Stuburn Horses!!!

[Aspen and Misty]

I am takeing horse bakc rideing lessons at my school and I love it! i ride a horse name Whiner. He is so stuburn LOL. He just stops when he wants to. She said that she has never aloud anyone else to ride him in a lesson because he is so stuburn and doesn't generlly like kids on his back. But I walked by him and he nickerd at me and so of course being me I stoped and said Hi to him and talked to him forever. She said she has never se nhim so relaxed before. . She asked me to ride him the next lesson to see how we were together and we were a match made in heaven. I have the patience to deal with a stuburn horse and he is one stuburn horse! LOL. He is so cute! I like him alot. But I have one question. Does anyone have any suggestions on how to keep him focused on what we are doing? I am going to try squeezing him with my legs to let him know I am still on him and in controlle. Any otehr suggestions are welcome.

Ash

[zippy-kat]

sometimes the mere presence of a crop is enough to keep the horse's mind on track. if you do have to use it, don't overdo it! gently but firmly, remind him YOU are in control.

ahhh...to be riding again... *wishful thinking*

[Presley]

Sometimes a horse is stuborn because they have been a school horse for many years and just don't like it anymore.Having loads of schooling kids on him day after day might have been too much for him!! How old is he? Squeezing him with your legs might just be what he doesn't like.

I would say try moving him forward with your butt. Try suppling him and relaxing him. work on patterns, What type of riding are you doing? Your teacher should know some things that might help you. Suppling him will help keep him thinking and not let him get bored or want to stop. Also if you can work off some patterns you will keep him interested.
Hope that helps some..

[Aspen and Misty]

I'm not sure how old he is but he has bever had a "child" on his back. So he has never been a schooling horse. So this is totally new to him, although he has ridin with people on his back and with otehr horses so he isn't scared. The pattern is new to him, so he couldn't be board. She just said he is always stuburn like this. I am told to kick him reall hard but just can't bring mysefl to do it. They (not my teacher) said one kick and he will learn who to listen to. But I just ignored them and afterwords the teacher pulled me aside and thanked me for not kicking him as it would of only made him more paranoide and ready to go in his stall. She then pulled the otehr tow girls aside and said there comments were rude and that they should never kick a horse to hard but small nudgies are ok. We are not aloud to work off patterns as she is tryign to get us to learn these things. Last sesson, also my first session with him he was extremyl hungry. As soon as we got in the stall he took a big mouth full of hay and ate like a horse LOL.

Ash

[Presley]

Hi,
Well it is good that he isn't a burned out school horse!! For being stuborn all i can really recommend is working on suppling him, suppling mean flexing him giving to the bit you relaxing on him. IT will keep him focused and help him relax. I had a stuborn horse he was really hard to ride and feel good about riding him. But after Many lessons and horses just bonding with him he relaxed and soon our rides were made Very nice!!
When you try to move him forwards use your seat and a soft squeeze, soon he will be responding so nicely to you. It all really takes time.

[HoRsELUvR]

make sure your horse knows u r the boss.if u feel him start to go 1 way,turn him the other way.when ur warming up,practice some halt,walk,and trot transitions.and when he's good,make sure u give him pats to reward him!:^)