# Leg Pressure



## Sunny06 (Jun 22, 2009)

Cricket hates leg pressure. End of story. 

When we are cantering and she's at the corner where she starts to go back into a trot, I'll kiss and add leg pressure to back myself up with. Almost everytime, she'll either lower her head and shake it, or buck. If I keep (pretty much pull) her head up, I can prevent it, but I don't want to have to do that  I'm going to (right now after I'm done typing this) go check to see if the saddle really fits her or not. I thought so, but maybe not.  

Her walk to trot and trot to canter transitions are actually pretty good which is odd. She stays in her canter but when I give her leg pressure (either in a trot or canter) she'll act aggressive. In a walk she's fine.

I considered not posting this as I figured everyone would just say to get her used to leg pressure, but that's the thing: she IS pretty much used to it. 

Help, and thank you


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## SuperStarsSugar (Sep 9, 2009)

Okay, my horse used to be the same way. Try to ride with you seat more. I don't really know exactly how to describe it, but instead of applying leg, start by tightening the muscles in your hips and bum, and then your thighs, and then, instead of applying calf pressure, go directly to tapping the but with the crop. Not a smack at first, but a warning, and then a hard bump if he needs it. Eventually, he'll get schooled to the point where your cues will be basically invisible because it will come form you seat and not your leg. After I started doing this, I never got bucked off again.


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## Sunny06 (Jun 22, 2009)

Ok, thanks I will try that 

I just went out to check the saddle fitting, and didn't see anything wrong. I was going to ride, but it was pouring down rain along with 45- degree temps. Yuck.

I usually prefer using my mouth, and although she will respond a tiny bit, I like to use leg pressure so she can get used to it, etc. I will definetely try using my seat more.


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## wild_spot (Jan 30, 2008)

If she doesn't like it, do it more. It's not about her being 'used to' it, it's about her accepting it. If she tries to buck or throws her head, keep that leg on until she gives up and then ride on like nothing happened.


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## Spirithorse (Jun 21, 2007)

I'm going to agree with SuperStarsSugar.....except for me personally, I would use the whip to irritate her, more than to smack her with it. For horses that have a tendency to buck, you really don't wanna smack them with a whip, it will just **** them off lol. She CAN feel you when you squeeze your butt and thiegh muscles, it's just a matter of her being sensitized to it.


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## SuperStarsSugar (Sep 9, 2009)

I forgot to mention that putting on my leg never really bothered my horse after she learned to respond to my cues without bucking. Riding with my seat cured my horse's hypersensitivity because (I believe) she no longer felt like I was getting after her unfairly and applying too much force too soon. But then again, I've never needed to apply leg again, either. It's just nice so that if I let someone else ride her, she won't buck them off.

wild spot--teaching a horse futility might get it to do it's job for the trainer but in my experience, it's never actually resolved the issue and the horse has gone on to test others and occasionally, the trainer again. Obviously, I agree that it's best not to fall off when a horse bucks, but I also wouldn't consider a persistent seat to be a training tactic--it's just helps you stay on while you train.


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## SuperStarsSugar (Sep 9, 2009)

Spirithorse said:


> I'm going to agree with SuperStarsSugar.....except for me personally, *I would use the whip to irritate her, more than to smack her with it.* For horses that have a tendency to buck, you really don't wanna smack them with a whip, it will just **** them off lol. She CAN feel you when you squeeze your butt and thiegh muscles, it's just a matter of her being sensitized to it.


That would be the basic intention, yes. I don't do the whole "smack the horse" thing. Most horses don't need you to ask that hard. However, I do believe that a rider should match the horse's level of resistance.


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## SavvyHearts (Sep 29, 2009)

"Be as soft as possible, but as firm as necessary" If she is just going to respond with a touch of the whip, just do that, but if she needs a good tap with it, that is what is necessary to get her attention


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## Kayty (Sep 8, 2009)

wild_spot said:


> If she doesn't like it, do it more. It's not about her being 'used to' it, it's about her accepting it. If she tries to buck or throws her head, keep that leg on until she gives up and then ride on like nothing happened.


