[faroutfax]

My mare is farily well broke, but I'm having a couple isues with neck reining.

She is very responsive and very light mouthed. I had previously been using a sidepull or rope halter to ride her and that was going very well. But since we are going to show that won't cut it any more. She has also been ridden in a D ring snaffle that looked like a myler knock off with a port and she seems to like it.

She goes well with the snaffle and bitless when I ride with 2 hands, knows leg aids and we are working on riding with just seat ques. She works at her absolute best when I ride with just a rope around her neck.

Right now I'm ridinig her in this bit. She seems to like it.


When I try neck reining with her she just doesn't "get it". She has gotten much better in understanding them and we'll eventually get were I want her to go but they are slow and sticky.

So is this just a matter of time and patience or is there anytihng else I can do to help her understand? Like I said she is amazing with just a rope around her neck but as soon as the bit goes in I loose responsiveness.

Here she is

[HUS_WP_lovr]

Does she move off of your leg?

[Fire]

A prerequisite to neck reining is moving away from leg pressure. From there it's all about teaching the cue on the neck and her understanding to move away from the rein as well as your leg. I would start in a snaffle bit, not a curb bit, when you teach neck reining. Lay the rein against her neck while you are stopped. Wait a split second, and then give the direct rein cue to turn. Praise her after she takes one step. Repeat. Repeat. Repeat. My horse caught onto it in just one day, and we revisit it pretty much every time I'm on him.

The horse will begin to anticipate the direct rein cue when they feel the rein on their neck, causing them to move away. Once you can ride fully one-handed and your horse moves off of leg pressure, that's when you're ready for the curb bit.

I think part of your problem may be overcueing with your hands. Give her lots of rein, only reaching down to pull the direct rein if she doesn't respond to the neck rein. Lots of slack, and don't worry too much about correcting her if she doesn't do it "right" at first. She will catch on, it just may take a week or a month.

Good luck! Be patient, of course, and don't forget to give the big reward, even if it's just one step. Continue the same exercise as above, but at a walk, trot, and lope. Cue with the neck rein, then direct if there is no response. Praise, praise, praise!

She's adorable, by the way.

[faroutfax]

I'll try that for sure Fire Maybe with just my hackamore (she is more relaxed with it).

And yes she does move off of leg ques Sometimes they are abit sticky but that is my fault not hers.

[rascalboy]

OMC that bit just plain scares me, lol...
Anywho, I'd get back in the snaffle for this. Better chance of her learning to bend when you neck rein, instead of her tilting her head, like a lot of western horses do.
Like you want this: http://www.igallopon.com/images/2006/0105/nr2.jpg
Not this: http://www.daktms.com/images/steve_swanson_2.jpg
(Difference is that you want her head bending in the direction you're going in, not tilted out the opposite direction. It's much easier with a snaffle.)
Pretty much, just learn to ride her with weight, legs, and opening doors.
If you want to go left, look left, lean slightly left, use your leg (if she moves off pressure, use the right leg, and if she moves into pressure, use the left) put the right rein against her neck, and open the left rein (put it far out to the side, away from you)
Pretty much go like this: http://equisearch.com/horses_riding_...inpromo200.jpg
(except don't have the outside rein up so high)
--
With my mare, I did all of the above, but she still didn't get it. So I added spurs, lol. And a low curb. After a few minutes, she got it. So I switched the curb back to a snaffle, and she got it right away. (Start with a bit, not a halter, by the way.) Now I can wander around giving her all the rein, and go where ever I want just by twisting my hand.

[Circle C]

When you direct rein her, lay the opposite rein on her neck and put your leg on her. She will eventually get it.

EX: If you're turning left, direct rein her with the left rein and lay the right rein in her neck and put your right leg on her.

I have never specifically taught a horse how to neck rein. Mine just end up learning it and just start doing it. One thing stems from another

NOTE* If you're still derect reining her, then she should still be in a snaffle, not a curb.