# Please Critique my horse and I!



## AKPaintLover (May 26, 2007)

This is me on my stallion last year (as a four year old); his first season showing and my first season since I was in 4-H. Please critique my western pleasure form (what should I do differently??). Also, the judge is this class had asked me to work on establishing my stallion's head-set and slowing his gaits a bit. Any training methods that have been succussful for anyone?? He is coming along in this area, but he really tends to lay on the bit and is rather stiff on it until he is really warmed up. I would love training ideas to soften him on the bit and establish his western posture so that my photos this year show the improvement


----------



## Friesian Mirror (Jan 11, 2007)

I'm not very good at judging, but I really like your form, I think your doing very well  I LOVE your horses mane! And he looks sooo good, he's so pretty. I can't help with the training though


----------



## meggymoo (Mar 10, 2007)

Hi, sorry dont know much about western, but you look great! He's gorgeous! I love the mane too. :wink:


----------



## stefie (May 24, 2007)

with his head set, his neck needs to be more relaxed and streched out more, the neck really need to be in line with the back or just a bit below....here is a pic i have found for your horses head set.


----------



## AKPaintLover (May 26, 2007)

Thanks so much for the feedback. It is good to see and hear what I am working towards. Any tips on how to accomplish the headset?


----------



## stefie (May 24, 2007)

lol umm it is really hard to explain the best thing that i would suggest is to find a trainer or somebody that no's how to do it and can show you...it is one thing to show somebody how to do it and then there is what i am doing now and it is really hard to explain so yeh if you cannot find someone to do it or if you cannot find a trainer then i will be more than happy to try and explain it for you
lol....good luck


----------



## [email protected] (Dec 8, 2006)

I don't know anything about wesdtern but your boy is gorgeous!


----------



## AKPaintLover (May 26, 2007)

Thanks Stefie, 
I will look for someone to show me visually  I have currently been asking and releasing when his head hits that position. I think he may soon find it more comfortable than the arched position shown above and seek that position more easily. 

My biggest issue now is that I need so much direct contact to perform maneuvers that it is difficult to let him strech out like that on the loose rein. I think as he gets quicker with his neck and leg yields (which is slowly happening), it will become easier to reinforce the headset. 

The photo really helped me though; I had forgotten about the neck line being even with the back.


----------



## stefie (May 24, 2007)

lol yeh it is better to be taught by someone showing you i think that you get more of an understanding of what is being asked but all of what you want him to do will come in time...he is doing really good for being a 4 year old though...well i hope that i have helped a little bit and good luck with everything


----------



## horses4ever123 (Jun 1, 2007)

*reply*

Yeah you definately need to fix the neck problem but I love his mane and what breed is he? A pinto or quarter horse, or arab?


----------



## AKPaintLover (May 26, 2007)

Thanks everyone for the compliments 
I will keep working on his headset. 
He is a registered paint horse (from QH lines)


----------



## Terasas_Story (Jun 11, 2007)

I like him. He looks nice. For his head set I would try giving him some rein and ask him to reach out for the bit. You want him to be just before the vertical. In that picture hes is at or little behind. It is ok for a horse to hold his nose just out past the verical but never behind. You can take a bungie that has two hooks on either end and get swivel clasps " the kind on the removable reins" to put on the ends and be sure to bend the hooks down so the clasps stay on. Get a leather strap " an old throat latch of an old bridle" and hook it in the spot you hook your breast collar. Run the bungie through the leather strap and hook clasps to your bit. 

When I set the strap I want it so that the horse dont flex hes neck but reaches down. He can test the bungie but he will get tierd of this and learn to carry his ears level with his wither. 

When a horse is carring his head proper he uses his back and this will help get his back strong. Try to extend his trot while driving him into the bit with his ears level with his wither. Round pen him with the bungies on until you find out what spot you want the bungies set. Think long and low for the look you are going for. If you want a picture of my bungie just ask and I can send you one.

We have used this methode on many horses that have shown and done very well.


----------



## RedneckCutie (Jun 27, 2007)

I show QH's and Buckskins for a living and there are just a few things that I see need to be worked on...

On you as the Rider:

-Your posture is great but I would get some black chaps or a pair that would contrast well with your horses color
-You might want to work on pulling your feet back just a few more inches to give a stright line though your head, Shoulders, and Heels
Other that that for open shows you would be set.
If you plan on goin to breed shows you might want to get a shirt with some kind of color or pattern and a felt Hat (can't tell if yours is or not)

On the Horse:

-I agree with stefie on his head set. The way I fix this is to make him bend and flex. Youalready ride him in a snaffle so just make him work circles and the walk first then go faster. Bend his head to the inside of the circle then make him flex or counter bend with his nose facing to the outside. This makes his mouth a lot softer and makes him work better with his front end. Another way to get him to drop his head is see-saw the bit in your hands and mak him give to the pressure. Wen he starts to do this drop you hands down to your knees and see-saw. When he starts to give with his head lower release the pressure but if he picks his head back up do it again. Eventually he'll learn to keep his head low or your gonna keep see-sawin his mouth. 
-I can really tell you about his speeds though because I'm not there but to slow him down it goes back to circles. Put him in a circle at the trot and make him stay in the circle until he slows down, once he slows down allow him to travel in a straight line. As soon as he speeds up though, put him back in a circle until he slows down. This will teach him that if he goes slower, he doesn't have to work harder in the circles at that speed. 