Yep, exactly. I've had two horses that would run INTO my leg, not just resist it. One of them would run into my leg so much so that she'd crush it against a fence, or fall over her own feet. My leg did NOT move on that horse, she could buck, take off and carry on like an idiot all she liked, but my leg was not going to budge until she gave up the carry on and accepted my leg, if she went to buck, she got a dressage whip across the backside. Took 2 rides to get it out of her and she never did it again. 

If you take your leg off when she gives you that negative behaviour, all you're doing is re enforcing that bucking to the leg is a comfortable thing to do. She doesn't hate leg pressure, she dislikes the work that comes out of it. DO NOT give away your leg until she gives in, make it uncomfortable as hell for her to go stupid to your leg. As soon as she relaxes and gives to it, take the pressure off and just work her with your leg lightly sitting on her sides. Then ask again, if she crakcs up PRESSURE ON, she settles down and moves off the leg, pressure off. Horses are VERY simple creatures!! 

I'd recomend working on turn on the forehand and leg yield in walk. Move her off your inside leg anywhere and everywhere. When you go around a corner, ask her to move her hind quarters away from your leg, on a circle, make her do a turn on the forehand. This will get her cued into your leg aids, and you WILL get a response when you start asking her to come under herself or move up a gait in higher paces.


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## SuperStarsSugar (Sep 9, 2009)

Kayty said:


> Yep, exactly. I've had two horses that would run INTO my leg, not just resist it. One of them would run into my leg so much so that she'd crush it against a fence, or fall over her own feet. My leg did NOT move on that horse, she could buck, take off and carry on like an idiot all she liked, but my leg was not going to budge until she gave up the carry on and accepted my leg, if she went to buck, she got a dressage whip across the backside. Took 2 rides to get it out of her and she never did it again.
> 
> *If you take your leg off when she gives you that negative behaviour, all you're doing is re enforcing that bucking to the leg is a comfortable thing to do.* *She doesn't hate leg pressure, she dislikes the work that comes out of it.* DO NOT give away your leg until she gives in, make it uncomfortable as hell for her to go stupid to your leg. As soon as she relaxes and gives to it, take the pressure off and just work her with your leg lightly sitting on her sides. Then ask again, if she crakcs up PRESSURE ON, she settles down and moves off the leg, pressure off. Horses are VERY simple creatures!!
> 
> I'd recomend working on turn on the forehand and leg yield in walk. Move her off your inside leg anywhere and everywhere. When you go around a corner, ask her to move her hind quarters away from your leg, on a circle, make her do a turn on the forehand. This will get her cued into your leg aids, and you WILL get a response when you start asking her to come under herself or move up a gait in higher paces.


I don't think anyone is saying to take the leg off when she misbehaves. I, at least, am saying don't put it on to begin with. Find another way to ask. Once the horse accepts the work that comes with following the rider's commands, I seriously doubt the rider will have additional problems with the horse disliking leg. My logic here is that, since the horse is clearly in a pattern of bucking whenever leg is applied, asking in a different way is more likely to avoid fireworks and get results because it's not going to evoke an ingrained negative response. Once you get past the horse's initial rejection of forward motion, it won't matter how you ask the horse to go forward, because, as you said, it was never about the horse not liking the application of leg. Both ways work, but I personally would rather not knowingly provoke a horse into misbehavior when I have another option.


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## wild_spot (Jan 30, 2008)

> wild spot--teaching a horse futility might get it to do it's job for the trainer but in my experience, it's never actually resolved the issue and the horse has gone on to test others and occasionally, the trainer again. Obviously, I agree that it's best not to fall off when a horse bucks, but I also wouldn't consider a persistent seat to be a training tactic--it's just helps you stay on while you train.


Huh? I don't remember saying any of this... 



