Guys, I can always count on you to see what I'm not seeing.

[TimmysMom]

Originally Posted by BlingRacer

I'm not sure why everyone keeps talking about sliding and sliding plates...It does not sound to me as if the OP is the slightest bit interested in getting slide...More so, just wanting a nice soft stop rather than a jarring one.

That is true, but I posted the wrong headline - didn't know what I wanted, exactly!