Your horse isn't responding the way they should. For far too long.
You've asked yourself a ton of questions, considering all different angles to no avail. You've asked your horse friends or they've told you to do something or get help.
Or, on the other hand, you haven't done anything and are just trying to put up with it. You don't want to draw attention to it. 'All horses just get like that'.
Or, still, you decided that getting tougher is the solution to it.
It being that you feel you aren't having a good time riding. There is too much work & all the frustration just to get the horse to do what you ask them to do.
You're at the point where you've slowed down your riding to the point where you're making excuses not to ride. Secretly it's become a little too uncomfortable to ride (dare we say scary). (the passive approach)
Or you're now quite physical or rough with your horse because you feel you have to get the horse to 'do as they are told'. This is creating more problems. It escalates. (the aggressive approach)
It's nothing physical. It's not your equipment. It's not the ground/footing. It's nothing outside of you or the horse that can take the blame.
What to do? You want to do something. What are your options?
Stop riding all together; some do. The horse becomes a lawn ornament. You lament over not being able to ride anymore because you don't have the 'knack' anymore. Years later, you begrudgingly give away or sell your horse for next to nothing just to get rid of it.
Sell the horse right away; some do. Then you buy another. Same problem arises now with this horse. A vicious cycle happens. Then you stop riding all together. (See point above).
Or you keep getting stronger and stronger bits to 'control' your unruly horse. You refer to your horse as a 'bee otch'. Or s-o-b. You feel that man handling is the only way to get the horse to behave. You don't realize that your methods are creating worse problems. The horse gets so bad to handle that you stop riding all together. (see point above).
Are these good options? No. The problem of the horse not responding, that, in the end, you get rid of, is now - a very badly behaved horse - is not the answer.
Of course. Who wants to create a very bad, unruly behaved horse? No one. But it happens. We're human. We make mistakes. Very often the rider/owner just doesn't know how to prevent this from happening.
Option 1
So, here is my first option to consider in this situation. I'm continuing from the article I wrote yesterday on knowing if your horse needs a tune up.
Why I'm bringing this option up first is because I will refer to it in my other options as a plan B. The option, of course is, to send your horse to a trainer.
If you feel that you are not able to do for whatever reason (just not into it, not your thing, don't have time, going on vacation, ...), any of the other options I will mention in the next few articles, then do yourself a favour and send it to a professional.
Why? It will prevent the horse from getting to the point of being a very, bad unruly horse. It's unkind to the horse to have them get to that point when you see my other options. They are so easy to do that it's a shame really.
They are not sellable too at that point and might end up at slaughter.
So, if your horse has gotten really bad and your safety is at risk trying to correct the problem, then send it to a trainer.
Don't you feel it's worth the money? Your safety?
It also maintains the horse's value.
Or better yet, you get to keep the horse because obviously you liked it well enough to own it in the first place.
Ok...here we go... so we're now going to look at some other options to fix the problem yourself (in the next few articles).
If you have any concerns, please contact me and I can help you with this. I'm here to help.
Putting my spin on tune ups.
Reinersue
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