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horse training--->
i need advice from experienced horse trainers or from people experienced with horses. iam 15/f/usa. i have an appendix quarter horse. I show him english/hunt seat. I want his headset to be lower and look relaxed. I use a martingale to train him for his head. But when I show him in shows, he keeps his head up, because he's more intrested in the surroundings and enviornment. He's a pretty good listener. He is 8years old, 16hh. I need some help with his headset. I would also like to show western, but he can't neckreign too well. He can a little bit, but not too much. Any advice on that too? Oh and one more thing. My horse never stands still! He's a pain to give a bath to, he dances all over the place, moves his head, he's a pain to braid his hair and he moves his head around all the time and he moves when i saddle him too. Any suggestions to any of those? Please? My horse isn't the nice calm quarter horse that puts his head down and relaxes. He's a little more tempermental...cause of the throughbred blood. I never place in a pleasure class, cause he won't put his head down low enough, and if I ask for a lower headset, I have to lower the reigns..which doesn't make it look pleasureable, and his head comes back up. Please help me! He has also had 2 months of hunter training!
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Has he had 2 months professional training???? If he has he should not be having this many problems. Before I start remeber different trainers have different ways of training and the person who originally started training this horse and the way you ride may be different than what I am telling you to do. Also do you go to a person to help with your riding around you? That could help.
1st question was about keeping his head down. When you are home working with him try and what I call sea-saw him, use two hands on your reign and move them back and forth until he lowers his head then let loose ride normal until he brings his head back up than repeat that. After a while he should quite testing you. (When you are riding a horse they will test you to see what all they can get away with, you have to be in control and show them who is boss!) Also when you are showing him when you know you are behind the judge assuming there is only one judge work him to make him drop his head and then as soon as you get close to a judges veiw do not do this because then you get points off for correcting your horse in ring. When you are showing him make sure you get there with plenty of time to get him out and ridden by the area you are showing in, try and go out and stand with him by the ring for about 10 min prior to going in the ring, do not rush and try and stay calm when you are nervous he will pick up on that and he will then get nervous.
As for showing him in western remember the western saddle is completly different and is much more heavy! Same drill with keeping his head down for western with the reigns. I do not know how fermiliar you are with western tack but there are things called tie downs and you can adjust them to how tight you want them to be but it will not allow the horse to put his head up all the way, only use this at home it will make him more comfertable with keeping his head down. For teh neck reinging he will get better with it with practice sence you are one handed in western pleasure you can lightly bump with one finger on the reign in which way you have to turn him or move him. Also use LEG PRESSURE!!! I cannot stress this enough if you are asking him to turn right squeeze him and use leg pressure with your outside leg this will help him to get the hang of it. Also you may want to try a stronger bit while teaching him to neck reign but remember when useing a stronger bit you have to be a bit lighter in his mouth. Also when he is just standing places when you are with him like when you are leading him around if his head is up bring it down by tapping him inbetween the ears and tugging down on your lead rope, keeping his head down whenever you are working with him will teach him that no matter what you are doing when you are with him, working him it is time to work not play time like out in a pasture.
Most horses will dance around during baths if they are not in say a wash stall because they are in an open space and well the water feels good theres not much you can do there, just ask someone to hold him while you wash him and they can correct him instead of tying him up if you do. The more baths he gets the calmer he should get. One thing I find very helpful while braiding is tying them up and putting a hay bag infront of them it keeps them busy and there mind off of what you are doing! So when he moves around when you are saddeling this gets annoying I know but it helps, if they want to move around while you tighten there girth and things like this then you can stand there let him dance till he stands still start working on it again he starts dancinhg stop let him move until he stands still, also if he moves on you when you are trying to get on him like if he circles let him circl after a while he is going to give in and stand there like he should, dont let him get away with moving while mounting it is not safe a couple steps isnt bad though. I have seen many quarter horses that are not calm lol, some are some arent they all have there own personality! But something you may want to consider would be to try giving him a suppliment called quietex it is an all natural calming suppliment and will help him become more of a quiet horse it comes in a powder you can add to his feed once a day, also they have it in a paste form that you can give him prior to showing him to make him more relaxed. I think I have covered everything you asked hope this helps, feel free to ask any more questions!
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