Pictures of Our Filly's First and Second Trail Ride

[Ginevive]

Well, it looks like your filly is an old pro As for improper riding position; I cannot complain, because I do it too.
I recently drove through Iowa; on the way back from Cali, we went off the road due to ice. Everyone who we encountered, from the police officer who stopped and gave us a ride into town, to the clerks at the store, were extremely polite and helpful. Go Iowa!

[SlitherinSisters]

Cool! Thanks for shaing. It looks like lots of fun. Iowa looks wide open like parts of Montana.
The only riding I have ever done was as a child on a very well mannered horse.

Oh I love it! Iowa is very wide open. Mostly corn and soy bean fields everywhere you look! The pictures that you can see far in, that's actually a pretty big "hill" that obstructs your view from seeing farther. My cousin from Virgina makes fun of me for calling that a hill, he calls them bumps of dirt. I live in Williamsburg and Cedar Rapids, a large city, is about 40 miles from me. If I stand in just the right place in town I can see smoke and the smoke stacks from a factory in that town!!!!!

Well, it looks like your filly is an old pro As for improper riding position; I cannot complain, because I do it too.
I recently drove through Iowa; on the way back from Cali, we went off the road due to ice. Everyone who we encountered, from the police officer who stopped and gave us a ride into town, to the clerks at the store, were extremely polite and helpful. Go Iowa!

She does look like an old pro doesn't she! I'm glad I'm not the only one who rides all cockeyed I don't show so I suppose it doesn't really matter for me! Well, I take that back, I show for fun at small shows, but I'm just there so no one else has to get last place

I've never noticed how nice everyone in Iowa is until I went to the East coast, people are much less willing to go out of their way to help. I live right on I80, I'm guessing that's the road you took? Maybe I saw your car I drive I80 every day to class. I usually stop to help people, but my fiance forbids me from giving people rides. I figure as long as my Dobie is in the car with me, I ought to be alright

[kristan]

I've broken in a few horses and used to barrel race...when she bucks just be sure to keep her head up. Also, if she's not calming down grab the rein down fairly close (as close as you can while keeping your weight back) to the bit and get her head around so she has to do a few really tight circles. To my knowledge, she's not going to be able to buck in that position and it will get her refocused. My trainer used this as a sort of punishment - the horses don't like it but it doesn't hurt them and it gives them a chance to forget about what they were doing. As you finish the last circle (do like two or three) don't let her stop moving, make sure she walks out of it at a brisk pace and continue on as if nothing happened. You may get the one or two oddballs that will continue trying to buck, in which case you will both end up on the ground, but your filly seems much too sensible for that. She looks good!

[kristan]

Oh, and I wanted to add, I ride very well but I have a couple rogue bones in my feet (sounds gross but you wouldn't know it to look at them) so I cannot keep my toes in when I ride. I've had trainers telling me for years to keep my toes in but I've done just fine with them out. I think we all have our issues, it doesn't make you a "bad" rider.

[Mettle]

I read that title as frilly's and not filly's and was expecting something very different. Obviously I didn't look at the forum it was in, LOL.

[Ginevive]

Oh I love it! Iowa is very wide open. Mostly corn and soy bean fields everywhere you look! The pictures that you can see far in, that's actually a pretty big "hill" that obstructs your view from seeing farther. My cousin from Virgina makes fun of me for calling that a hill, he calls them bumps of dirt. I live in Williamsburg and Cedar Rapids, a large city, is about 40 miles from me. If I stand in just the right place in town I can see smoke and the smoke stacks from a factory in that town!!!!!



She does look like an old pro doesn't she! I'm glad I'm not the only one who rides all cockeyed I don't show so I suppose it doesn't really matter for me! Well, I take that back, I show for fun at small shows, but I'm just there so no one else has to get last place

I've never noticed how nice everyone in Iowa is until I went to the East coast, people are much less willing to go out of their way to help. I live right on I80, I'm guessing that's the road you took? Maybe I saw your car I drive I80 every day to class. I usually stop to help people, but my fiance forbids me from giving people rides. I figure as long as my Dobie is in the car with me, I ought to be alright

Yup, we took I80. We went off the road right near a place with a "Raccoon River" sign/river. It was a baaaad day for accidents; at least 30 vehicles had gone off the roads that morning that we saw alone.

[SlitherinSisters]

I've broken in a few horses and used to barrel race...when she bucks just be sure to keep her head up. Also, if she's not calming down grab the rein down fairly close (as close as you can while keeping your weight back) to the bit and get her head around so she has to do a few really tight circles. To my knowledge, she's not going to be able to buck in that position and it will get her refocused. My trainer used this as a sort of punishment - the horses don't like it but it doesn't hurt them and it gives them a chance to forget about what they were doing. As you finish the last circle (do like two or three) don't let her stop moving, make sure she walks out of it at a brisk pace and continue on as if nothing happened. You may get the one or two oddballs that will continue trying to buck, in which case you will both end up on the ground, but your filly seems much too sensible for that. She looks good!

