Half half Hades!!!! And painful feet!!!

thespa · 06-23-2005, 02:34 PM

I decided today, no more getting on Hunk's mouth. He's had two dentist visits, both cleared him, in the last 3 months, but he's got something going on. His lope is not fast or anything, just not collected and slow yet. So I was trying half halts if he started to lope too fast. This was yesterday. It ruined the whole riding session. He was an angry nervous wreck, tossing his head around. I was so depressed I was thinking "sell."

Then today I stayed off his mouth except for the teeniest bit. I'm not fighting him anymore. He slowed the jog right down beautifully without slight, slight rein pressure, mostly because I told him to. I didn't lope today because I have painful feet and had some bad shoes on. That's another question, is there such a thing as orthopedic riding shoes???

If you have any ideas as to why a half halt during lope is so tortuous, let me know!!!

El

Shotgun93 · 06-23-2005, 02:39 PM

What type of bit are using and how are you reining him, direct or indirect?

Moostang · 06-23-2005, 02:51 PM

Was he trained before you bought him?

Also... just a note.. if his feet hurt so much you are not loping him, you may not want to ride at all, it could make him even more sore.

thespa · 06-23-2005, 04:08 PM

I'm using a copper roll snaffle bit. I don't think it's the bit, though. It's a very gentle one.

KZWestern · 06-23-2005, 05:04 PM

Moostang I think she meant that her feet hurt, not her horse's.

The bit your using is apropriate for what you are trying to do. The lighter the bit the more effective YOU have to be to slow down. Which basicly means that it's teaching the horse instead of forcing which is exactly what you want.

I know lots of people use the half halt thing, but I have never ever used it so I wouldn't know how effective it actually could be. I have nothing against it, just never tried it. Here is what I do when my horse goes too fast. (HA HA, which is so rare that slow poke lazy bum!!) If she starts going too fast I do a one rein halt. It's ok if the horse stops because it IS a downward transition and it's not so much teaching the horse to slow down as it is teaching the horse that it is not fun to speed up.

If I'm doing a pattern or something more complicated then just training riding etc. like at a lesson (I don't usually ride my own horse to the lesson cuz it's a pain to haul her there) there are a couple things I have to do. First of all at the lope make sure you are soft and secure in your seat. This means rolling with the motion, not bouncing. Bouncing slams on their back which causes them to go faster. Believe it or not, because of your feet pain that might be causing the trouble. (By the way, I think there is such a thing as orthopedic riding shoes) If you stand too firmly on your stirrups while loping you brace and then bounce. My instructor is adiment about keeping soft feet. (She's a Grand Prix dressage rider that was trained in Germany so sorta has that "schooling" feel to her instruction) Once you've mastered the soft hips/soft feet and you're trying to do a pattern where one rein stopping would not be quite so cool, you use the pull on the mouth. First of all, make sure (that is if you're riding Western which is what I gather from wanting to slow down the lope) that you don't have rein contact on the mouth except when you need to ask the horse to slow. When you do ask the horse to slow be as effective as you need to. Start out gentle but if the horse doesn't slow put a little more pressure on. Realize that you should pull hard enough for the horse to slow, but not slow enough that he switches gaits. So you kind of need to "gauge" the pull. If you want him to slow you put so much pressure on then release when he slows, if you want him to go down a gait pull a little harder and relaxe your body. Make sure to release or he'll become dull. Even if he speeds up again, you can always repeat.

thespa · 06-23-2005, 05:57 PM

KZ, I used to do that one rein all the time. What did I do, forget? It's more effective. It's the outside rein, right? John Lyons advises the one rein, and I remember a really good article by a trainer with a German name who said to do that.

Otherwise, my horse seems to be like Funny Cide (Robin his exercise trainer used to say "if you fight him, you lose), but lately I hear he's calmed down a lot, now he just has to get back winning!! He got fourth in his race last month because he had interference in the stretch.

