I have a 12 year old mare that still needs a lot more training. I am trying hard to gain respect, but I am really confused on how to. I used to be able to get on my horse without a crop and just ask her to walk, trot and whoa easily. Now if I ask her to stop and then go again, she just stands there. I try wiggling on her back and kicking her sides, but I usually have to resort to using a crop. And it is not just a small tap, you really have to smack her to get her going. I used to be able to slightly tap her with my calves and she would walk fine. It is the same at a trot. I will ask her to trot and she will just stop, and then I go through the whole process I described above. I really don't know how to get her to respect me again. It could be something I am doing, but I am clear with my signals, so I do not know what else I could be doing. Should I start riding with spurs?? Is it how her tack is fitting her? Please help!!

pets question and answers,www.5d2d.com

PS,
She does NOT lunge, so getting off and making her lunge is useless, because she does not know how to do it.

wiggling in the saddle, kicking and then smacking her....isn't being clear with your signals.

sounds like your mare came well trained then slowly, with how you are riding, she's decided that she doesn't need to listen to you after all, because you..well...ride funny...and you're just reactive....you go to the kick and smack....that's basically "yelling" with pressure and horses learn quickly to tune that out.

imagine....if your mom asked you to do the dishes. then she YELLED at you to do them. And she got in the habit of yelling at you. you'd first get mad, then you would learn to ignore the yelling.

you've yelled at your horse, and taught her that pressure is just something that's annoying....and if she doesn't respond,....you'll stop kicking (because your legs get tired) or because you get upset....and for that second....she is rewarded for not doing anything. pets question and answers,www.5d2d.com

#1. if you can...get lessons. you need to learn how to ride....that means, how to use your SEAT, then your legs to ask for forward movement.

#2. if you can't find a trainer to give you lessons, then get some training dvds. Clinton Anderson has some good stuff.

and NO don't get spurs!!!!!!!!!
spurs are NOT for forward, no matter how many ignorant people tell you they are! Spurs are for advanced riders who want LATERAL movement (side to side stuff)

Meanwhile....here's a few tips:

1. stop quitting and yelling with pressure. that means, if you want to go forward, stop getting emotional about it (mad, upset) and stop kicking then whacking.

instead...

(1) sit up straight, look UP. don't look down at your horse
(2) squeeze your legs (never ever kick!)
(3) keep squeezing and add rolling your heels into her sides (like you're wiping off your heels). No kicking! your legs don't leave her sides.
(4) raise your hand with the crop in it to the side, then tap her once on the hip or behind or beside your leg, tap her a little harder a second time, harder a third time, etc... pets question and answers,www.5d2d.com
(5) keep squeezing and tapping harder each time until she moves off. do not quit!!!!!!!
(6) soon as she moves forward, STOP all pressure. even if she just stops again.
(7) repeat every single step until she moves off and stays moving off.

HINT:

make sure the reins are 100% LOOSE. don't pull back on them. Rest your rein hand on the saddle or hold the reins forward. Do not pull back on them at all. you don't care about direction right now.

don't quit!!!

if you do each single step every time, she'll learn fast that if she moves off when you squeeze, you won't squeeze harder, you won't roll your heels and you won't tap her with the crop.

You must set up a PATTERN of PRESSURE so that she can learn what you want and where the reward is.

If she doesn't even lunge...that means, you need to get off your butt and learn how. Simply excusing yourself by blaming her..."she doesn't lunge" is really lazy. There's zero reason why you can't learn how to lunge. So, go learn how and do it. pets question and answers,www.5d2d.com

Lunging is a good exercise to teach you how to approach your horse's training, and to teach the horse to move out and to see how she's feeling (what if she's lame and you are clueless and just get aboard?)

**another reason why she might not move out is because of lameness. If she's in any pain...if her feet, or legs hurt, or hip or shoulder, or if the saddle is pinching her...do you know if the saddle really fits? **

Elliminate the possibility of pain, then go do the work.