> I don't think anyone is saying to take the leg off when she misbehaves. I, at least, am saying don't put it on to begin with. Find another way to ask. Once the horse accepts the work that comes with following the rider's commands, I seriously doubt the rider will have additional problems with the horse disliking leg. My logic here is that, since the horse is clearly in a pattern of bucking whenever leg is applied, asking in a different way is more likely to avoid fireworks and get results because it's not going to evoke an ingrained negative response. Once you get past the horse's initial rejection of forward motion, it won't matter how you ask the horse to go forward, because, as you said, it was never about the horse not liking the application of leg. Both ways work, but I personally would rather not knowingly provoke a horse into misbehavior when I have another option.


I actually don't think the horse has aproblem with forward - She mentioned that walk/trot and trot/canter transitions are fine - It is just maintaining the canter which is a problem. My horse had this exact problem - He was too heavy to canter comfortably - When he lost the weight the mental block remained. By using a system of escalating pressure (which is the same as you described, except I did use my leg) and not taking the leg off is he objected, he is now light as a feather.

I don't agree with taking leg out all together - It is one of our main communication tools. If she won't accept leg contact while cantering, it will be very hard to teach lateral direction, flying changes, etc further down the line. Leg is something that horses NEED to know - Again it is a basis to communication. Once she is accepting the leg, THEN I would work on refining my cue back to seat - But I wouldn't cut out an important step.


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## SuperStarsSugar (Sep 9, 2009)

Huh. See, I interpreted your post to mean that you just teach the horse that bucking won't get you to go away, so don't even try, which equals futility. If that's not what you intended then I'm sorry for the miscommunication, but that's what it sounded like to me. 



wild_spot said:


> Huh? I don't remember saying any of this...
> 
> 
> I actually don't think the horse has aproblem with forward - She mentioned that walk/trot and trot/canter transitions are fine - It is just maintaining the canter which is a problem. My horse had this exact problem - He was too heavy to canter comfortably - When he lost the weight the mental block remained. By using a system of escalating pressure (which is the same as you described, except I did use my leg) and not taking the leg off is he objected, he is now light as a feather.
> ...


As far as your response to my most recent post, I wasn't saying you thought the horse had a problem with forward--the other poster said that, which is what I was responding to. Also, whether you're asking for a different gait, or more impulsion within the gait, it's the same thing: you're asking for additional energy. In my opinion, the horse doesn't have a problem with leg so much as putting out additional effort, so if you can get past the fact that the horse doesn't want to move, the horse will comply no matter how you ask in the future, be it leg, seat, voice, or crop. If you can get to the highest level of responsiveness without getting in a ****ing contest with your horse, why not do that? Why sit through the fireworks? It's already known that the horse doesn't respond well to leg right now, so why ask that way, when it's gauranteed to make the horse buck, and you can just as easily skip that stage of pressure and have the same or better results? Since it's not that the horse is scared or hurt by the application of leg, if you can cure the root cause (in my opinion, a lack of desire to move forward or maintain motion) the horse's issue with the rider's leg will be resolved in tandem. I hope that that adequately explains my position. If it doesn't please feel free to ask me to clarify, as I would hate to have confused anybody.


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## wild_spot (Jan 30, 2008)

^ Kind of... I find that horses who dislike leg usually think something bad comes from it - Wether it be reprimand, more work, etc. Continuing through the misbehaviour tends to show the horse that the leg went on, they had a fit, they stopped, and nothing bad happened. They are still there, still alive, not in trouble. When I teach a horse with leg problems to move off leg, wether it be forward or lateral, I first teach it that leg is nothing to fear. I want to be able to lay my leg on and not get any reaction. I guess I desnsitize - Then go about sensitizing. So in the case of this horse, I would canter circles with leg on constantly - Just sitting on her side. Once she can do that calmy and without reaction, I would go about sensitizing her to the aid - wether it be forward or lateral - and may start that from the ground.



