Sometimes a horses behavior can be directly linked to how it is ridden. Here we have a horse with a long history. He is about 17years old, he came off a farm where he was ridden by farm workers. He was then brought by his current owner who competes in mounted games. The problem comes in where little problems arise and they are over looked and not immediately addressed. Eventually it gets worse and worse till you have a handful. In this case a horse that does not stand still, or stop, and rears when held. He bolts and never trots. At first we addressed the stopping and rearing by introducing one rein stops and flexing. Many hours spent just walking in an arena and one rein stopping every time he bolted off which was every few steps. Soon he was walking freely in the arena. Next we removed all unnecessary gear, and put changed him from a bombers Williams elliptical(sharp round lozange) bit to a hanging cheek elliptical. We went back to the lunge ring to worked on walk, trot, canter on a long loose rein, and getting the horse to be responsive to seat aids, after only 3 lunge ring sessions he is so calm he has to be kept in a canter. A few more sessions and these principles will be applied in the arena. He hasn't reared in a year, he has become a much easier ride. Things are coming together for this combination.
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