What else?

[NevadaJoe]

Hello,

So I have a two year old APHA filly (Cheyenne) that I got as a yearling. I've gone over all the ground work (leading, shoulder over, disengage the hindquarters, sidepassing, lunging in both directions by voice command and pointing, backing with the head tucked, flexing both vertical and lateral, and can even have her piviot from the ground). I was just curious: am I missing anything from the ground?

And now that she's two, I've also started her under saddle. We are beggining to pivot and rollback, we go on very light rein pressure and move off of mainly leg cues now, backs like a dream, sidepasses, hips over, shoulders over, and trots collected. I am also working on sliding stops, but want to wait for her legs to get a little stronger first. Is there anything else I should do? I want to wait on neck reining until she has the leg cues down perfectly.

Also, how do I get momentum? She is a very lazy horse, who dosen't want to much engery into what she's doing. But with the way she can pivot and rollback, she would be amazing if I could just get momentum into it!

Thank you to anyone who could help. I know this probably sounded a little confusing with me going on and on.

Thanks!

[WildHorseSpirit]

Sorry I would not be the person you want to speak to as I would not be doing sliding stops on a 2yo.
I realize some compe***ion folk do train at this age for it but I am against it as you are riding a baby still.

[cuttingfool]

I agree with WHS that slide-stops should not be an objective at this point, but I do think a GOOD stop is foundational. If your trainee is backing willingly with head tucked, you aren't goijng to have any trouble getting that slide when the time comes. The last filly I started (foundation AQHA) had a great stop from a verbal cue before I ever got on her. I still don't ask for the slide - she's barefoot anyway and still just 2. But she's more than willing to bring those back legs up under her and plant them, now on no more than a flex of the rider's butt muscles. I just don't ask for it at any speed higher than a medium trot. I have a real aversion to some of the techniques used by futurity trainers; my own horse's full brother died when they entered him in a cutting futurity before he was ready. Turned too hard and broke his pelvis, believe it or not. That's just one obscure item on a long list of things that can go horribly wrong from pushing a horse too fast.

Anyhow, regarding getting the horse to move.... At the urging of another trainer, I spent a lot of time driving last summer's filly in long lines, first in a surcingle then in a saddle. Got her very used to being slapped on the side as a cue to move, so when I got on her, she had no trouble figuring out that a rhythmic bump with the calfs meant "move". That might be a good place to start finding that forward momentum you're looking for.

Sounds like you are doing everything right on the ground and if you take your time you'll have a fine & willing animal very soon.

[cutting_horse_maniac]

It sounds like you have started what will become an AMAZING filly. But you say you want more momentum. My advice is IT WILL COME. I broke out a 2yr old for a lady and the filly had the most beautiful jog with a slope lope would stop on her hind end with no sliding yet and pivoted like a dream. Planting the outside leg and crossing her front legs with just a bump of a foot. But the owner complained she was too slow and was not moving fast enough. The owner took her home and started working her herself and started asking for more speed.

This filly is currently abck in training with me. The owner got this filly hot headed and will no longer do that nice easy lope and smooth slow jog. And the time that lapsed between calm and hot headed was 2 weeks. It has taken me a month to get the jog back and I have not even attempted the lope yet.

So take your time perfect practice makes perfect. My advice is to be able to use NO HANDS and ONLY FEET to go through the basics. Pivot, stop, go, stop, sidepass, pivot. Get her to where she needs no hands to be ridden. Be able to open and close gates on her, be able to get the mail with no bridle only a halter and leadline. THEN speed it up. It is easier to ruin a horse than it is to break bad habits.

That is just my advice to you.