Hope this helps and feel free to ask me with anymore questions


----------



## AKPaintLover (May 26, 2007)

Thanks again for the feedback everyone. It is really funny to hear some of the hints about how to establish headset and speed through circling/suppling. I started taking lessons for reining, and have consequentially (sp?) been circling a lot in the various exercises. In four lessons (one per week with me practicing in between), be has developed a lower headset and slowed his pace (through the exact same exercise suggested by ******* Cutie - circling until he slows and rewarding by going straight). 

I have since purchased some black chaps, and have some more colorful shirts and a black felt hat that I can use to sharpen things up a bit. Sadly, there are no APHA breed shows at present in Alaska. I have played with the idea of hauling stateside for some shows, but both he and I will have to become a lot more experienced and refined with showing before I spend that kind of $$$. 

The bungee tool sounds interesting. I simply worry with this particular horse that he would find some way to ignore it, or utilize it to assist his quest to be lazy  Driving him into his headset through circles has helped a lot, because he is figuring out that if he simply keeps his head in position, he has to work less. 

Though we are making progress with his headset and pace in practice and training, I feel like it is all lost when we go to a show or other event because he is so excited. We had a trail class where he was pretty good in the practice arena about his new skills, and then he rushed through everything in the actaul class, pushing hard against the bit with his mouth gaping - I won't share pictures - I can't bare to look at them  I am sure everyone can imagine the look of things  Other than time and experience, any ideas for handling this type of situation in that actaul show ring. We get around other horses, and he becomes much more interested in what is going on around him than what I am asking. I am pretty strict with him in general because he is a stallion, but I can't exactly go correcting him for calling right in the middle of a class with judges and everyone else. I usually correct him by circling or backnig him to make him work hard each time he commits a behavior - wouldn't really work in class.


----------



## RedneckCutie (Jun 27, 2007)

The best way to get him to get over this is to show him. Experience is the greatest tool. Instead of paying the full entry fee, see if you can talk the people in charge to cut the fees and allow you to exhibition in the class. You wont be placed in the class but your horse will be in the arena with other horses and you can school on him and not spend as much money. OUr entry fees here in TX at Schooling shows is between $8- $10 but I usually pay $5 a class if I want to exhibition. This allows me to school my horse at a show around other horses and the assoc putting on the show is getting a little $$$ from me doin this. Exhibitioning is also a good way to ask the judges about what you might need to change and then go back in another class and see if your doin what they would like to see. I'm glad my advice really works and that I explained it right. Making your stallion drive into his bit is also a really good thing to do. This teaches him to use his neck to balance himself and he isnt relying on you to hold him together. The more you get him to carry himself, the easier it is to transition him into a one handed bit.


----------



## stefie (May 24, 2007)

hmmm you could do what RedneckCutie said witht he see-sawing at the mouth but for me i think that can be a bit dangerous at time. After a while your horse could become very sensitive to the mouth and start puttin his head up so you cant see-saw thats y i dont really see-saw at horses mouths...i prefer the pressure and relese...its simple and will NOT affect your horses mouth.
All you have to do is apply the slightest amount of pressur to one side of the rein and keep applyin presure till your horse drops the head even if its the slightest bit and the min he does, relese the pressure straigh away.
Once he understands the pressure and relese your horse will be great at bringin his head down.
But to me i really dont like see-sawing i think its a bit dangerouse thats just me though not meaning anything to you RedneckCutie please dont take this mean at all, this is just goin by my experiance.


----------



## moomoo (Feb 21, 2007)

first of all, ur horse is gorgeous!!

i ride emgish but before i start collecting up in the warm up area, she needs to loosen up her neck muscles, so i trot around concentrating on going forwards until she is warmed up and head low x might work for you? x


----------



## la-who-ooo-zer (Jul 19, 2007)

hmmm...

Raise your stirrups up one hole, so you can put your heels down! Even with western, heels down is a MUST! Give him some more rein, that will help with his head set. You're yanking his mouth. Good job!


----------



## AKPaintLover (May 26, 2007)

Here are some update photos from a recent show. Headset is improving due to new training and different methods. Headset is pretty awesome at home, and okay at the shows where he is distracted. Improvements? Problems? 
















a little blurred - sorry








Western riding - I know I am forward - I was trying to get a particular lead, and still look silly when doing so


----------



## la-who-ooo-zer (Jul 19, 2007)

You still need to loosen your reins, other then that great!


----------

