BTV Question

[rizzodm]

How can I tell if my pony is evading me by going behind the vertical? I am still learning the proper feel of my pony going correctly but I suspect sometimes she is dropping behind the bit. I ride by myself alot and would like to know if there is something I could do to check if she is going properly or falsely by evading contact. I do take lessons 1 x a wk and my trainer has not mentioned that she is doing this (she will usually lean on me and go forward like a train but these times are getting less and less).

Thanks
Dawn

[Gloria]

You should feel about 4~8oz of weight in your hands. If you feel nothing, he is likely evading. If it is heavy, he is likely to rely on your hands to balance himself.

[mbm]

to check if your pony is going into the bit properly - of course you can "feel" if she drops behind the contact - the reins will go dead - but also you can see if she will go forward/down/out if you release the reins slowly a little bit at a time... (in the beginning pony wont be able to take the bit more than a little FDO as it takes strength) - will she follow the bit out and down? try this for a few steps and see what you get.

if she doesn't take the bit forward - there is your answer.

in general you should be able to give forward a tiny bit and the horse should take the contact forward.... in other words - they should "seek" the bit.

as for being able to tell where pony's head is in relation to btv - a good gauge is - can you see th top of the bridle behind the ears? but it is more important for pony to learn to seek the bit than if pony is poll high at this time.

eta: i dont believe you can say any particular weight - ie 4 oz... horse are different and will want to carry different weight. better to test whether the horse will seek the bit forward downwards.

[Gloria]

Oh come on. Of course you can... It's not that hard. Maybe you cannot tell exactly it is 4 or 5 or 6 oz, but at least you can feel it's nothing or heavy. Grab a kitchen scale, put some floud/sugar/whatever on the scale to about 4 oz, pick it up, there you have the weight of 4 oz. And try again to 8 oz... There is the feeling. Some horses are lighter and some are heavier but 4~8 oz is the general benchmark.

[rizzodm]

to check if your pony is going into the bit properly - of course you can "feel" if she drops behind the contact - the reins will go dead - but also you can see if she will go forward/down/out if you release the reins slowly a little bit at a time... (in the beginning pony wont be able to take the bit more than a little FDO as it takes strength) - will she follow the bit out and down? try this for a few steps and see what you get.

if she doesn't take the bit forward - there is your answer.

in general you should be able to give forward a tiny bit and the horse should take the contact forward.... in other words - they should "seek" the bit.

as for being able to tell where pony's head is in relation to btv - a good gauge is - can you see th top of the bridle behind the ears? but it is more important for pony to learn to seek the bit than if pony is poll high at this time.

eta: i dont believe you can say any particular weight - ie 4 oz... horse are different and will want to carry different weight. better to test whether the horse will seek the bit forward downwards.

Thankyou this is what I needed

Dawn