[Liver Yang Rising]

Help me get my heavy hunter (for those of you born after 1980, this used to be a class of horse, most likely a large draft-TB cross) off his forehand. I know, I know, I'm working against conformation, but this large fellow CAN do it. I've seen it!

Exercise recommendations? Training tips? I'm the quintessential backyard rider, here. . . .

I've tried loads and loads of "transitions". Mainly, making him mad by asking him to "go" and "stop" all the time.

He's 3, so not the greatest attention span . . .

Advice?

[shalomypony]

Lots and lots of trail rides,up and down hills,many hills.

[Liver Yang Rising]

He's a foxhunter, as well. The Ultimate All-terrain vehicle. This is not helping . . he goes back to being old pokey-butt in the arena. He's got the power, and the fitness. I just can't find the "button" to use it!

[bigyellowmoose]

I know you don't want to ask in the dressage forum but it would be what I recommend (Sorry if that's not helping, lol) I know nothing better than dressage for helping encourage a horse to use their hind end and elevate the forehand... conformation notwithstanding

[TrakGeorge]

I had a draft/TB cross who use to be very heavy. Trot- Halt - Back Up - Trot Off was his best friend. Plus time. Then again, a lot of dressage also helped teach him to balance off his hind end.

[vbunny]

What about some simple grids? Not much height but a lot of footwork? Also he might be growing still.

[Dixon]

. . he goes back to being old pokey-butt in the arena. He's got the power, and the fitness. I just can't find the "button" to use it!

Ah, sounds like the fix is as simple as re-schooling him to your leg. Pokey horses are indeed heavy horses -- especially the stout old-style hunters. Engage his rear end and his front end will lighten up. It's easy to get lulled into nagging a pokey horse with your leg all the time, but you need to re-school him to move instantly forward as soon as you squeeze with your leg. Takes discipline from both of you, but you'll find him much easier to ride. If he's ignoring your leg, spur and stick-behind-the-leg, then try riding with a dressage whip.

[JB]

He's big, he's 4, there isn't a WHOLE lot of work you can be doing right now.

He is in a growth spurt and is downhill to start with?

Transitions, done correctly and frequently, are great for getting a horse more engaged behind and lighter up front.

To do the transitions well, he has to be energetic, and that might take a few sessions of working on nothing but getting him hot off your leg. Carry a dressage whip - one in each hand so you don't have to be switching all the time - and use it. Leg him politely, then use the whip behind your leg. USE it, don't just tap him. I'm assuming he already knows that leg means move, just doesn't choose to understand that it means MOVE. NOW. So, leg...WHIP. Mean it.

If he scoots off into a canter, cool, let him go a few strides and try again. Until he's listening to your polite leg, you won't get far.

Carry the whips every ride. Use them the instant he ignores your leg. Don't ask him with your leg twice. He feels a fly, he can feel your leg.

Once he realizes, and it's an automatic reaction, that he has to move off your polite leg, a lot of your heavy issues will go away

[Bearhunter]

I have a 10 year old 18 hand DWB who is built like a train. Some days I want to die he is so lazy. But that is his m.o. Spurs, dressage whip, and lots of transitions and then he is like "ok, ok." For big horses, it is HARD for them to have to engage their back end. With your young one, he is still growing, so it is even harder for him. Probably small hills are a good idea and time and patience. Mix up his work and keep things interesting. Good luck and don't lose hope.

[Quin]

Glad you had a better experience tonight with the forward movement thing.

Does the 'heavy on the forehand' problem include him expecting YOU to hold his front end up? We had that problem for a while. What we found worked felt counter-intuitive while riding him: basically, let go and let him fall on his own nose if he has to. Half-halts to collect him, but as soon as he starts to lean on your hands, loosen the reins. Sit deep while you do it, because if he's way on his forehand and is balancing himself against the bit, the reins, and your aching shoulders, he may literally stumble a minute when you take that support away. But it does make them learn that they can carry themselves on their own 4 feet.

[EqTrainer]

I am a big fan of two things mentioned here - riding w/two whips and simply dropping them when they lean on you. I only drop with one hand, tho' as I may not be as brave as Quin

[JB]

ET, you'd REALLY not be as brave as a guy I used to know on another forum. He re-started a LOT of OTTBs, and his favorite thing to do with them when they expected you to hold them up was to go trotting down a hill and drop them when they leaned He said they only did that once though

[Penthilisea]

Well he is fairly young to be consistently well balanced- he could be in a growth spurt or the like. Jessica Jahiel's newsletter just had a good exercise at the canter for this type of thing. Basically you canter a large circle, on a loose rein, let the horse find his pace and balance. You can be in a half seat or full, and your job is just to let the horse figure itself out. I think she said you can do it for 5-10 minutes each direction. It's deceptively simple, and SO good for the horse's body and mind.