[Horsebrat20]

Ok, when i begin riding my mare, she's pretty resistent to just about everything to do with the bit. Now, a trainer told me that it's probably because she's cold backed, meaning her back needs to be warmed up before she can drop her head and relax. I was wondering if you had any good warm up techniques to help her relax onto the bit, and help warm her back up correctly. THe way i warm her up now is i let her walk and trot around a couple times around the ring her way, which is head in the air resisting all contact, well at least at the trot. Then i start tightning the reins and sponging them to ask her to start to bring her head down. I do lots of circles and bending, and leg yeilding. Then she's fine and excepts bit contact and all that. I see people at the barn i go to holding their hands down low and sponge the reins until they start dropping there head, then when the horse has their head dropped of their own will, they'll begin work. Is this right? I tryed this with Blue, and she basically had her head up down and all around, and i felt like i was just yanking on her mouth. But i see so many western and HUS riders doing this when thier showing, so i can't be that wrong, can it? I don't want her real low, i just want her to loosen her back. Any ideas?

I also would like some tips on how to warm up for shows. She gets pretty high strung at shows, and i want to find a way to relax her, and get her to drop her head and just take a deep breath. I'm pretty sure i do a good job channeling my nerves away from her. I make sure i do lots of walking and leg yeilding at first, just to get both our heads on. But beyond that, i don't know what to do. Thanks for any input.

[Dawn]

From your description, I have three suggestions

1. Get your saddle fit checked, this sounds more like a sore back than a cold back. Most horses with 'cold' backs will buck or hump their back up, not hollow out.
2. Get a chiropractor out, this again relates back to this being pain related.
3. Do some on the ground stretches. Some people call them carrot stretches as using carrots can help to encourage the horse. The 'bow' that I do with Reno is also a good topline stretch. (Note this is with both feet forward, not one tucked back.)
4. Changed my mind, I have four. Go back a step or two or three in your training. You could just be asking more from your horse than she is physically capable of, or maybe even just mentally capable of.

[belle4]

Teach her the head down cue. It's amazing, but when a horses head is down, they are relaxed. Start by tap tap tapping with both legs. Make sure you are sitting "flat" in the saddle. By flat, I mean heavy, with no body language to move. If your horse does move, don't get upset, just do a one rein stop and start again. Tap with both legs, reins completely loose and the second your horse lowers her head one milimeter, stop the tapping. Your horse will be trying to figure out what exactly you want. You will see ears back and forth, looking left and right, moving forward. Ignore all else, if she walks stop, and start again. You many have to tap with legs for several minutes before you get the desired response. Even if your horse lowers her head out of boredom, take it! Walk around a bit and try again. Eventually you will be able to lower her head all the way to the ground.

When she has learned how to lower with just your legs, then you can walk off on a loose rein with her back rounded. She may pick her head up again. That is OK, just another excuse to stop and lower her head again. Of course eventually you will be able to tap or squeeze with your legs while moving and lower the head. Add the rein and TA DA there is your head set. Driving from behind, head lowered and nose on the vertical. That would be the end goal.

You will be amazed how this little cue will help you out at shows or other exciting places. Horse gets all "up" looking at something, just start tapping and head goes down, anxiety level goes down. Focus is back on you, right where you want it. Good luck.

[Horsebrat20]

Thanks Belle4, that's exactly what i was looking for. One question, when you say tap, do you mean taking my legs off of her and "tapping" or kicking them lightly back on her? Or do you mean to wiggle my feet to tap her sides? Just curious. Thanks so much. About how long does this take to teach? If i know my mare, she'll probably get all nervous about it cuz she doesn't know what i want. She wants to please me so much, that when she doesn't know what i want, she gets nervous. But i'll give it a try.

Dawn, i've already had her saddle checked for fitting, and we had a women out to massage her and check her back alignment, and she did a few things. Blue got much better at the canter after that, and her back wasn't so sensitive when i curried it after that too.

[belle4]

Well, I guess it would depend on just how sensitive your mare is as to how hard you tap. Just let your legs hang where they normally would and bring them into her sides and then away again.

You may need just a feel, you may need more of a tap. I think of tapping as a person would tap a pencil on a desk. Kind of irritating, but not enough to do much about. That's what you want your horse to think. Not enough to move her feet, but enough to lower her head. Apply only enough leg to keep her thinking, but not enough for her to move except her head down of course.

[Horsebrat20]

Thanks belle4, i'll give it a try today. hopefully she'll catch onto it more quickly then she did sidepassing on the ground. I wonder who thought, that if you tap the horses sides, the head will go down? I never would have thought of that. Thanks again.

[Moostang]

Well I stretch all the legs, I stretch the neck around and make him touch his stomach.. and we are working on bowing to stretch the back.. then I lunge.. and when I get on I stretch the neck again... so he is nice and stretched out so when I get on and then later try to canter he can buck without worrying about pulling a muscle

[Horsebrat20]

I do all that stretching after our ride. Should i do it before and after, or just before? I always thought you should do them after.

[QHGirl]

Originally Posted by Horsebrat20

I do all that stretching after our ride. Should i do it before and after, or just before? I always thought you should do them after.

It is a great warm up and cool down. I do all of that during also. When the horse needs a mental break I go in the middle and do circles, stopping, backing, bending, turning... etc... I do what belle suggested also as everyday thing!!

[Horsebrat20]

Ok Belle, i did it. She did great, by the end of the ride, she was dropping her head on command at the halt. the walk is another story though, she'll do it sometimes after we start waking after a halt, i'll tell her to drop it, and she'll drop it, then it'll slowly come up, and when i start asking her again, she won't really notice and just keep walking along not really doing much. It's hard to tell though, cuz i can't tell if she's moving her head to walk, or to drop it for me. So how do i inforce the command at the walk? She kinda ignores it. Thanks.