Retraining an older horse?

myvanya · Yearling

Retraining an older horse?

Gary Stuart · Well Schooled

This sounds like it will be a fun challenge.

Do you have a good western trainer in your area who might give you some tips to start off?

Nikki Salo · Grand Prix

One thing that I do to help train a horse to slow his gait is ask for a well balanced and collected trot, when the horse is working well in the trot, I then ask him to slow by doing a half-halt, sitting deep and slowing my body. Of course the horse wont understand this at first, so I will proceed into taking him into a medium circle, working into a smaller circle, until he slows and is still working well (balanced and collected). When he has slowed his gait, I'll jog him out of the circle and back onto the rail. Repeat as necessary. If I were training an all around horse (going both english and western), I'd take him into the circle asking to go slower, and then I'd circle out while asking him to increase his movement into a working trot. I hope this makes sense, it takes time but you want him to keep moving in a true manner so you don't want to cut corners. Once he has a hang of it, he'll understand your cues and be more in tune to either starting in a jog or in a trot. Also as he gets more accustom to jogging, you'll need less rein for the half-halt, as you'll be using more of your seat and body movement to cue the horse, rather than relying on the reins to slow the horse.

myvanya · Yearling

Thanks! That does make sense! Any thoughts on good bits to work towards or start in? This horse is very soft mouthed right now, but is stiff in lateral bending through his body. He currently goes in either a stainless mullen eggbutt snaffle for begginers or basic flat and over fences or aloose ring KK ultra double jointed aurigan snaffle for dressage and jumper work. When he was worked western before he was in a pretty simple curb with a low to medium port I think, but I don't know to be honest. He isn't crazy sensitive, but he listens very well and does have a lot of knowledge (so half halts and things like that he knows quite well actually).
Thanks again for the tip! I will try that...now I just need to see if I can get a western saddle (eesh) I don't want to be trying to do that much sitting trot and slow work in a close contact jumping saddle!

myvanya · Yearling

Gary Stuart wrote:

This sounds like it will be a fun challenge.

Do you have a good western trainer in your area who might give you some tips to start off?

ha-ha I'm sure we do as I am in Colorado, but I have a very samll budget and am not very familiar with what a good western trainer would even be like I admit (I have rarely ridden western). My sister used to show APHA and such though so she has some experience and can help me a little. I am excited for the challenge as this is my semi-retired jumper horse....he needs to have a job or he will go nuts but I want him to have a job that is easier on his body than racing over fences....we have done some dressage too but I am not entirely sure he is too terribly crazy about it so I want to see if he likes western better. He is not the ideal horse for it, but its not like I expect to go out and do anything major with it....It would just be fun to do something new and keep his brain busy.

Nikki Salo · Grand Prix

Hi again Myvanya, my suggestion when it comes to bits is to keep working him in whatever snaffle he is currently going well flatting in. When you get a point in your training where you can neck rein and he is working well (engaging and driving from behind, understanding your seat and leg aids) with minimal correction on a loose rein, that is when you take the step to a curb bit. A curb bit is truly meant for a finished product and it can be difficult to correct the horse in a curb bit without confusing him. You don't want to be continually reminding him with your rein aid to slow down in a curb bit, it is really for a light light touch with one hand, not for two handed work. You'll run into the problem of the horse evading the bit (rooting, or opening his mouth) if you get rough in a curb bit.

As for the stiffness through lateral work, have you tried to really loosen him up at the start of each ride? Bending his neck one way, then the other. Transitions through a gait, serpentines etc.

As for a saddle, yes you'll want to find one that you can sit deep in, a jumping saddle doesn't really help you with that. Even if you don't purchase a western saddle right away, you can always use or borrow a dressage saddle if you have access to one, it'll give you that deep seat.

Remember, you want to ride from behind, so use your seat and legs a lot which will bring you to being able to ride safely and correctly in a curb bit. Good luck!

myvanya · Yearling

Thanks for the tips. I know it has been a while but I have been working the old guy and he has been coming along. He already knew how to neck rein and is very attentive to my seat so I really have just been working on reminding him of that lol (so he can turn without my hand having to actually move too visibly and gives me good responses every time to half halts just from the seat). His jog is great now! He is starting to think about loping instead of cantering but he has never had a fabulous canter on the flat so I am sure that will take a while. We also have been working on reminding him of turn on the forehand and turn on the haunches and how they are done differently in western than English. Still using his old jumping saddle with long stirrups as I need my dressage saddle for my horse (at another barn unfortunately) in dressage training. I did get a western headstall put together for him though. so....good progress especially considering my attention is mostly, I admit, on my younger horse in dressage training. The old guy seems to like the new ideas though

Nikki Salo · Grand Prix

Glad to hear that things are going well with training your boy!

As his training progesses, you could add some ground poles into your work. Jog overs will help him be aware of his hoof placement and lope overs may help him to develope his canter/lope better.