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Comment by Jackie Cochran on October 16, 2011 at 1:58pm

I have been lucky to get to ride a new horse recently, and boy are his reactions different than the two mares I ride!  It will probably take me several more rides on him before we get ourselves moving together, at least Debbie has finally gotten him fitted with a saddle that does not bother his back.  This can make A LOT of difference in how the horse moves.

Mick, the gelding, has a longer, higher set neck than the mares do.  Several times when I rode him at a trot I had to raise my hands before Mick would stick out his nose and then lengthen his neck in response to my legs.  Unfortunately Debbie thinks he ended up in the hands of a Western trainer who put him on the fork (a really short running martingle) to get his head down.  This means I have to be REALLY careful to make sure his nose goes forward first before he brings his head down, otherwise he curls up behind the vertical.  Mia, the Arab mare I ride, also had this happen in her past (we think,) and whenever she thinks my hands are too hard she also used to curl up behind the vertical.

If I was not riding completely on the flat in the ring I would probably ignore the problem, and that would be the wrong thing to do.  Except for dressage in full collection, horses stride forward much more freely when they lead with their nose and the quality of their gaits is superior because they move with a lot more natural impulse and drive from their hindquarters.   

Comment by Jackie Cochran on October 16, 2011 at 10:26am

I couldn't do much this week, getting over a cold.  I mostly walked and worked on my contact and coordinating my aids.

Comment by Holly on October 15, 2011 at 11:30pm

Tell us your stories the more people we have the better I MIGHT even once hold a contest.

My Ride on Atlas,

he was really good ad soomth and just amazing.

Share your ride it could be somthing we could read over and over again!

Comment by Holly on May 22, 2011 at 12:25pm

Thanks,Jackie Cochran for sharing your story with us I know I love your storys thanks again~Holly-creater of this group

Comment by Jackie Cochran on May 21, 2011 at 8:04pm

I am afraid my flat work is a lot more quiet than that!  But I remember the good, fast gallops on my Anglo-Arab! 

One day, I had owned him just a year or so, I went on a trail ride and got a good lesson from my horse.  He ran away with me.  He went faster and faster, I pulled harder and harder, and it was a good distance before he slowed down.

I never pull hard when a horse starts running away any more!  My wise horse taught me well. 

I also had another horse, a mare, who was hot and liked to GO.  She sure could move those legs at a gallop!  She never ran away with me at a gallop, but we had our moments at slower gaits, she would try to "run away" at a walk since I would not let her run away at a gallop.  She was fun.

Now my flat work is slower.  I am working on refining my aids.  I know it doesn't sound very exciting but it is wonderful when my horse stops when I just twitch my fingers. 

Comment by Holly on May 21, 2011 at 4:15pm

Heyy everyone.

If you just like to ride a new pony/horse at your barn and you just want to go for a gallap well heres you chance to share your stories with us i know i have had some of those moments and sometimes they wherent on purpose they horse/pony just takes off for a gallap and once its happing you LOVVEEE it please join these groups i and other members of these groups would luv to hear them just look at this groups pic thats me and a pony taking off and did i like it no I LOVVEDD it <3