> bucking won't get you to go away, so don't even try, which equals futility.


I disagree with this - Any reaction is a reaction to pressure. The horse elarns - Bucking won't get me to go away - So try something else. The horse is seeking releif from pressure - But no the correct way. Horses are smart - They will try many different things - And once they hit upon the desired reaction - In this case forward - The pressure goes away, hence the lesson is learnt. I don't see it as teaching futility - I actually see it as fostering a 'thinking' horse - A horse who will seek out the desired reaction.


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## SuperStarsSugar (Sep 9, 2009)

Okay, see now that you've explained your method a bit more, I actually agree with you for the most part, especially that last part, which, oddly, was what I disagreed with most in your first post. However, I still maintain that if you ask the horse in a different way, it requires the horse to think about what you're asking instead of just responding automatically with its ingrained undesireable behavior. This makes it way more likely that the horse will decide to comply instead of just throwing a hissy fit out of habit. The only thing we really disagree on is what to do first. You say desensitize first and deal with "go" later, and I say deal with "go" now and desensitization will follow naturally. I went through this whole thing with my horse also, doing exactly as I posted here, and it worked wonders, so since you also went through this with your horse, it's clear that both methods work, it just depends on whether you'd rather ride out the buck or have the horse not buck at all.

I mean, maybe I'm just against bucking because the horse I'm talking about bucked like a regular string NRHA horse, but in any event, if I can have the horse not buck, and still get solid, effective results, I totally will.


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## Kayty (Sep 8, 2009)

Only my opinion, but by avoiding the problem by not using leg at all, what happens when you come to a situation later down the track when you HAVE to apply that pressure? The horse will go back to cracking up about it. 
If you continue to apply the pressure that the horse is resisting, don't remove that pressure until the horse gives to it and understands that the positive reaction it just offered (in the OP's case, picking up canter again) is the comfortable way to do it and is much easier than fighting something that is not going to budge.

Beating around the bush isn't going to resolve the issue. The issue is that the horse associates leg with more work. Going a different path of using no leg, is no fixing the problem, it is avoiding the problem. 
It's like someone saying my horse bucks when I ask him to leg yield, so I just don't ask for leg yield. stupid! 

My previous post was not about 'going forward' as such SSS, the horse is CLEARLY not respecting the leg, and thus, needs to be brought back to basics. Which may be in the form of leg yield and turn on the forehand which I suggested, as they help to get a horse accepting of the leg and reacting positively to it. 
Sorry, I just think avoiding the problem is stupid and dangerous as if the OP is ever in a situation where they HAVE to use leg, that horse is going to react negatively and this cose put the OP in a difficult and dangerous sitation depending on the circumstances. Every horse that I have sat on and re-educated, or educated, now understands that it is a hell of a lot harder to fight against an aid than to give to it. They are much happier in their work because of this, as there is no confusion. If pressure is applied, horse moves away from pressure to find comfort. Simple.


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## Kayty (Sep 8, 2009)

SuperStarsSugar said:


> Okay, see now that you've explained your method a bit more, I actually agree with you for the most part, especially that last part, which, oddly, was what I disagreed with most in your first post. However, I still maintain that if you ask the horse in a different way, it requires the horse to think about what you're asking instead of just responding automatically with its ingrained undesireable behavior. This makes it way more likely that the horse will decide to comply instead of just throwing a hissy fit out of habit. The only thing we really disagree on is what to do first. You say desensitize first and deal with "go" later, and I say deal with "go" now and desensitization will follow naturally. I went through this whole thing with my horse also, doing exactly as I posted here, and it worked wonders, so since you also went through this with your horse, it's clear that both methods work, it just depends on whether you'd rather ride out the buck or have the horse not buck at all.
> 
> I mean, maybe I'm just against bucking because the horse I'm talking about bucked like a regular string NRHA horse, but in any event, if I can have the horse not buck, and still get solid, effective results, I totally will.


