Getting what you want, when you want it! By Riding and Practicing Consistently Correct. With Patience and a Positive Attitude. Warm him up before every exercise program and prepare his mind and body to learn.
Here are a few exercises to get you and your horse where you want to go at the speed you want to get there. As always decide what you want to do before you start. Mount your horse, have him stand still for at least two min. Then start off in a walk towards a pre-selected point. Mark different areas on the arena fence with tape or cones, put ribbons on trees or place rocks at selected points if you're not in an arena. (Have all your points clearly marked before you begin). Standing at your first mark, walk to your second mark, keep your eyes on your mark. When you get to your second mark squeeze him into a trot to your third pre-selected mark, stop AT the mark. Take a step backwards turn and trot back to your first mark. Stop AT your mark. Stand, relax and then continue through your exercise program. Taking the time to stop and relax throughout your exercise will keep him clam and give you a smooth transition from one gate to the next. And practicing your stop is ALWAYS a good idea. Start out with about 4 markers and set them in a large/oblong circle. (Decide before you start when, where, and at what speed). Use a slow trot, fast trot, walking with forward energy and slow lopes. Start off with slow trots and walking exercises before adding any lope transitions. Go into your lopes from a trot in the beginning, also coming down from a lope through a trot to a stop. Always make transitions at your marks, keep your marks far enough apart to give your horse time to relax in each gate. Stay in each gate as long as needed for your horse to relax and settle his mind before your next transition. Take your time with this and only when your transitions are smooth add a cone to go around, or set a line of cones 20 feet apart to weave him through in different gates. Give him plenty of room to maneuver and remember to stop and relax, this is a fun easy way to make your horse a fun easy mover with exceptional control!
Use soft but firm cues. Be willing to repeat and your rewards will be great.
Each time you ask him to stop, shift your weight down in the saddle by bending at your belly button, pickup to take the slack out of the reins and say whoa. To begin forward movements, lift up and move reins forward slightly, squeeze with your legs, and kiss if needed. To move from a walk to a trot while seated, centered and balanced, lift up on the reins, squeeze gently with your legs and kiss if needed. From a trot to a lope, lift reins, squeeze, and kiss. From a walk to a lope, lift up on the reins, shift your weight slightly forward, squeeze/bump with your legs and kiss. Down from a lope to a trot, sit your weight down in the saddle, lift up and back slightly on the reins and say "easy". If you feel him dropping into a walk squeeze a little with your legs to keep him in a trot and then trot a short distance before asking him to walk or back into a lope. This can become frustrating for you both in the beginning, just be patient, remember what you are doing and why. He may go past the marks or change too soon in the beginning. That's okay. Watch your body language you may be anticipating with your body "before" your mark and he will follow your body language (cues). Look to yourself first to correct mistakes. Don't ask for the change until it's time. And then ask with soft/firm cues. There is no time limit on this, and you will both learn about each other's body language, becoming a GREAT horse and rider combination!
It will be well worth it. Always stay consistently correct. Have fun, relax, and happy training.
