So i’ve been riding this horse that is an ex eventer for like one and a half years. I cannot pull his big old nose in for dressage. I have been doing everything my trainer says but he wont do it! How should I get him to hold his face perpendicular to the ground? I feel like im pulling hard and hes getting mad at me!
I’ve always found this pretty easy…as long as you are consistent!!
Set the reins at the correct length, then twitch one hand (It really doesn’t matter which one as long as you stick with it once you’ve started). I do like lots of mini half halts, just by opening and closing my hand. I do this until he moves his head down, as soon as he does I stop.
AS SOON as he lifts back up again start twitching again. Pretty quickly your horse will realize that when his head is down you are still, and as soon as he lifts up you start twitching again, he’ll realize this is his signal to lower his head.
Remember, to start this your horse will now likely have weak neck muscles so don’t keep him there too long each time, you’ll find he’ll shake his neck after extended periods in a frame.
This will take a few weeks to perfect but it will happen if you are patient and consistent!
Please don’t tie your horse up with unnecessary constraints, this won’t work long term!
This is not a job for ANY kind of martingale!!
EDIT:
Somebody mentioned side reins, be VERY careful if you have no experience with side reins, and if you decide to use draw reins, you have to have soft hands.
If I were you I’d l;ook at getting a Market Harbour (also known as a German Martingale) but again you need soft hands!!!
Good luck!
May 5th, 2010 at 6:12 pm
to get his nose parralel use a tie down well not a tie dow tho dont know what they call it in englishe riding a martingale i think.
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May 5th, 2010 at 6:39 pm
His big ol nose has nothing to do with collection. He’s bigger than you. You will not win a pulling contest. Try using your body. Try getting an instructor who actually knows what they are doing.
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May 5th, 2010 at 6:59 pm
Well, you could try a martingale. It will help to keep his nose in, as its purpose is to keep horses from raising their heads too high. Might I suggest another instructor? Any trainer who says ‘he won’t do it’ is hardly to fit to work as a trainer at all, its their job to train both the horse, and rider. Good luck!
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May 5th, 2010 at 7:49 pm
if you just pull on his mouth, he’ll stop and of course he’ll get mad. you have to make sure that you are using just enough leg and just enough rein, not just leg or just hand. dressage is basically a test of all the skills you can have your horse execute making subtle movements, and making it look as easy as possible. dressage is a strenuous sport, so it’ll take lots of practice and hard work to get used to. good luck training!
oh and make sure your instructor thinks about you and your horses’ training well. he/she needs to be understanding, not a kind of person that says "just do it." he needs to know you and your horses’ needs.
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May 5th, 2010 at 8:25 pm
You should not be worried about his head position. That should come LAST. You should be worried about the rest of the body.
Besides, simply pulling on your horse isnt correct. If you just pull your horses head to the desired position, they are not through, or on the bit. They are merely tucking their head in. You need to back up your hand with your seat and leg, encourage him to move INTO the bit. Not pull him into it- this is not correct and will not help you in the long run.
I would try a different trainer, or maybe have someone else (not you or your trainer) ride the horse a few times before you blame it totally on the horse.
And were you implying that he is like this because he is an ex eventer? Eventers dont just run about and jump, you know. We work on dressage plenty. Its one of the phases, genius.
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May 5th, 2010 at 9:14 pm
First off, don’t pull on his face. If you want, try lunging him in side reins to help him position himself and ride him the side reins loosely so that it just encourages him to place himself. And at this time, you should be using you’re legs to push him up into the bridle, as well as your seat. Get him to move off your leg by doing some turn on the forehands and turn on the haunches. Your inside leg should bend his body while the outside leg should hold his shoulder together, and your seat should drive him forward. Your hands should be soft and supporting, always there to assure him that you are still there and are still with him. DO NOT PULL ON HIM!!! No wonder he’s getting mad at you, how would you like it if someone would yank on your mouth all the time! I do not want to be mean but it makes sense. Ride more with your legs and seat with some contact to remind him that you are still there. If you’re trainer is telling you to pull on his face then you should fine another trainer who uses acceptable methods such as using your seat and legs.