Anyway, since Hunk is kind of like that, should I let him go for 15 minutes on a loose rein, do whatever he wants? I did this today, he sped up a lot anticipating the 2-rein pull from yesterday, so I let him go on a loose rein, trotting superfast and nervous, until he slowed down and blew out his nose, and lowered his head, and then I only used slight rein pressure (2 reins) and did my usual "jog" in a soft voice, and he went into a very slow job beautifully.

ALSO, with using one rein, how would I do that in training at home or in a western class if I am using one hand for both reins (neck reining style)? Somehow lift the outside rein with one finger?

ALSO, if I use both reins in training, he automatically slows down, thinking I guess "she's serious, using both hands, about me going slow."

But as soon as he sees out of the corner of his eye, me taking both reins in one hand, because I'm more comfortable using one hand for loping (I need to lope with two hands English style, I know, because if I can't do this, it means I'm not balanced. Anyway, because I don't want him to get over-excited about the switch to one hand (thinking uh oh here comes the lope torture), I'm staying with one hand, like in a class.

El

PS I'll check on the orthopedic shows or just get regular orthopedic or diabetic shoes or an arch for regular riding shows or whatever.

Moostang · 06-23-2005, 07:25 PM

Doh!! I guess I should have read it slower

thespa · 06-24-2005, 04:24 AM

I guess I made it too hard to answer. Now it just drops dead in the water!!! Oh well, back to the books!!!

06-23-2005, 02:34 PM	#1
thespa Senior Member Join Date: Jan 2005 Location: Gloversville, NY Posts: 618 Images: 23	Half half Hades!!!! And painful feet!!! I decided today, no more getting on Hunk's mouth. He's had two dentist visits, both cleared him, in the last 3 months, but he's got something going on. His lope is not fast or anything, just not collected and slow yet. So I was trying half halts if he started to lope too fast. This was yesterday. It ruined the whole riding session. He was an angry nervous wreck, tossing his head around. I was so depressed I was thinking "sell." Then today I stayed off his mouth except for the teeniest bit. I'm not fighting him anymore. He slowed the jog right down beautifully without slight, slight rein pressure, mostly because I told him to. I didn't lope today because I have painful feet and had some bad shoes on. That's another question, is there such a thing as orthopedic riding shoes??? If you have any ideas as to why a half halt during lope is so tortuous, let me know!!! El

06-23-2005, 02:39 PM	#2
Shotgun93 Senior Moderator Join Date: Aug 2004 Location: Southwest SD Posts: 13,808 Images: 132	What type of bit are using and how are you reining him, direct or indirect? __________________ In the quiet light of the stable, you hear a muffled snort, the stamp of a hoof, a friendly nicker. Gentle eyes inquire, "How was your day old friend?" and suddenly, all your troubles fade away. -Author Unknown

06-23-2005, 02:51 PM	#3
Moostang Senior Moderator Join Date: Aug 2004 Location: Northern Calif Posts: 9,929 Images: 682 Blog Entries: 55	Was he trained before you bought him? Also... just a note.. if his feet hurt so much you are not loping him, you may not want to ride at all, it could make him even more sore. __________________ Diet Dr Pepper is a gateway drug http://moostangproductions.com

