# Annoying Habit



## AllThePrettyHorses (Dec 15, 2010)

In the past, me and my horse haven't rode off the property that much, and I'm noticing now that when we do, she blunders around with her ears up, looking at everything. Which is fine; I don't mind her enjoying the scenery, but..she totally loses track of her feet when she's doing this. She'll be looking one way, and the next thing you know we're walking off the trail into chest-high snow. So I constantly have to be on alert and correcting her, and it gets annoying because I'm constantly pestering her to stay on track. I'd like her to take some sort of responsibility for herself so that we both can just relax and enjoy the ride.

I don't know why she's doing it. My theory is that she is just so new to everything that she wants to soak it all in, and I'm hoping that the more we ride, the more she'll get used to seeing new things and eventually settle down. I'm also wondering if it could be that she doesn't trust me and feels insecure and like she has to be on constant alert. Though I have to admit, it feels more like she's: "Wow! Look at all this stuff!" than scared. She never spooks..the most she'll do is slow her steps and seem hesitant about moving towards the scary object, but she's only had one of those reactions in the past week. We usually return home the same way we went out (the snow's too deep to break new trails in), and she's usually a fair bit quieter and more focused on the way home.


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## Speed Racer (Oct 21, 2009)

It's completely_ your_ responsibility to make sure your horse stays on the trail. In all my years of riding and owning horses, I've never met a _true_ horse person who thinks part of the responsibility is on the _horse_ to make the ride enjoyable. :?

As long as she's listening and responding appropriately, it's up to _you_ to make sure her feet are where they should be. _ You're_ the leader, not her.


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## AllThePrettyHorses (Dec 15, 2010)

True that. I guess I never thought of it that way...the fact that she's not blatantly trying to go her own way is good. I was thinking of all the deadhead trail horses that are set on the path and follow it.


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## Alwaysbehind (Jul 10, 2009)

A deadheaded trail horse would be no fun.

Just give her a little guidance as you go along and I am sure you two will figure out just what you both need to have a good time.


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## SailorGriz (Nov 28, 2010)

As you ride together more two things should happen: 

1. You will learn how to compensate for her wandering before it even happens, and 

2. You will learn to correct her without even knowing you're doing it.

Notice, please, that neither item has anything at all to do with changing your horse's basic behavior. As Racer said, it's YOUR responsibility. 

Your horse should, however, respond and stay on trail with just the tiniest, almost automatic, aids.

But, when all is said and done, the goal is to get out and ride. And ride. And enjoy. 

BTW, if you don't mind my asking, where do you live where there's chest high snow? I can think of lots of places like that (some very close to home, actually), but I'm curious anyway. tnx!


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## AllThePrettyHorses (Dec 15, 2010)

SailorGriz said:


> As you ride together more two things should happen:
> 
> 1. You will learn how to compensate for her wandering before it even happens, and
> 
> ...


Canada! :lol: Big surprise there. Was riding yesterday and she got right into a deep patch and was stuck. I jumped off to help her, and the snow could hold my weight but not hers. It was the strangest thing to be towering over my horse.

I think really, that's the ultimate goal-to get her responding to and staying on the path with just very light aids...which, yeah, I guess will come from time and experience.


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## SailorGriz (Nov 28, 2010)

Pretty, think about when you go out walking on a trail in a new area. You're rubber necking all over the place and, if you're not careful, you find yourself wandering off the trail just 'cause you're not paying attention.

What happens after walking that way for awhile? You find yourself "self correcting"--you start to recognize when you are heading off the trail before you actually do so and you give yourself a little "aid" to stay on the trail.

Guess What? The exact same thing will happen with you and your horse. You'll learn to anticipate errant movement and give subtle aids to address that movement--sometimes before it even happens. It'll become so automatic you'll swear you aren't doing anything!

Of course, the horse DOES have to cooperate and respond to the subtle aids. I suppose some horses just never figure that out and have to be worked a lot harder just to keep them where you want them. But most should be easily trained to stay put with minimal, automatic on your part, aids.

I live in norther Idaho. I understand deep snow, even tho we don't get it right where I live. Less than an hour away and there's all the snow anyone could want--or not want, as the case may be!

Ride often if you can, ride well if you're able. But RIDE!


