It just goes to show that you can teach an old cowgirl something. My new horse Hi Jinx has a sometimes difficult personality. I was trying to get him going for mounted shooting and since he didnt have much of a handle on him, (trained for western pleasure) I got frustrated with how training was going. So, I stepped up from the short shank snaffle bit I ride most of my horses in to a little tougher bit. Then another tougher bit and finally, a high port correction bit. All the while, things were going from bad to worse. He finally was crow-hopping, tail wringing and slinging his head constantly. It was a fight everytime I rode him. I was ready to shoot him!!! Steve came home for a week, watched me ride him one time and quietly said, Youve got him over-bitted. Hes fighting his head to get away from that bit. Ding Ding Ding! Now, why didnt I realize that? Instead of swapping bits, I should have been going back to the basics with this horse and teaching him a turn and a rate instead of just trying to force it on him. Took the tie-down off, and went back to that simple snaffle bit and yesterday at the shoot, he was a totally different horse. Is he now a made shooting horse? Hell no, but he will be one day, with patience and training. My point to this is, sometimes we get so wrapped up in the desire to see quick results that we cant see the nose on our own face. Thanks honey.
Posted on: Sun, 09 Mar 2014 15:59:25 +0000
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