06-23-2005, 05:04 PM	#5
KZWestern Senior Member+ Join Date: Oct 2004 Posts: 3,643 Images: 35	Moostang I think she meant that her feet hurt, not her horse's. The bit your using is apropriate for what you are trying to do. The lighter the bit the more effective YOU have to be to slow down. Which basicly means that it's teaching the horse instead of forcing which is exactly what you want. I know lots of people use the half halt thing, but I have never ever used it so I wouldn't know how effective it actually could be. I have nothing against it, just never tried it. Here is what I do when my horse goes too fast. (HA HA, which is so rare that slow poke lazy bum!!) If she starts going too fast I do a one rein halt. It's ok if the horse stops because it IS a downward transition and it's not so much teaching the horse to slow down as it is teaching the horse that it is not fun to speed up. If I'm doing a pattern or something more complicated then just training riding etc. like at a lesson (I don't usually ride my own horse to the lesson cuz it's a pain to haul her there) there are a couple things I have to do. First of all at the lope make sure you are soft and secure in your seat. This means rolling with the motion, not bouncing. Bouncing slams on their back which causes them to go faster. Believe it or not, because of your feet pain that might be causing the trouble. (By the way, I think there is such a thing as orthopedic riding shoes) If you stand too firmly on your stirrups while loping you brace and then bounce. My instructor is adiment about keeping soft feet. (She's a Grand Prix dressage rider that was trained in Germany so sorta has that "schooling" feel to her instruction) Once you've mastered the soft hips/soft feet and you're trying to do a pattern where one rein stopping would not be quite so cool, you use the pull on the mouth. First of all, make sure (that is if you're riding Western which is what I gather from wanting to slow down the lope) that you don't have rein contact on the mouth except when you need to ask the horse to slow. When you do ask the horse to slow be as effective as you need to. Start out gentle but if the horse doesn't slow put a little more pressure on. Realize that you should pull hard enough for the horse to slow, but not slow enough that he switches gaits. So you kind of need to "gauge" the pull. If you want him to slow you put so much pressure on then release when he slows, if you want him to go down a gait pull a little harder and relaxe your body. Make sure to release or he'll become dull. Even if he speeds up again, you can always repeat. __________________ Kristie + Isis = Krisis!!!!!!!!! Isis - slaughter rescue Grattitude - Swedish Warmblood

06-23-2005, 07:25 PM	#7
Moostang Senior Moderator Join Date: Aug 2004 Location: Northern Calif Posts: 9,929 Images: 682 Blog Entries: 55	Doh!! I guess I should have read it slower __________________ Diet Dr Pepper is a gateway drug http://moostangproductions.com

06-23-2005, 04:08 PM	#4
thespa Senior Member Join Date: Jan 2005 Location: Gloversville, NY Posts: 618 Images: 23	I'm using a copper roll snaffle bit. I don't think it's the bit, though. It's a very gentle one.

06-23-2005, 05:57 PM	#6
thespa Senior Member Join Date: Jan 2005 Location: Gloversville, NY Posts: 618 Images: 23	KZ, I used to do that one rein all the time. What did I do, forget? It's more effective. It's the outside rein, right? John Lyons advises the one rein, and I remember a really good article by a trainer with a German name who said to do that. Otherwise, my horse seems to be like Funny Cide (Robin his exercise trainer used to say "if you fight him, you lose), but lately I hear he's calmed down a lot, now he just has to get back winning!! He got fourth in his race last month because he had interference in the stretch. Anyway, since Hunk is kind of like that, should I let him go for 15 minutes on a loose rein, do whatever he wants? I did this today, he sped up a lot anticipating the 2-rein pull from yesterday, so I let him go on a loose rein, trotting superfast and nervous, until he slowed down and blew out his nose, and lowered his head, and then I only used slight rein pressure (2 reins) and did my usual "jog" in a soft voice, and he went into a very slow job beautifully. ALSO, with using one rein, how would I do that in training at home or in a western class if I am using one hand for both reins (neck reining style)? Somehow lift the outside rein with one finger? ALSO, if I use both reins in training, he automatically slows down, thinking I guess "she's serious, using both hands, about me going slow." But as soon as he sees out of the corner of his eye, me taking both reins in one hand, because I'm more comfortable using one hand for loping (I need to lope with two hands English style, I know, because if I can't do this, it means I'm not balanced. Anyway, because I don't want him to get over-excited about the switch to one hand (thinking uh oh here comes the lope torture), I'm staying with one hand, like in a class. El PS I'll check on the orthopedic shows or just get regular orthopedic or diabetic shoes or an arch for regular riding shows or whatever.

06-24-2005, 04:24 AM	#8
thespa Senior Member Join Date: Jan 2005 Location: Gloversville, NY Posts: 618 Images: 23	I guess I made it too hard to answer. Now it just drops dead in the water!!! Oh well, back to the books!!!