Need help with my 3yr old MFT

mftowner06 · 11-04-2009, 06:33 PM

Background: I started him under saddle the last weekend of August, rode him pretty consisently. But with weather and me being sick for 6 weeks I couldn't ride him like I wanted to do. He's a very laid back, doesn't spook at much, took to the saddle with no problems didn't buck nothing. I always do ground work with him before getting on him though I'm sure it would be fine if I just saddled him and just got on.

Ok so I'm trying to teach him that squeeze with my calves means to walk or go forward if he doesn't his 2nd chance is for me to kiss to him and his 3rd chance to respond is to spank. I have done some ground driving with him so he knows what 'walk' means and he knows what the kiss sound means. So when I take that to the saddle - I squeeze with my calves if he so much as moves a muscle in the forward movement I praise him and release all pressure, I squeeze again and if he walks forward I release the pressure and praise. But I can't get him to walk successfully in a straight line, he's all over the place, and he does stay moving forward for very long either. On his right turns he does good but on his left turns he will turn his head at the same time raises head and walks forward, I have to really use my left leg at the girth to get him to walk into the turn.

So I need help and lots of it! Any suggestions on how to get him to walk and walk until I tell him to whoa, how to get him to do a left turn.

Any suggestions will be greatly appreciated!!!

SaddleUp158 · 11-05-2009, 07:33 AM

So lately how much riding has he had since his six weeks off? Sounds to me like any other greenie. I would not worry so much about moving in a perfectly straight line, as this is pretty difficult to do, but just worry about moving forward. How does he lunge? Can you keep him moving forward when you lunge and ground drive? If he does not, start there. Sometimes they need a quick pop behind to know that you DO mean business and to get themselves moving. Someone else on this forum posted something that made a lot of sense to me...when you give the horse all these chances and after each request you get firmer and firmer they are essentially being desensitized to the request. I am not saying to immediately smack the horse, but if you ask with a firm request-just so that it is clear what you want- and the horse still doesn't not comply then I would follow up with a "MOVE FORWARD NOW". Most likely you will only have to do this a couple of times and the horse will figure out what you want and will move forward with the first request.

For the turning to the left, I would just start with lots of ground work. Work on lateral movement and flexing, moving the hindquarters, etc. Doing this will help to supple him up and make turning to the left easier for him. Sounds like he is just stiff in that direction.

He is just a baby, so keep that in mind. Ground work is your best bet right now, then move to undersaddle work.

mftowner06 · 11-05-2009, 07:35 AM

Makes sense, I've thought about just turning him out for the winter and bringing him back in the spring for undersaddle work. He'll be 4 then, and in the mean time work on ground work when I can during the winter.

foxtrotting · 11-06-2009, 09:10 PM

One thing to try is line driving. I have mft's and one thing I have noticed is they mature a little more slowly, not a bad thing, in that time you can teach a lot. From my experience they will challenge us at basic things and be dead solid down the trail at the same time. Use a surcinglel if you have one, or you can use the saddle with the lines through the stirrups always use a mild bit [snaffle] or even the halter depending on your experience. When they are young drive, it is good excercise for both of you and they can learn so much. Confidence and listening from a distance.

11-04-2009, 06:33 PM	#1
mftowner06 Full Member Join Date: Dec 2008 Location: Bartlesville, OK Posts: 109 Images: 6	Need help with my 3yr old MFT Background: I started him under saddle the last weekend of August, rode him pretty consisently. But with weather and me being sick for 6 weeks I couldn't ride him like I wanted to do. He's a very laid back, doesn't spook at much, took to the saddle with no problems didn't buck nothing. I always do ground work with him before getting on him though I'm sure it would be fine if I just saddled him and just got on. Ok so I'm trying to teach him that squeeze with my calves means to walk or go forward if he doesn't his 2nd chance is for me to kiss to him and his 3rd chance to respond is to spank. I have done some ground driving with him so he knows what 'walk' means and he knows what the kiss sound means. So when I take that to the saddle - I squeeze with my calves if he so much as moves a muscle in the forward movement I praise him and release all pressure, I squeeze again and if he walks forward I release the pressure and praise. But I can't get him to walk successfully in a straight line, he's all over the place, and he does stay moving forward for very long either. On his right turns he does good but on his left turns he will turn his head at the same time raises head and walks forward, I have to really use my left leg at the girth to get him to walk into the turn. So I need help and lots of it! Any suggestions on how to get him to walk and walk until I tell him to whoa, how to get him to do a left turn. Any suggestions will be greatly appreciated!!! __________________ Thank you, Brandi - owner of 2 MFT's

11-05-2009, 07:35 AM	#3
mftowner06 Full Member Join Date: Dec 2008 Location: Bartlesville, OK Posts: 109 Images: 6	Makes sense, I've thought about just turning him out for the winter and bringing him back in the spring for undersaddle work. He'll be 4 then, and in the mean time work on ground work when I can during the winter. __________________ Thank you, Brandi - owner of 2 MFT's

11-05-2009, 07:33 AM	#2
SaddleUp158 Senior Member+ Join Date: May 2005 Posts: 2,479 Images: 121	So lately how much riding has he had since his six weeks off? Sounds to me like any other greenie. I would not worry so much about moving in a perfectly straight line, as this is pretty difficult to do, but just worry about moving forward. How does he lunge? Can you keep him moving forward when you lunge and ground drive? If he does not, start there. Sometimes they need a quick pop behind to know that you DO mean business and to get themselves moving. Someone else on this forum posted something that made a lot of sense to me...when you give the horse all these chances and after each request you get firmer and firmer they are essentially being desensitized to the request. I am not saying to immediately smack the horse, but if you ask with a firm request-just so that it is clear what you want- and the horse still doesn't not comply then I would follow up with a "MOVE FORWARD NOW". Most likely you will only have to do this a couple of times and the horse will figure out what you want and will move forward with the first request. For the turning to the left, I would just start with lots of ground work. Work on lateral movement and flexing, moving the hindquarters, etc. Doing this will help to supple him up and make turning to the left easier for him. Sounds like he is just stiff in that direction. He is just a baby, so keep that in mind. Ground work is your best bet right now, then move to undersaddle work.

11-06-2009, 09:10 PM	#4
foxtrotting Junior Member Join Date: Nov 2009 Posts: 7	One thing to try is line driving. I have mft's and one thing I have noticed is they mature a little more slowly, not a bad thing, in that time you can teach a lot. From my experience they will challenge us at basic things and be dead solid down the trail at the same time. Use a surcinglel if you have one, or you can use the saddle with the lines through the stirrups always use a mild bit [snaffle] or even the halter depending on your experience. When they are young drive, it is good excercise for both of you and they can learn so much. Confidence and listening from a distance.