Oh, and I wanted to add, I ride very well but I have a couple rogue bones in my feet (sounds gross but you wouldn't know it to look at them) so I cannot keep my toes in when I ride. I've had trainers telling me for years to keep my toes in but I've done just fine with them out. I think we all have our issues, it doesn't make you a "bad" rider.

Ok cool thanks for the info. I use circles as "punishment" as well. I wasn't sure if you still used circles in that situation too. The first time I rode her outside of the round pen she kept trying to take off and buck on me, she did it 3 times in a row and then I did the one rein stop to get off of her and put her back in the round pen to ride more. She was really worked up that day and kept taking off every time I eased up on the reins.

Oh!!! I have another question for you! I've never had this problem before so I have NO idea how to solve it. I rode her last week in the round pen then out of the round pen. In the round pen she kept stopping, but I could get her to go. Outside the round pen she pretty much acted like a mule when they sit down. She just stood there with her head hanging down and wouldn't budge! I tried turning her sharp to make her go off balance and have to take a step, nope. I tried kicking her, but I hate kicking so I really don't like to do it, nope. I tried just holding my heels in and putting pressure on her, nope. I tried smacking her butt with my hand, nope. I tried rocking on her, nope. NOTHING! It was so frustrating so I ended up saying well, if you want to stand here we'll stand here. She stood for 30 minutes not budging one foot and I finally gave up and called my mom to drive over and grab the reins and make her walk up to the barn. I'm totally out of my league on this one. I know some ways, but I'd rather not beat her. I did buy a crop whip, which I'm not a fan of, but I've got to get this problem solved! I haven't tried the crop whip yet because she hasn't done it to me again, but it's a very small one with a small paddle, about the size of your thumb.

I'm glad to hear you also ride "incorrectly"! I feel dumb sometimes, but I can ride just fine, and stay on just fine, I just can't keep my feet under me!

Our trainer is actually a pretty well known barrel race trainer. I'm thinking he's good at training horses who already have the basics well down packed, not completely fresh like her. Or maybe he's one of those horse people who doesn't think horses should have to do anything the winter so he doesn't ride them much I wish I could remember his name or the horses name off the top of my head. I'd have to ask my sister, I know she would remember. One of his current horses is nationally ranked and I believe world ranked. He just sold this horse's brother who had no ranking or wins for $15,000! I about fainted when he told me that!

I read that title as frilly's and not filly's and was expecting something very different. Obviously I didn't look at the forum it was in, LOL.

Lol, I bet that was interesting!

Yup, we took I80. We went off the road right near a place with a "Raccoon River" sign/river. It was a baaaad day for accidents; at least 30 vehicles had gone off the roads that morning that we saw alone.

I figured you would, it's about the only road in Iowa that doesn't turn into gravel It does get pretty nasty around here with all the open fields in the winter time! Raccoon River is about 1.5 hours West of us. I live by the Tanger Outlet Mall, you would have gone passed me

[kristan]

I have worked with this problem a few times....I tend to "bother" them with something. I think the easiest way for you to do this is to get a pair of the nub spurs (like English riders use) that are just like a blunt stub and and lightly kick her with them, and I mean very light lightly - so she's annoyed, until she moves. You could use your crop for this and just continuously tap her with it but if you use spurs you can keep your hands ready for when she starts to pop up a bit, which it sounds like she may. If she starts popping up like she's going to throw a buck I would make sure to keep her head up and continue kicking. I went through this with my barrel mare when I first got her and it took me over an hour of sitting motionless in pouring rain but she never had that problem again. Also, as soon as she takes a few steps (maybe 3?) I would immediately have her stop and get off, giver her a break, a treat..something, or if it's feasible, just let her be done for the day. Good luck!

[SlitherinSisters]

I have worked with this problem a few times....I tend to "bother" them with something. I think the easiest way for you to do this is to get a pair of the nub spurs (like English riders use) that are just like a blunt stub and and lightly kick her with them, and I mean very light lightly - so she's annoyed, until she moves. You could use your crop for this and just continuously tap her with it but if you use spurs you can keep your hands ready for when she starts to pop up a bit, which it sounds like she may. If she starts popping up like she's going to throw a buck I would make sure to keep her head up and continue kicking. I went through this with my barrel mare when I first got her and it took me over an hour of sitting motionless in pouring rain but she never had that problem again. Also, as soon as she takes a few steps (maybe 3?) I would immediately have her stop and get off, giver her a break, a treat..something, or if it's feasible, just let her be done for the day. Good luck!

I have a pair of western spurs but I only wear them when I barrel race because my mare gets really worked up. I don't kick her but she can feel them brush against her and they are the kind that make a lot of noise. The first time I wore them on her during a competition was the first time I took her through the pattern in 4 years and before that it was just for fun on the farm! She ended up only 3 seconds behind the fastest horse and that horse does it professionally! It was awesome Especially the fact that my mare was 14 years older than the horse that won! That was my first time in a competition as well! Anyway back to the filly! I'll have to get some English spurs, I was wondering if I should. I didn't think about not having two hands to control her if I use the crop

I'll be sure to get off her if she takes a few steps! I didn't even think about that! I'm glad you mentioned that!

Thanks for all your advise it's great! I would call the trainer but he is really short on the phone and I just assume not bothering with it.