References :
First Level Dressage rider
May 5th, 2010 at 9:57 pm
I’ve always found this pretty easy…as long as you are consistent!!
Set the reins at the correct length, then twitch one hand (It really doesn’t matter which one as long as you stick with it once you’ve started). I do like lots of mini half halts, just by opening and closing my hand. I do this until he moves his head down, as soon as he does I stop.
AS SOON as he lifts back up again start twitching again. Pretty quickly your horse will realize that when his head is down you are still, and as soon as he lifts up you start twitching again, he’ll realize this is his signal to lower his head.
Remember, to start this your horse will now likely have weak neck muscles so don’t keep him there too long each time, you’ll find he’ll shake his neck after extended periods in a frame.
This will take a few weeks to perfect but it will happen if you are patient and consistent!
Please don’t tie your horse up with unnecessary constraints, this won’t work long term!
This is not a job for ANY kind of martingale!!
EDIT:
Somebody mentioned side reins, be VERY careful if you have no experience with side reins, and if you decide to use draw reins, you have to have soft hands.
If I were you I’d l;ook at getting a Market Harbour (also known as a German Martingale) but again you need soft hands!!!
Good luck!
References :
http://www.equisearch.com/horses_riding_training/english/dressage/eqreins2640/
May 5th, 2010 at 10:28 pm
First and foremost you need a new trainer! If you are doing everything your trainer says to do and are still referring to what you are doing as "pulling hard" and "trying to pull his big old nose in" your trainer is doing both you and the horse a disservice. Pulling and tugging is NOT the answer! You need to ask him to collect with your whole body, not just your hands. Once you get him to collect things will be much easier! Also, dressage directly translated into the english language means training. The idea is for horses and humans to work in harmony at the highest levels of training. Dressage starts with the most basic riding skills, from your seat to your cues, and progresses to the most difficult feats of training including airs above the ground. Dressage is the basis upon all other disciplines are developed including western. Everyone should have some solid dressage training from a reputable trainer to help them become the best they can be.
My advice? Fire your trainer and start working with someone who has a clue.
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May 5th, 2010 at 11:01 pm
A horse is way stronger then you so of course you will lose in a pulling contest against him. For a horse to bring his head in and flex at the poll he will first have to collect himself! To get him to do that push with your legs and hold the reins still. In other words make HIM move into the bit pressure, not you trying to pull him into the pressure. You can very softly close and open your fingers on the reins while pushing with your legs to help him move into the bit. Be sure you are sitting softly in the saddle. For him to collect himself and move into the bit his back will have to be rounded and thats very hard, if not imposable, for a horse to do if his back is hurting.
Try reading this article on it. It might explain getting him into the correct frame better then I can.
http://www.artofriding.com/articles/onthebit.html
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dressage rider and horse trainer
May 5th, 2010 at 11:40 pm
I agree with the other posters who say you need a new trainer.
Pulling on your horses head should NEVER EVER be a part of dressage. When all other factors are in place the head will come with it. He is getting mad at you because A: It is not how he was trained and B: It is uncomfortable for him! His head position is not his fault, it is because you are not asking correctly.
A perpendicular head is not the ultimate goal, true collection is, and it is the last step in dressage, before that you need to have (in this order)
Rhythm and Regularity – a constant pace
Relaxation – Impossible to achieve if you are pulling all the time
Contact
Impulsion – Your horse needs to be driving from behind through his back
Straightness
If you want to keep pulling eventually he will hold his head where you want it but I guarantee that he will no be relaxed and will not have impulsion. At that point you are just riding in circles with a horse in a forced headset. If your trainer doesn’t understand the difference it is time to move on, and there is nothing wrong with that.
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May 6th, 2010 at 12:13 am
pulling his nose in won’t help at all.
you can’t gather in front what isn’t oput there with the legs.
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May 6th, 2010 at 12:53 am
You never pull in their face for them to get round. Getting a horse round is actually harder than it looks. Practice bending and stretching (with impulsion of course) and you can start rounding from there. Remember, it’s 99.9% of the time the riders fault.
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Dressage rider