# Xander, my new journey.



## gymkhanaprincess7 (May 7, 2012)

Well, um, I ride western in a snaffle twist so can't really have an imput, but I've ridden in many martingales for many horses, and they work for those horses. I don't see anything wrong with it if it works for you and your horse 

P.S. Congrats on your new guy!!  I hope you have a long and wonderful journey with him.


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## Lins (Nov 8, 2011)

He's very heavy on his forehand with the martingale on. 'Frame' is not what you want, the goal should be collection by shifting his weight onto his hind quarters. Nice horse though, its good that he's listening to you better.
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## HunterJumper3D (May 31, 2012)

gymkhanaprincess7 said:


> Well, um, I ride western in a snaffle twist so can't really have an imput, but I've ridden in many martingales for many horses, and they work for those horses. I don't see anything wrong with it if it works for you and your horse
> 
> P.S. Congrats on your new guy!!  I hope you have a long and wonderful journey with him.


Thanks!  And yeah there may not be many people on here who are against them but I have encountered quite a few and never really understood *why* they don't like them.


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## HunterJumper3D (May 31, 2012)

Lins said:


> He's very heavy on his forehand with the martingale on. 'Frame' is not what you want, the goal should be collection by shifting his weight onto his hind quarters. Nice horse though, its good that he's listening to you better.
> _Posted via Mobile Device_


Why dont you want a 'frame'? What do you mean?


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## Lins (Nov 8, 2011)

By saying frame, do you mean getting his head down?
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## HunterJumper3D (May 31, 2012)

No, more like getting him to 'carry' himself and keep light off my hands, you may not be able to see it in the pics but the reins are quite soft and not tight. Resulting in him softening and his head lowering into a 'long and low' hunter position. So, yes and no, I guess.


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## Lins (Nov 8, 2011)

Have you tried getting him up off his forehand and onto his hind quarters? Your coach should be focused on that more then his head.

The only problem I have with martingales is when people try to use them to force their horse's head down and let them carry themselves on their front end. Rather then forget about the head and get them using their engine, their hind quarters.
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## HunterJumper3D (May 31, 2012)

Yeah we have been working on that, my trainer keeps telling me to "pretend his brain is in his butt"  thanks for you comments though, I'll try to keep them in mind when I'm riding tomorrow


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## Lins (Nov 8, 2011)

haha! That's good, you two will get it if you keep working on it.
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## Lins (Nov 8, 2011)

_Posted via Mobile Device_


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## HunterJumper3D (May 31, 2012)

Today I went and rode X. He was *such *a good boy! He picked up his leads every time, his paces were light and floating, he was awesome! I hope he is like this at the show on Sunday, because if he is then we will kick butt!  Well I think I'm going out to ride tomorrow, and then I have a jumping lesson on Saturday. Hopefully I'll get some pictures and put them up. 

So there's this new horse at our barn. His name is Bodie and he is adorable! He is a four year old chestnut mustang/morgan cross. He has a real dark mane and tail and he is really gold/orange color. He came to our barn for training, he isn't trained to saddle yet. He is a really smart boy, the kind of horse who you can almost *see* thinking, you know? My trainer says hes got the most common sense of almost any other horse shes met! I'll try to get some pictures of him tomorrow and put them up.


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## HunterJumper3D (May 31, 2012)

*The martingale came off today!

*He was *such* a good boy! I am so proud of him! The only thing is, the forecast says rain for this weekend. So maybe no show (its outside). However, I am not that disappointed because this show was just going to be a schooling show for the two of us, since its not pointed towards the riding club that I am a member of (they have year-end awards), so its ok, I guess...
Anyway, jumping lesson tomorrow, yay!
Today I popped X over a small jump that was set up for a beginner rider's lesson. I wasn't sure what to expect, since I hadn't jumped in a few weeks. He got very excited, it was funny, I hadn't realized how much he seems to love jumping. So there were a few bucks (more than a few actually  ). The one thing that I think I have learned the most from my three short months (almost 4!) with this horse is how to sit a buck! He bucks when hes excited, when hes mad, and when hes frustrated with me (mostly when I'm off-balance, I have a huge problem with leaning). Its good, though, hes the first horse like this that I have had the chance to ride long term, and its interesting. The bucking has improved though, its gone from the whole long side of the ring every time we cantered, to just a few good-natured bucks after a jump. 
Hoping for sunshine for Sunday!
*does a sun-dance*


Oh yeah, I almost forgot!
So I was watching my trainer work with Bodie, the mustang/morgan who came to the barn for saddle training, she was getting him used to the saddle. And I was wondering, how old are horses generally when you train them to be ridden?


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## gymkhanaprincess7 (May 7, 2012)

Depends. Race horses need to broke young, because most start their first season when they're 2. But others might start getting backed and saddle broke around 2-3, depending entirely on the horse and whoever is working with them. Other horses are used for breeding their entire first half of their life, then aren't broke to be ridden 'til way later. But, in general, 2-4 is about right 

And I'm hoping your show doesn't get rained out!


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## HunterJumper3D (May 31, 2012)

Ahh cool thanks I was just wondering


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## HunterJumper3D (May 31, 2012)

*sigh* both the show, and my jumping lesson got rained out :-|. I guess thats what you get when you live in Maine during mud season!


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## gymkhanaprincess7 (May 7, 2012)

Sorry about your show  Think of it this way, even in California there are plenty of shows and practices that I can't go to because they get rained out, sadly, it's kinda part of riding, LOL. You'll get another chance


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