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Lv 5
? asked in PetsHorses · 8 years ago

How to get my QH on the outside track in the arena!!?

Okay I've been working LOTS on my geldings overall posture in the arena, he has built up a lot of muscle over the last year and lost a lot of fat so he's looking a very good weight right now. He's been going very well in the arena (I do dressage by the way). He is going round nicely and moving forward and collected very well. He tends to lean into the bit, being a QH and not really built for dressage but I work the bit a tiny bit in his mouth and use a tiny bit of leg and he picks himself up again. When he's going good I don't work the bit at all I keep my hands very still. I do carry a dressage whip because occasionally he'll ignore my leg and I'll work the bit but still need some assistance so I give him a tickle with the whip.

Anyway, the outside track around the letter R is a big issue, there are horses (mares) in the paddock next to the arena so it can be hard to keep him focused but he's getting a lot better. Anyway he once got shocked by the electric fence on the other side and now he won't go near the letter R. I don't know if this is just a problem at home or if he'd be the same at a comp (I don't think he would but still). I try my best to stay still and not react to him, but as soon as we get near R he leans off of the track and will go back on it after. I use so much inside leg it's ridiculous, if I use my reins he'll just turn his head and his body will stay inside, does anyone have any tips for this?

2 Answers

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  • Azeri
    Lv 7
    8 years ago
    Favorite Answer

    You need to take him (unmounted) in there and lead him around that area over and over, getting closer and closer to the R area. . . Do this more times than seems necessary. Then you can hop on and repeat. Horses never forget pain. Some are more quick to get over things like that than others, but any horse would need to be worked through an incident like that.

    BTW, you can do this mounted, as well, It's just quicker to do it from the ground, ususally.

  • 8 years ago

    On the ground walk him past it a bunch. He associates the memory of getting shocked with the R now so you have to teach him that it's not going to do that again and that it's okay to go near it :)

    Source(s): Experienced rider, non-professional trainer
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