A great way to introduce the bit to a young horse

I have found through my work with young horses that a great way to introduce them to the bit is by hooking it to the halter.


Step 1. Hook the bit on one side of the halter
Step 2. Let the bit hang down
Step 3. Offer the bit to the horse
Step 4. Once the horse opens his/her mouth you hook the bit to the other side of the halter

In this picture Little Finn a 16 hand Quarter Horse gelding owned by Patty demonstrates this simple technique. I used bailing twine to hook it on his halter, so that it is comfortable for the horse, but you can also use small snaps. Little Finn is going to be working on his dressage basics soon so that one day he can show in dressage shows and earn AQHA points. Check out your local dressage chapter to see what year end awards they are giving out for Quarter horses. USDF now has year end awards for Quarter horses as well. YEAH!! These great horses are now getting the recognition they deserve in the dressage arena!
Depending on what kind of horse you have, if you have papers on them, you may be eligible for year end dressage awards. Check out how many competitions you would need to qualify, and what your scores must be. Going for year end awards can be a great way to set goals and stay motivated!
Check in for more young horse tips!

FUN WITH TWO POINT

The two point exercise is beneficial to all horses, it is a great way to encourage the horses back to come up. Horses have to think that this is fun, so try it in the field or on a trail ride! Here trainer Lara Muller demonstrates how two point helps her jumper mare to lift her back and better utilize her top line. This flat work helps build her mares back muscles which improves her jumping. Does anyone know why two-point is called two point? Let me know your answer and check back to find out.

WHERE DO YOUR TREATS GO?

What makes treats fun and safe for you and your horse is to make sure that they go in the feed bucket. This avoids creating bad habits from your horse such as nipping, pocket pushing, pawing, etc... We all want to reward our horses, but lets do it with out creating bad habits. Let me know if this tip helps your horses ground manners, any treat stories?

FUN WITH COLOR!

Every week I look forward to coaching Ashley on her Morgan gelding Danny. One of the many reasons I look forward to seeing them is the colorful bridle and reins that Ashley picked out for this hot little gelding, it just matches his personality! This color also helps her to be visible while trail riding, which this time of year with hunting season is a great idea! When was the last time you saw a deer sporting a pink bridle after all! Ashley also likes to have a matching pink fluffy "thing" on her saddle! I have to say that we could all learn something from her, because she is always smiling!!! What makes you smile while you ride?

NO HANDS???

Something fun to work on with your horse, if it is a calm horse, is to make a knot at the end of your reins, and then take your hands out to the side! With the horse in the pic, I just let my reins go to the buckle, because he is quiet enough to do that on! This helps the riders balance and helps to separate your seat from your hands. Let me know if you try it!

Here is something great to school on a rainy day!

Leo is learning how to stand on cross ties during this rainy weather! Since it is his first time on cross ties I put one on at a time. Eventually, I will work up to both at the same time once he gets used to them. It is great to expose young horses or horses who have not learned how to cross tie to this process in a step by step manner. Please share your rainy day schooling ideas!

Jacket Schooling Time!

During this cooler fall weather I decided it would be fun to get Golden Leo used to the sound, waving, and flapping of my jacket. I have had many people tell me that they have to take off their jacket before they ride or use a non noisy jacket while riding. I wanted to insure that Leo would let me not only ride him with a jacket on, but zip it, and take it off if needed. What do you all think is going thru Leos mind in this picture? This is also a good thing to school with horses of all ages. Let me know how it goes!