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## tinyliny (Oct 31, 2009)

Pretty,

I don't know about responsibility, whose or what, but I can say that a horse I used to ride started out that way. He was big and clumsy and just went down the trail like a pinball bouncing off whatever he drifted into. I really had to work hard to keep this bargelike horse on the trail and heading forward. 
A year later he was just a goer and though not nimble footed, did pretty well for a warmblood.
So, fear not, there's hope. However, some horse's just have a better sense of self preservation than others. The flip side of that is that YOU can usually talk them into going anywhere, whereas a horse with high self preservation may say "no!" to some of your suggestions.


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## MyBoyPuck (Mar 27, 2009)

Speed Racer said:


> It's completely_ your_ responsibility to make sure your horse stays on the trail. In all my years of riding and owning horses, I've never met a _true_ horse person who thinks part of the responsibility is on the _horse_ to make the ride enjoyable. :?
> 
> As long as she's listening and responding appropriately, it's up to _you_ to make sure her feet are where they should be. _ You're_ the leader, not her.


So you're saying that a horse should not think for itself when on the trails, but to look to the rider for every step? I would never micro-manage my horse on trails. It is indeed his job to know where his own feet are. Yes, I'm responsible for not steering him off a cliff or even getting him into a bad situation, but I wouldn't want any business with a horse who cannot think for itself. Then again I'm an eventer. Horses who cannot think for themselves don't get very far. Perhaps you have a different reason for riding every step.


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## SailorGriz (Nov 28, 2010)

Puck, the problem Pretty described is the horse NOT thinking for itself--and needing constant attention to stay out of trouble. I certainly expect Shandy to think for himself and stay on the trail--but, when he doesn't or gets too close to the edge or wants to go the wrong way around something or whatever --I expect to correct him. Subtly, but insistently. He is to go where I want him to go which may, or may not, be the same place he wants to go. 

But, if he just flat isn't paying attention and is, therefore, getting into trouble I expect to have to micro-manage him until he figures it out. 

That 400 foot drop into the river makes me not want to trust his stupidity too far!


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## Izz (Dec 14, 2010)

AllThePrettyHorses:


I wouldn't worry about it at all. Your horse just sounds inexperienced. He'll learn, just give him the time to figure things out for himself. In the meantime assist him with the guidance he needs. All animals tend to prefer the easiest place or track to walk on and follow. Your horse will do that too when he becomes a little more experienced unless you tell him to put his feet elsewhere. 


One thing that I was thinking of, are you sure that it's not you who are unconsciously cuing the horse to wander off the trail, by slightly turning your body when you are admiring the landscape or looking for something. For fun, try to let go of the reins or even better, ride at home on safe ground without a headstall and see how much or little/subtle cues it takes to ride the horse with the body. But concentrate on the surroundings not on the riding 'cause that's what you probably do when you are riding outside the property. You might get an “aha” experience..


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## Alwaysbehind (Jul 10, 2009)

MyBoyPuck said:


> So you're saying that a horse should not think for itself when on the trails, but to look to the rider for every step? I would never micro-manage my horse on trails.


I think being responsible for your horse and micromanaging are two ends of totem pole. Kind of a huge leap you are making there.


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## trailhorserider (Oct 13, 2009)

My Fox Trotter Isabelle is a little like this. I have never had her fall off the trail or anything, but it's like she is insecure and sight-seeing the whole time we are going out, and if there is a bush or limb or anything like that in front of us, she will go right through it or trip over it like she isn't even aware it is there.

That is a little bit different than what I am used to, because my Mustang is so self-preserving. 

It's not that Isabelle is blind or dumb, but it's almost like she is looking so hard for ******s in the bushes (or in her case, birds in the bushes) that she really doesn't look where she is going. 

What I have found helps is to ride her more assertively. To give her a little more leg and more steering, whereas with my Mustang I can just sort of point and go. But if I am more assertive with Izzy, she wanders and sight-sees less and goes out better. So in a way I feel she is making me a better rider, because she makes me think, and my Mustang is so perfect that I get lazy. :lol:

Going back she is like a homing pigeon, so I don't have to ride assertively going back.


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## SailorGriz (Nov 28, 2010)

Wonder how much riding a touch faster would help? I've found with Mr. Big that the more forward energy he puts out the less messing around he does.


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## AllThePrettyHorses (Dec 15, 2010)

Thank you all for your input. We rode off the property again today, and already she's slowly starting to come around. There's only one real track we can follow-the rest are under 3 feet of snow, so she's starting to get used to it.

Btw, SailorGriz, I like your signature :lol:


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## SailorGriz (Nov 28, 2010)

Thanks Pretty! I gotta own up: I didn't think of it. I saw it somewhere--or, at least, something similar.

Glad you're already having better success!


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