Hills and Horses

[WesternChick]

and Im never alone when working with my horse, my mom won't let me work her unless my Dad is home. ( my mom is deathly afraid of horses) I have a fair amount of horse expeirience since I've been riding horses since I was 4 (I just couldn't ride MY horse til I was 12) and me and my horse (Nala) went to a training camp for a week in august and she did great but that was in an arena...... she has expierience in arenas but not with trails and hills and all that stuff.

 

[WesternChick]

she's really good with ground work and when I'm in an ARENA she does great but hills are like her worst enemy........

 

[WesternChick]

And I don't mean to brag or anything but I see myself as a good rider, I can sit while a horse is bucking (maybe i should take up bronco riding lol) my horse has bolted many times when she was younger (i used to sneak out without my parents knowing and ride don't tell) and I've sat it out I've entered barrel racing pole weaving and count less others (that was on other horses) I did showmanship with my horse last year (If I couldn't ride my horse yet i was gonna do what I could) she got third.

 

[freemotion]

Be patient and get her more fit, you will do fine!

 

[big brown horse]

WesternChick, you have one great advantage over me, you are young!!!

Here is my $.02 worth on sacking out:

I sack out my horses with things I can control in case the horse gets too frightened and too "fuzzed up" to think logically. (Not because I'm right or wrong, I do it because that is what I feel comfortable with.) I like opening and closing umbrellas, or bouncing or rolling beach balls, plastic bags tied on the end of a "carrot stick" (5 foot long stick) rubbed on their body and legs, shaken over their heads and backs etc., using tarps and snapping buggy whips around them if they are ready (whips never touch my horses). I try to keep the lessons as positive as possible for the horses, praising them with each accomplishment. (I love to see them licking their lips after each lesson!!) I make sure to end each "lesson" with something positive. Then when they are desensitized on the ground I attempt to do some sacking out in the saddle.

WesternChick, you have a good head on your shoulders and I'm sure you and your horse will do fine.

 

[Countrymom]

Western Chick, I have a daughter your exact same age. I know that your experience is the average for your age and I know exactly what that is. I teach children and adults at your level a lot. I am glad your Dad was with you. However, tying something to a horse without a controled environment is dangerous. Being out of the pen is one thing, but what happens when the horse freaks so badly that they injure themselves? How would you or your Dad have controled that? One time doesn't fix the problem and I highly recommend you do not do that exercise with your horse again. Horse training isn't about one time deals. It is like raising a child....consistancy and discipline.

My oldest and now my youngest have worked a minimum of 2 years for another trainer to help him. It was an opportunity for them to gain experience of MANY different horses. Even more than I have come through here. They both averaged about 60 hours of riding per month - probably 50 of that was loping. That doesn't include the years of riding they have - starting very very young - and the years of working with me and many horses we have had through here. After numerous shows in halter, western pleasure, in hand classes and then 3 years of cutting ----- all include many Championship titles for my oldest and numerous awards for my middle daughter, then is when I have finally allowed my oldest to actually train a horse from the ground up. My youngest daughter is 10 and learning to put a handle on a horse...not start them from ground up. And that is supervised...not by just a parent but a trainer.

So that is the kind of experience I believe you need if you want to fix the problems you have with this horse. Without that you can and will get yourself in a pickle and the risk of injury is great. Just because the local 4 H trainer is not available for the winter isn't a good time to find another one around you. Most trainers love working with children because they can give so much to a younger generation. That is if the child is truly interested in learning and working hard. And most trainers will work out a deal so that you work for some of your lessons - or even all. There is always something you can do to help.

Every horse is able to go up and down hills. They do it naturally. The horse is able to balance you in an arena, so now it has to the same in an open pasture and trail. The problem lies in your ability to ride and the relationship you have with your horse. Even a young horse....have 3 of them now....are able to do hills and water crossings very quickly after they are broke. We take ours out of the arena rather quickly and let their minds see those things. Rarely do I have a horse have issues with a hill. Moreso with water, but that just takes a little more time.

My point is not to put you down in riding or your ability. I just know that you are a beginner. And you have a TON to learn. Better to do it right now than to have a horrible accident that results in you gaining a ton of fear and never going back to riding. I see it ALL the time. Internet help is only as good as the written word. And from your descriptions you bring up alarm bells in my head for all the wrong that could happen. Just lucky it hasn't so far.

 

[big brown horse]

Is there a pony club nearby? For $100 per year you can join a local pony club and attend their monthly clinics. My daughter did that for a while. It was really fun and she learned a lot...heck so did I! The clinicians would even evaluate the horses and their riders. Oh, and the kiddos didn't have to ride ponies. Many of the girls rode TB and QH.

 

[WesternChick]

WesternChick, you have one great advantage over me, you are young!!!

Here is my $.02 worth on sacking out:

I sack out my horses with things I can control in case the horse gets too frightened and too "fuzzed up" to think logically. (Not because I'm right or wrong, I do it because that is what I feel comfortable with.) I like opening and closing umbrellas, or bouncing or rolling beach balls, plastic bags tied on the end of a "carrot stick" (5 foot long stick) rubbed on their body and legs, shaken over their heads and backs etc., using tarps and snapping buggy whips around them if they are ready (whips never touch my horses). I try to keep the lessons as positive as possible for the horses, praising them with each accomplishment. (I love to see them licking their lips after each lesson!!) I make sure to end each "lesson" with something positive. Then when they are desensitized on the ground I attempt to do some sacking out in the saddle.

WesternChick, you have a good head on your shoulders and I'm sure you and your horse will do fine.

I do the thing with the five foot long pole and the bag alot with my horse, she dosn't mind it any more and i am proud to say that I tied the can of bags on her again and she just walked around the arena, not scared of that anymore and I've laid down tarps to help get her used to water crossing, and with your help she is no longer scared of hills thank you so so much heres how i did it- I led her down a few times and whenever she tried to run down or toss her head I led her in a circle and when she did good i gave her a bit of carrot. then i led her with the saddle, then saddle and bridel then i rode her and she did great.

 

[big brown horse]

Sounds like she knows who is boss now.

 

[freemotion]

Good job!