I would actually rather have the horse buck, so that I can make it know that life is **** uncomfortable when it has that reaction. My last greenie I would push on the lunge, give her every oppertunity to present negative reactions to me so that should she have presented this behaviour in another, possibly undersaddle situation, there would be at least a little understanding that this behaviour gets uncomfortable results, and maybe that horse will think twice. Has always worked for me and plenty of others.


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## SuperStarsSugar (Sep 9, 2009)

Kayty said:


> Only my opinion, but by avoiding the problem by not using leg at all, what happens when you come to a situation later down the track when you HAVE to apply that pressure? The horse will go back to cracking up about it.
> If you continue to apply the pressure that the horse is resisting, don't remove that pressure until the horse gives to it and understands that the positive reaction it just offered (in the OP's case, picking up canter again) is the comfortable way to do it and is much easier than fighting something that is not going to budge.
> 
> Beating around the bush isn't going to resolve the issue. The issue is that the horse associates leg with more work. Going a different path of using no leg, is no fixing the problem, it is avoiding the problem.
> ...


I agree. Avoiding the problem IS stupid and dangerous, which is why that's not what I did with my horse, or would do with any horse. The thing no one seems to be understanding is that you don't have to confront an issue directly in order to resolve it. Obviously, you'll need to scope it out later on to ensure that it IS resolved, but in every case that I've worked with this (and there have been numerous) the issue with leg pressure has been taken care of by solving the root issue, which in most cases, is a horse that doesn't want to go forward. Obviously, never assume that the leg pressure issue is resolved until you've checked it out, but what I do is increase the likelihood (almost to a certainty) that it will be resolved before I ever have to confront it head on. If called upon to confront it, I can, I'm a good enough rider, but the bottom line of what I've been saying this whole time is that there is no need to. Is that clear enough or do I have to stand naked on Broadway with a sandwich sign?


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## wild_spot (Jan 30, 2008)

> Okay, see now that you've explained your method a bit more, I actually agree with you for the most part, especially that last part, which, oddly, was what I disagreed with most in your first post. However, I still maintain that if you ask the horse in a different way, it requires the horse to think about what you're asking instead of just responding automatically with its ingrained undesireable behavior. This makes it way more likely that the horse will decide to comply instead of just throwing a hissy fit out of habit. The only thing we really disagree on is what to do first. You say desensitize first and deal with "go" later, and I say deal with "go" now and desensitization will follow naturally. I went through this whole thing with my horse also, doing exactly as I posted here, and it worked wonders, so since you also went through this with your horse, it's clear that both methods work, it just depends on whether you'd rather ride out the buck or have the horse not buck at all.
> 
> I mean, maybe I'm just against bucking because the horse I'm talking about bucked like a regular string NRHA horse, but in any event, if I can have the horse not buck, and still get solid, effective results, I totally will.


Yup, not that different approaches - I jst prefer to deal with the possible bucking at the same time in case it presents again, in a different situation.


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## SuperStarsSugar (Sep 9, 2009)

wild_spot said:


> Yup, not that different approaches - I jst prefer to deal with the possible bucking at the same time in case it presents again, in a different situation.


Yeah, I can see why you'd want to. Reversing the process just works better for me, I guess. I'm sure they both work equally well (in 13yrs of riding and training, I've never had mine fail). I think it's more a style difference than anything else. For the record, I would, contrary to what Kayty seems to think, never leave an issue like bucking unexamined. I just want to wait to deal with it until it's fairly likely that's it's no longer an issue. Anyway, it's always good to hear how other people train their horses, because where I live, pretty much everyone just wants to abuse their horse until it's a mindless drone. It's nice when I hear from people who want a thinking horse. Even if our methods were completely different, that would still be something we both value.


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## Sunny06 (Jun 22, 2009)

> In my opinion, the horse doesn't have a problem with leg so much as putting out additional effort


With Cricket, yes and no. She responds to my mouth (kissing noise), but like I've said she dosen't like that leg. So.. Not really. 

