# Horse is VERY sensitive on sides: how to turn and speed up?



## Stepher (Nov 5, 2007)

Some mares HATE to be squeezed. I used to ride a mare like this, squeezing = buck. Instead of using both legs, teach her to go from one. So, inside leg means trot, and outside means canter. Or, you can go a step further and teach her to go from your seat, so to trot you give a little thrust (to start, you use voice at the same time), and to canter you thrust with your outside seat bone.
Hope that helps..and good luck.


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## spencer.nethercutt (Nov 29, 2007)

i just broke a mare, and i did notice that she would get jumpy when i would squeze but i noticed it was that my foot was hitting her shoulder (i have big feet) and she didnt like it at all. maybe you should try squeezing a little further forwards or backwards, it might be that she is sensitive where you are squeezing her. just a thought.


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## maverick (Nov 28, 2007)

Does her saddle fit correctly?


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## kitten_Val (Apr 25, 2007)

To all, thanks a lot!

I think saddle is fine on her (from what I read, the position, sweat marks etc.). I have nice western saddle. She does the same thing with the english saddle as well and with the other western I had before (crappy one though), so I'd guess it's not a saddle issue. Hopefully. 

I'm thinking may be I hit her too close to the back, so will try to push more towards the shoulder. If not, well, at least it's good to know there are other horses like that who don't like squeezing. Lol! So may be the bottom way will be to go with just seat position and voice.


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## jazzyrider (Sep 16, 2007)

my belief is that if any horse is so sensitive that they are going to act up when squeezed then there must be something making them so sensitive. i would have her back checked as she may not be sensitive where she is being squeezed rather she may be acting up cause she knows she has to go faster and something may be hurting her when she does. 

if she just doesnt like being squeezed then you could teach her by voice commands although this would not be desirable in the show ring if you were planning on showing her.

i really think though that finding the root of the problem is the only way to solve the problem rather than finding ways of getting around it  good luck


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## kitten_Val (Apr 25, 2007)

Jazzy, she doesn't mind to go faster as long as asked with voice. She perfectly knows the command "Trot" and moves to trot from walk next moment asked (in fact do it even before me asking sometime just from change of my seat position). My guess would be she doesn' like to be touched closer to her back. I did notice it before when I tried that "canter clue" position (outside leg little back) many people are using it drives her crazy. However I thought may be she's just confused. I'm waiting on tomorrow to try to use my leg towards the shoulder to see how she'll react.


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