Teaching your horse to be more responsive to your leg?
I know I already posted this but I wanted some more answers.
Well I was horseback riding today and I sorta started to have a feeling like I had to use too much leg to get the horse going the instrument I wanted them to go. Like I wasn't really getting the reaction I needed. Anyone know how to get your horse more responsive, or respectful to your leg?? (I ride English) Thanks! :)
lateral work, works similar to a dream and gets horses bouncing off your leg!!
If you get the HORSE magazine (december issue) it have an article on getting you horse respecting your leg a bit more, it should help.
You've had some good answers, but I will supply just one thing. Whips and spurs are appropriate aids when used correctly. If the horse does not initially respond to your leg cue - add any wihp or spur [this is a gentle motion - merely connecting with the horse, never done with any power]. A little experimentation tell you which is more effective for your horse. With consistancy - the horse will lighten up on his responses - preferring to obey the leg than own the added aid. For example - I have an english pleasure horse which I carry a dressage whip during training - and reheat up before a show. I never have to touch him with it - of late a couple of swings gets him excited and moving dynamically. If I use spurs, he jumps from the contact, but does not give the response and power needed for the class/gaits. I also outstandingly recommend having someone knowlegable watch you ride to see if you're keeping your leg on the horse too much minus asking for something -- it not only confuses the horse, but eventually, they learn that the leg is not the cue and either try to integer it out from your seat or stop responding all together.
best wishes
Answers: I would go back to ground training. When I train a horse to reply to leg pressure, I use three fingers to put pressure on his side, where my heel would go. I ask for one step sideways each time I put pressure on his side. he have nothing else to focus on but that. I do it, release, do it again, release, etc. I only release when he steps one step over. I have him on a halter and head, and bring his head slightly toward me as I do it. I never want more than one step at a time. I always train equally on both sides, since horses have to memorize everything on one side at a time.
When I get him under saddle, I use my heel to do the exact same exercises at a standstill in the center of the arena. Again, it is the solely thing I want him to focus on, one step at a time. The horse cannot focus on your leg cues if you are also using reins and weight and form cues, so be sure you keep your body steady as you do this, and move his mouth alone. When you can place slight heel on his side, and he immediately moves a step sideways, then he is ready to start forward movement, at a walk, doing the same thing. It take patience, but it works.
whether your horse won't move when you squeeze, ride with a dressage whip and give him a squeeze beside your legs and if he doesnt respond quickly, give him a firm but not strong tap with it on his rump by turning your wrist. Dressage whips are best for this because they are long and you dont enjoy to take your hands off the reins to use them. Eventually your horse will start to respect your leg more and open to move fowards more easily. When the horse is moving, and he tries to slow down, give him a light thump with the whip to tell him that he desires to not stop unless you tell him to. If you kick, the horse becomes smaller number and less responisive to the leg and the problem worsens. This method converted my quarter horse from being extremly lazy to a foward moving horse. Hope it help you!
Use your leg much less. Have an instructor monitor so you can see if your lower leg is still and not tapping the horse constantly.
Use your leg in increasing level until you get a response: a small squeeze first, then a second squeeze, next a tap, then a tap + thrash, and by then you should have gotten a response. Remember - AS SOON AS you got the right response, call a halt leg action so the horse knows he has responded correctly.
Sometimes horses become unresponsive to a constant leg. Sometimes they just take overloaded with so many leg cues that they just procure confused and do nothing. I would just start with one leg cue per ride to work on and work your opening through all the commands as sort of a "refresher course"
good luck! :)
i completly agree with the person stating to go hindmost to ground work,
using yourself as a guide to move away from pressure,
however also you can try, on circle work asking your horse to collect himslef underneath you. firstly i would start by walking then request your horse to run into a trot with your leg aid, when he responds to this reward, once again ask him to collect back beneath you and come back to a walk. keep doing this, it will initiate him to come under you and also to respond to first response, you can vary this technique between put your foot to trot and once you master that go trot to canter..
When I have a horse that is sturdy sided, I tend to work it in circles, and POUND on his sides with your heels while we're turning... What this does is to make it THINK going on for applying leg means turn. When I get to the point that the horse will turn when I just calmly apply leg to his side then I know he's listening.
Kinda like a kid turning a deaf ear on ya until you rapp their knuckles wit a ruler...
I really resembling the "three strikes" rule. You ask once, but applying the gentle squeeze that you wish the horse would respond to...give them a moment to reply, then tell them with a firm application of the leg, afterwards if no response, use the whip (or a spur) very firmly. This seem fair, it gives the horse a chance to reply properly, but disciplines them promptly for failing to respond.