I'll go back and read everybody's posts lol


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## SuperStarsSugar (Sep 9, 2009)

Well, you know your horse better than anybody. It's possible that the leg cue was just misused on her in the past, to the point of being an irritation to her. I'm just making suggestions based on the original post, and my experience with horses that don't like having leg applied. In any event, I hope you get it all figured out.


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## Sunny06 (Jun 22, 2009)

You are probably right. She probably is anticipating a kick.


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## Kayty (Sep 8, 2009)

SuperStarsSugar said:


> Yeah, I can see why you'd want to. Reversing the process just works better for me, I guess. I'm sure they both work equally well (in 13yrs of riding and training, I've never had mine fail). I think it's more a style difference than anything else. For the record, I would, contrary to what Kayty seems to think, never leave an issue like bucking unexamined. I just want to wait to deal with it until it's fairly likely that's it's no longer an issue. Anyway, it's always good to hear how other people train their horses, because where I live, pretty much everyone just wants to abuse their horse until it's a mindless drone. It's nice when I hear from people who want a thinking horse. Even if our methods were completely different, that would still be something we both value.


Ah ok, no I get what you mean now. By your previous posts I had the understanding that you were avoiding using leg all together in order to bypass the problem. Obvisouly that's not the case, my appologies :wink:


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## Sunny06 (Jun 22, 2009)

Ugh! I'm so confused! 

So I've been working with... *cough* The horse from hell... *ahem* Cricket...

*sigh* 

She just about threw me today.. And the last ride (about 3 days ago). She has big bucks. And she's getting better at them. This time I didn't even use leg pressure! I kissed to het at that spot just as a reminder, and she did a bronco (where they rear up in the front then buck; only she did that twice in one row). She's starting to do this more and more. I make it a point not to let her get away with it. I'll usually kick her and make her go back and try again. This time I hoppped off quickly, smacked her on the butt (yes I know that was dangerous) and made her run to get the energy out. Sure enough she ran and bucked and galloped and had a good ol' time.

But what can I possibly do now? It's almost guaranteed that she will buck in that same spot (yeah, same spot). 

My mother is a bit.. Irritated with me because I told her that Cricket would be suitable for her lesson string. And that's another weird thing.. She's good for the students. I personaly think that it is because the students "tell" Cricket what to do, then don't follow through and she gets what she wants. That's my guess. 

I'm so fed up rigt now. What can I do? How can I "cure" bucking?


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## Spirithorse (Jun 21, 2007)

I think you need to go back and see how she really feels about the cinch/pressure. Go back and do the saddling process as if she had never been saddled. If she shows any tension about the cinch do approach and retreat with putting the pressure on and taking it away. I would suggest free lunging her and see what she does....the fact that she bucked after you got off makes me think she was never allowed to accept the cinch....cinching a horse up is a claustrophobic thing. Before you ride each and every time I'd suggest you jump her over something...if a horse is going to buck, they'll do it after a jump because they feel the cinch really well when they jump. If you can get a video that would help as well.


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## ChingazMyBoy (Apr 16, 2009)

wild_spot said:


> Huh? I don't remember saying any of this...
> 
> 
> 
> ...


 
I agree, I would never take out complete leg. It IS our main way of communicating with our horse(s). We can use it for speed, turns, ect. Leg pressure makes everything easier. 

Have you gotten your saddle professionally checked, could Cricket be sore? Just an idea, has she been spooked there, I know Benson got spooked at one part of the arena and it took us ages to get him to comfortably canter there again. Hope this helps and I really hope you can sort out whats going on.


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## Sunny06 (Jun 22, 2009)

Spirithorse said:


> Go back and do the saddling process as if she had never been saddled.


Umm.. She has been saddled. Otherwise I wouldn't be riding her!

The bucking is always in _one_ spot at _one_ time. No, it's not her cinch. Her saddle fits well, and she's been ridden enough to know what a saddle is.

