Training Advise please????

[Serendipity]

I have a few questions regarding my colt he's 3 1/2.I trained many horses my self and have done well with it I am getting him ready to go to the trainer by Jan 1.so just have a few questions to see if A- i'm on the right track or B-get other opionions.
The horse I'm used to working with are easy going Pleasure horse and the Colt is a performance bred Stallion hopefully to fallow in daddys foot steps.

This horse lunges like a dream takes all the right ques slow down,speed up and turn and whoa.but when I get on he's differant I have trouble with going forward he is still good at whoa and turn and back but just does not seem to want to go now if the person in the middle acts like it is a lunging session he does fine.I am riding in a western saddle due to if he gets upset or in a hurry will pop up not much of a problem and I just like to ride western he does have Carmin and El Classico in his bloodline and I am more familer to workig with Hilachas or El Pastor breed horses so I realize it could be a communitaction problem But I'm hoping to get him going so as to safe on the training bill for stuff i can do at home/

next thing again he's a colt(planning to keep him that way) and he does not bite but he does nip if he is nervous or wond up he wants to catch my coat in his lips and hold on like for support how would you reccomend stopping this? he did bite when i got him never out of meanness but play so i was after him all the time so that now when she nips if he opens his month at all he throws his head like i'm sorry ,sorry,sorry,Mind you I have never hit him and he's such a sweet colt just mouthy.

Thanks ahead of time,

[CarolU]

Nicole, I think you are doing right using the person in the middle. He just doesn't understand what you are asking yet under saddle. Use your go forward cue from the saddle first, then have the person on the ground cue him for speed. Do this again and again until the light goes on and he figures out that THAT is what you are asking from the saddle. Don't forget to train BOTH directions. Time and patience. He'll get it pretty quickly if you're consistent. You're doing fine.

On the nipping, give him a back up cue and back him away from you. He can't nip if he's stopped 3 feet from you. I don't like to smack them for being mouthy, it can make them head shy. So if you just back him away from your space, you'll end the behavior without risking headshy problems AND establish yourself as the big kahuna in his mind. It's very important with any horse, but absolutely critical with a stallion.

Do you know which trainer you are going to use? (I recommend Cindy for a Performance horse) I think you should talk to him/her about their go forward cues. If you are trying to save some $$, then do your pretraining the way the trainer will want, and it won't have to be retrained once he gets there.

Good luck.

And...where are the pictures???

[cowboy ed]

as part of his groundwork, if you will teach him to move his hindquarters over in both directions, and front quarters also, then teach him to go forward by tapping on his neck with your stick, and lunge him in both directions, you should give him a good foundation to go forward with you in the saddle without having anyone cue him from the ground. do these things first, then when you get on him, flex him slightly to the left, tap him with your left heel until he begins to circle to the left. gradually increase the size of the circle, keeping him flexed and tapping with your heel in his side. then do the same to the right. after he is moving well in a circle, just use your rein to straighten out the circle and get him to walk forward. dont dig both heels in his side to move him forward. it just doesnt work well. squeeze a little with both legs, kiss to him, and if he still doesnt move forward, use your reins to smack him across both shoulders.
i have yet to find one i couldnt get going by myself using these methods.

[motorgypsy]

Honestly if he grabbed my coat I'd just thump his nose and tell him NO firmly. No need to yell. Just a first finger against the thumb, push and thump. If that doesn't work we grab the "camel nose" and hold on for a few minutes. It's not a punishment but they don't like it and if you are consistent they will stop the nipping. It's just a phase they go through. We had to grab two of our colts' noses and when we do we play with the lips and tongue and fool around with the mouth. They get the point that if they nip this distasteful thing will happen. Always correct him though because this can become a dangerous habit. It's hard to do when they are so cute and sweet but nipping is a big NONO!

Moving forward cue
Usually ours will move forward when we lift the reins but we have many stubborn ones. We also do the turning and then straightening but we found with one mare that rather than kiss and squeze which for some reason jazzed her up, if we just pulled the reins ever so slightly to the right and then the left she would move off. If she doesn't we repeat and she'll move then. It's so easy and keeps them calm

[Serendipity]

Okay some pictures sorry can't take while working with him no one to hold the camera :oops: . these where takes a month ago before it got cold.

I do back him if he nips while I'm leading him and also have found it easy to tie him instead on handle him like if the farrier comes.he's doing betterI think its mostly his age.I won't hit or thump him because he would be easy to make headshy.

I do hand ride him like Sandy showed me he is doing better and better with that I am not allowed to work with him on my own yet,(bad back Doc said would never ride again) so we work together Heath get him farther tham me and he does some better with him but then again I'm the one in the middel an he is used to taking comands from me there. I can't wait to get him to and back from the trainer he's an awesome horse and will be perfect for me.I also thing he will make a great cross to my mare exspecially Prueba but I'm not adding girls in to the picture till after his training.

As for Trainers i am hoping to send a filly to Cindy but for him I'm Working with Robin Ratliff she trained Prueba and I'm am very pleased with her in all respects

Heres the pixs 8-)

http://i28.photobucket.com/albums/c242/leahbrat/DSC02674.jpg

http://i28.photobucket.com/albums/c242/leahbrat/CopyofDSC02650.jpg

http://i28.photobucket.com/albums/c242/leahbrat/DSC02682.jpg

[motorgypsy]

He's gorgeous! The only time I'd thump is if he had a hold on my coat and wouldn't let go. Then a light thump is warranted to get him to release it. We don't hit the boys because quite frankly they tend to think you're playing with them. The grab the nose and hold works a lot better. Now we did thump our mini stallion when he wouldn't back off and got nippy at feeding time and it was very effective. He's extremely well behaved now. It depends on the horse. When SloughP crowds we kick him in the shins to back him off because nothing else works. And now he respects our space just fine. But he was terrible. He thought he was a lap dog at 1000 pounds. :roll: :roll: :roll:

[CarolU]

Nicole, he is a BEAUTIFUL horse. I can see why you love him and want to keep him a stallion. I think Robin is also a great Performance trainer. She'll do well with him. Best of luck to him and you.

[Serendipity]

Thank You i hope he does well :smile:

[sporthorse]

I too think Robin will do great with him. Let us know how he is doing. What a great looking horse. Nice presence as well(all the waqy through photos I can tell ;-) )

[PasoJoy]

DROOL..... :D

[Serendipity]

:lol: :lol: Thanks I spose I should let the ours see him not that many go into this forum :confused .
I'll let everyone know when he opens up for breeding,Traininf first though 8-)