This message is from: <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> Hi Liz,
I get the digest so I don't know how many others have responded to your posting, I hope you don't mind one more. You might want to try starting out again a little differently with regards to the bit & the way you work your pony. Go back to a soft full-cheek snaffle & re-work on the lunge until he is working forward, long & low (stretching for the bit) - this is a simplified explanation. When you reback him, start with your legs & seat to get him to start to bend , relax & supple (again, this is simplified). Work on his balance & bending & the bit will not be an issue. I have a mare that gave me incredible workouts with my legs & seat because she was so drafty & had a hard time bending but I persevered & my efforts paid off. If you can get your fjord to work off you legs & seat & leave his mouth alone he will soften & your real training can begin. Jerry (on the list) has mentioned Chris Irwin (www.chrisirwin.com) many times & I purchased his series of DVD's last winter. I was having similar problems with my mare (she is not one of my riding type fjords, she is one heavy & drafty mare) that you described (she wanted me to hold her up & would just push through the bridle) & I restarted her in the round pen (to have her gain my respect as confident/predictable leader & when that was established she would respect my space & would easily yield her hips to me when I asked (from the ground 25' away by my just pointing to the hip she would swing it away & bring her front in). (Chris Irwin goes through this very clearly). When she was working happily with me free in the round pen, I put her on the lunge where I mastered a true & proactive lunging technique. Lunging is an art & is an extremely valuable tool when done correctly. At first she was very stiff & was not bending well. With flexing at critical times during our sessions, after 3 weeks I had her stretching long & low at the trot, very relaxed & mouthing the bit & starting to bend. I then got back on her & started to ride & supple her. Just this week (4 weeks later) she is finally working long & low at the trot. The other day she magically dropped her head so low at the trot that her bottom lip skimmed the sand. It was amazing & not just a one time event. She worked like that in both directions, very happy, very relaxed. We are making some excellent progress & she is not heavy on the bit at all (but if a rider that rides from their hands instead of their legs & seat gets on her, she WILL become the plow horse she looks like & start leaning on the bit very heavily & will take you places you don't want to go - naughty horse? NO, poor riding technique? YES!). When I ride her (or another good rider does) you have a very light horse in your hands. I do have contact but I have learned to push her into the contact with my seat & legs & make her do the work. The more contact I ask for, the more work my seat & legs have to do. This is a way of working that you (as a rider/trainer) have to convert to. I had to completely relearn everything I knew over the years & now I can't imagine pulling on my horse's mouth or even on her head as I lead her (we also learned some excellent 'in-hand' techniques from the Irwin series). I am also luck enough to have a local trainer that is certified by Chis that I can call upon to help, but having those DVD's is invaluable. Best of luck with your training & your quest for knowledge! As for bits, a simple soft snaffle is sufficient for your initial training, use a full cheek though so the bit does not pull through your pony's mouth while you are lunging. Catherine Date: Thu, 12 Jul 2007 09:30:04 +0100 (GMT Daylight Time) From: "Codynfliffi" <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> Subject: Bitting a young fjord This message is from: "Codynfliffi" <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> Need some ideas please. Questy is 3 years 3 months, and a pure bred fjord. Been long reining 6 months using a liverpool driving bit on mildest settings. Works well. Broken to ride first week of May and doing well. Riding in school gently, and about to start light hacks out. He was broken with a grackle bridle, and straight bar happy mouth gag on snaffle setting. Not stunning but Ok. Advised to strengthen bit as he got strong. Went to loose ring snaffle fulmer. Great steering, but became very strong. Advised to swap to the liverpool bit for riding. He is strong but "gobby" ( much playing with bit and head movement) and at times the breaks are ignored. Swaped last night to a cheltenham gag. He hated it. So did I. Yes fab breaks but upset pony. He was afraid to go forward incase it hurt. So thats gone. Where next. What do I try. FYI Back, and teeth checked, saddle checked and schooling is 3X a week max 20 mins. We are in the Uk so ride English and he will be broken to drive quite soon. He is one fantastic quick learning happy little chap. Not bargy either. What bits are good for young fjords. Thanks Liz The FjordHorse List archives can be found at: http://tinyurl.com/rcepw
