Me and Dani....again

Question
Hello again Ms. LaChapelle,

I have yet another questions for you regarding my 5 year old Arab, Dani.  If you recall, I was having trouble with him turning to the left....well not any longer.  In fact we have been out on mini "trail" rides around the farm, the scary farm equipment, the tree stands, and corn that stands 7 feet high!  I have been very proud of Dani and the progress we have made.

My question de jour is sometimes when he doesn't want to go down a particular path he'll toss his head, making it impossible to get him turned.  I have to completely stop him, calm him, and then try again, or I have to totally use the direct rein on the turn (most of the time he'll turn with light rein and a lot of my body language).  I have been doing research on the 'cowboy martingale" and wonder if it would help me help Dani's keep his head down, flex at the poll.

Also, sometimes when he is "done" (and I'm not) with the ride he won't "whoa" as quickly as he does on the ground.  I have to pull back hard on the reins and "sit" hard in the saddle.  I make him continue so as he isn't dictating to me when we stop a workout/ride even if only fro 5 minutes.  Should I go back to the round pen and do more "whoa" work?

Thank you once again Ms. LaChapelle, for your time!

Sincerely,
Sarah and Dani

Answer
Hi Sarah, Hi Dani!

It sounds like you guys are really getting some good stuff done!  CONGRATULATIONS!

Sarah, I really don't like and I don't use any martingales, tie-downs or draw reins.  This type of equipment just creates a false fix and a brace in the horse.  We will talk about a soft feel and collection because now you are ready for that information.  It is so exciting for me to have people progress in their horsemanship!  

A soft feel or collection is engaging the horses' body over the top line.  This in turn influences the feet and the horses' way of going.  As you are walking around the farm or on the trail or even in the arena, I want you to pick up a soft feel.  This is keeping both hands low and wide, not below the point of the withers or more than one foot apart, ask Dani to drop his poll and bring his nose down and in.  The SECOND he does, RELEASE the pressure and continue walking.  Then pick up a soft feel again.  You will have to keep your legs on Dani or he will think you are asking him to stop.  I also want you to be FEELING for softness in Dani's jaw.  I want you to release into softness and not into a brace.  When Dani's head comes down and in you will feel the pressure come off your hands this is when I want the release to happen.  Your timing and feel will have to be good and it takes practice.  Don't be afraid to make mistakes, just observe, compare and remember.  Keep up this pattern of walking on a LOOSE rein for a few minutes, then picking up on your reins and asking for a soft feel, release into softness, and then ride from the buckle again.  When this gets good and soft, and it may take you a few days, I want you to establish a soft feel and carry it for a few strides, really keep Dani round, you should feel his back come up and round under you.  He should feel like you are riding a nice, soft, round ball!  Where you are headed with this is when you have control of the feet and the topline and you are riding as one, it should feel that in a wink you could go right or left or stop or canter because the energy of the horse is centered under your body.  It is really a great feeling!  

One more important thing to remember is that you have to do WHAT it takes to get the job done.  If you have asked you horse to trot or turn or bend, do what it takes, then get soft and reward.  The better you are with feel, timing and balance tell how your horse will progress.  

When Dani is not stopping on the trail with you it is just his way of taking over and you know that.  I would not work on "whoa" stuff per se, I would work on everything!  When he is right in the feet he will be right in the mind.  If Dani would not stop, USE that life and energy but redirect it!  I would ask for a stop and I would make it happen, but I would not release until his head was down and in and he teetered his weight back or maybe backed a step or two.  The next time I asked him to stop and he said well, maybe not...I would GO!  I might trot out for a bit or ride a sage brush trail, (have I explained that to you yet???) or I would work on the one rein stop, or roll him over his HQ to the left and right, I would be very busy!  Pretty soon when I SUGGESTED he stop, guess what...stopping to him sounds pretty good.  The whole point here Sarah is that I'm riding every stride, I'm getting control of the feet and I have a plan.  I'm relaxed, smooth and I'm always thinking of what to do next.  The horse feels this and joins us.  Pretty cool.

Horses don't wear watches and I've never seen a horse mark off days on a calendar, you can't either!  It takes what it takes to get these good changes.  I'm hoping you have many great years with Dani.  You are already a student of the horse.  You are building with quality, enjoy the trip!  

OOOhhh, I almost forgot another great, GREAT round pen exercise that will help you with stopping...This is fun.  In the round pen, pick out a spot, anywhere that you choose as the stopping place.  It could be a clump of dirt or a place on the fence, any where, just decide and keep your eyes on it.  Now, take your reins and half hitch them over your horn, if you are riding in an English saddle, put a piece of string through your "D" rings so you can buckle your reins there and make the commitment NOT to touch them.  The only way you will be able to influence Dani is with your body.   You are going to rub him to a stop on "your spot".  Keep your eyes on your spot at all times.  With your legs ask Dani to walk, when he is moving away from your spot, ride "ugly" your legs will irritate him, you will be kind of floppy in the saddle...just ugly.  When he starts to face up on your spot get s m o o t h, get soft, when he get really close to your spot rub him with both hands, PS no talking and NO saying WHOA!  When he passes your spot, get ugly again, not so much that you are tearing around, just be uncomfortable.  It is fine to trot and he may as you are riding ugly, just be clear and keep your eyes on your spot.  Pretty quick Dani will figure out that something is up!  He will start looking for the smooth and the release of ugly.  This will develop into the nicest stop.  When you have done this for a while your horse will notice when you exhale and stop.  When I stop riding, my horse will stop.  When you get to your spot in the pen, think of draining all of the energy out of your body, really STOP riding, drain the energy out the bottoms of your feet and rub your horse.  This will make a huge difference in the quality of your stops.  

I'm trying to keep my answers as succinct as possible.  I'd much rather have you in the barn than reading a computer screen.  So, if I've gone on a bit, I'm sorry!  Now off to the barn and give this a try!  Let me know how it is going.  Great work, Dani and Sarah, too!

Smiles!  Denise