[JumpsxGlory]

I've been thinking a lot latly and the more I think, the more I realize Ollie is not learning anything by not going forward and creating a fake headset. If you don't have the forward, the headset isn't going to come and if it does it's fake and therefor means nothing as far as I'm concerned!

I'm going to start really focusing mainly on getting him forward, forward, forward, as much as he can that is. I'm going to stop focusing so much on the headset and more so on driving him so he has that impulsion to carry himself without any aid from myself. I think it will be more beneficial to him to get him moving more so off his hind end and to get him off his forehand.

Once we get the forward motion that I'm looking for and he grasps what I mean then the headset will not only come more easily but will be correct instead of it being fake and meaningless.

I'm going to keep a longer rein on him, ask for more long and low and stretching (which will be good for his back too) and for him to drive from behind more and forget the headset for now until things are going swimmingly If he relaxes at the poll by himself, far be it from me to not let him lol but I'm not going to be asking him for anything other that forward correct motion.

Just thought I'd share my little plan with everyone

[I LUV BESS]

sounds like a pretty good plan to me =]

[Moonshine Zeus]

That an excellent approach, i never ask lynx to go round, he just goes foward and once he does with the right contact he comes in the the perfect frame!!! hopefully ollie will do the same!!!

[JumpsxGlory]

Originally Posted by Moonshine Zeus

That an excellent approach, i never ask lynx to go round, he just goes foward and once he does with the right contact he comes in the the perfect frame!!! hopefully ollie will do the same!!!

I'm hoping so It can only do good so as far as I see it only positive things could come from it!

[BriLeigh]

At least you know what needs to happen and can work to fix it! Kudos to you!

[JumpsxGlory]

Originally Posted by BriLeigh

At least you know what needs to happen and can work to fix it! Kudos to you!

Thank you

I've always said that if you aren't riding correctly then whats the point, faking something is just the same as doing it incorrectly. Correct riding is the only way to go lol

[superhorse]

I had that problem with my horse and I would get flustrated with headset and make a huge mess of everything, she'd end up fully on the forhand leaning on my and I'd just get cranky.

So I lost the reins completely and went back to a halter and lose lead rope. (I stole that idea from a reining trainer I met). Now I can ride bridleless which is a pretty cool party trick and my horse has good balance and uses her bum properly. I also have a fully independent seat and heaps better hands. so it worked really well for me.

Good luck!!

[pippy]

Sounds like you have just reached the point i did about a year ago with my horse. I've just been through all of that - and it IS the only way to go, the only problem was my horse ended up on his forehand as i HAD to lots of long and low - when i brought him, he was breaking in his neck rather than relaxing at the poll, he also didn't track up properly, so fowards and long and low is all i did. So a word of advice would be to watch just how much long and low you do, as its now taken me a couple of months to get him up off his forehand, and accpet the correct contact with a higher level of engagement, although, being on the forehand a bit is a **** of a lot easier to fix than not moving in the correct (true) frame and not having engaged HQ's lol.
NB: some fastidious people might say my horse's HQ's weren't engaged if he was on the forehand, but low and belhold that can happen as its the mid point of a horse learning true engagement, so now he know what fowards is, he can keep that up while lifting his wither and coming under himself further to where i want him. Now the more we work on forwards he is naturally starting to come up and be light without me having to ask for it.

[pippy]

h e l l is what i had in there - didn't realise they block it out!

[Simon Says]

I think that is a wonderful plan!!!! Good for you for trying a new approch and you know what I think I am going to back you up and do the same w/ Storm!!