Expert: Rick Gore Horsemanship - 6/27/2009

Question
QUESTION: I'm 53, I have about a year of experience riding, I have had a trainer from the
start. Horse "Cruiser" is a 10yr. old gelding, racking, gaited,  I have had him
about a year also, he's smart, he's great.  I take him out on a trail ride with
other friends horses and after a while I have to pray I will make it back to the
trailer or get off and try and lead him, which is very hard by this time.  He
works himself up till he's wet from head to hoof, and his back legs will start
to shake.  I noticed one day that his leg started to shake at the site of one of
my friends unloading her horses.  He is very buddy sour, if he gets worked up
I can make it back to the trailer by riding next to one of his pasture mates. I
haven't worked on the problem because I don't know what to do.  When I'm in
the pasture and he acts up, which is very little compared to trail, I take him to
the barn and ride in circles fast and tight, make him work and then we go out
and try again. He will take me anywhere I want to go on a trail or off until he
gets so nervous, then we're done.  Can you help, Janet

ANSWER: I can't help, only you can help this horse.  You stirrups looks too low in the picture and your reins look tight.  The horse's tail is up and he looks irritated and tense.  

I have a video on riding with a rope halter and lead rope.  You need to work on YOU and what you are doing, not the horse.  Horses always get better when the rider is better.  

If you can't ride and control this horse with a rope halter and ONE rein then you do not understand horses and control and that is probably the problem.  In the picture you appear to have one hand on the horn and one with the reins tight, this tells me you are not secure and not relaxed, this will make a horse tense.

Read my horsemanship page and watch my videos on sacking out, riding with one rein and leading a horse, the more you understand and have a relationship with the horse, you will not fight with him.  If you really trust the horse, the horse will know it and then both of you will feel better.

Rick


---------- FOLLOW-UP ----------

QUESTION: Cruiser and I were running around cones in a figure eight like barrels, I was told that gaited horses put their tail up when they are preforming or working. We were having fun going fast and hard. I'm told I'm much better in the saddle now the photo was from the first month or so and now I have my own tack and it fits him and me well. I am not the only one that has had this problem with him, my trainer and a friend of mine that has had horses from the time she was 14 now 52 has the same problem with Cruiser. I thought he may have had a bad experience with with a strange horse hurting him or something, he's number two in the pasture, is kept in a private home with 5 acres, a great barn and two other geldings. Do you have any idea why he starts to shake at the site of other horses or why he gets wet from head to hoof with out a hard work out? Thank you, Janet

Answer
Had you told me you all this additional info in the original questions, I may have had a different answer.  You are already convinced that the horse is the problem.  I am not convinced of this and think the problem is you, the other rider and your "Trainer".  It always amazes me that people have trainers that they pay and have much more time with a horse and rider, they have first hand observation, they have the ability to know the horse's capabilities as well as the riders and then I get a questions with half or limited information and you expect me to solve this over an email.

I created my web site so people that wanted to learn and read would have the ability to do so "Free".  Yet every time I refer someone to my site where knowledge is available, they insist on writing me back with additional information and want to me come up with a fix or answer.

Read my site, ask your trainer, ask someone else, my answer remains the same.  Most so called horse problems are people that don't understand horses and only want to blame the horse.  Change what you do and the horse will change what it does.  A horse is a reflection of the rider.  If you do it right the horse will be good, if you do it wrong the horse will be a reflection of that.