It just can't be the saddle :-| Something else..


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## Sunny06 (Jun 22, 2009)

ChingazMyBoy said:


> Have you gotten your saddle professionally checked, could Cricket be sore? Just an idea, has she been spooked there, I know Benson got spooked at one part of the arena and it took us ages to get him to comfortably canter there again. Hope this helps and I really hope you can sort out whats going on.


Yeah, I checked. Saddle seems to fit particularily good actually. I checked if her back was sore as well and she showed no signs.

It's always in _one_ spot of the ring. THIS is what is confusing me :-|


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## Spirithorse (Jun 21, 2007)

Then don't ask her to canter in that spot. If she's cantering and she approaches that spot, before she can buck do a circle or make a transition, something to interrupt that pattern.


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## Sunny06 (Jun 22, 2009)

I can't just not go in one area because she dosen't like to. She'll then be getting her way 

But I'll try getting her mind off it I guess...


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## CheyAut (Nov 26, 2008)

She didn't say don't go in that spot, she said don't ask for the canter in that spot


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## Spirithorse (Jun 21, 2007)

^^ Yep


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## Sunny06 (Jun 22, 2009)

Oh ok. That's not what it sounded like to me.

So today I tried being less aggresive. That book "Horses Never Lie" by Mark Rashid really inspired me to just take my time and relax. So today I practiced with her walking and stopping, walk and stopping over and over. Eventually, she was stopping as soon as I said "whoa". I was really surprised.

Once I did that, I practiced just trotting lazily around the ring, through cones, figure 8s, etc. She usually will tighten up when she is on one side of the ring and will float out into the middle of the ring, but today I didn't pull her head around. I didn't even need to. She just... did it.

And this isn't even the best part! She cantered in that spot! All I did was cluck and keep a light and giving seat.

I guess she's just one of those horses that demands time, patience, and no aggression 

I also tried doing some different patterns over in that area to get her mind off any negativity and she responded well.


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## Spyder (Jul 27, 2008)

Sunny06 said:


> Once I did that, I practiced just trotting lazily around the ring, through cones, figure 8s, etc. She usually will tighten up when she is on one side of the ring and will float out into the middle of the ring, but today I didn't pull her head around. I didn't even need to. She just... did it.


You simply discovered what I have been preaching over and over. NO STRAIGHT LINES. Bend turn use what is in the ring and not at speed. The horse will relax and it is from that relaxation when the horse is willing to give itself to you can you progress.

Makes no difference whether it is English or Western.


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## Sunny06 (Jun 22, 2009)

Well, keep preachin'. It sure works!


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## western walking horse (Nov 27, 2009)

ok well if she can not handle it at all train her and if she doesnt do it right then give leg pressure just like when ever a horse does something wrong thats not really bad or worth alot of trouble you back them up cause they dont like it well same consept(sp).


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## Sunny06 (Jun 22, 2009)

^ Not trying to be rude but... 

What?


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## western walking horse (Nov 27, 2009)

ok when your horse does something you dont want like wlak away while your getting on what do you do


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## Sunny06 (Jun 22, 2009)

Well, if she's walking off, I'll quit getting on so I'm not doing a split while she's walking off. Then I'll tighten her reins, grab a hunk of mane, and use the 2-step to get on so I'm not caugt in that situation again.

I'll usually say "hey!" when she does something I don't like.


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## western walking horse (Nov 27, 2009)

ok then what i do is get off depending if the horse can back or not ill ussally back a few steps and do it again strike one. if the horse does it again ill do the same but back her up further. if htis still continues ill make it my idea to go away and tell it to run circles around me. then attempting to get on again w/o it moving then i continue. 

so this tys in how you ask? if she doesnt like leg pressure then she has to do what you ask right if she doesnt here comes the leg. get it or no?


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## Sunny06 (Jun 22, 2009)

Yeah, that makes sense, thanks


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## western walking horse (Nov 27, 2009)

glad to help


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