**Slow down** a fast (impulsive) horse. Simple communication method to slow down this OTTB 

Thank you so much!

I’ll get it. You’re right the every day stuff is where it’s at. Yeah I don’t think anyone wants to see these moves 😂

@@_thenaturalhorseman lol, what do they say??? Don’t quit your day job🤣 Totally kidding…..I see you…..you got moves 😎

@@KingsMom831 yeah I certainly won’t be quitting my day job 😂

I appreciate that

That can make a big difference, it helps the horse to balance.

Thanks Naunette

@@_thenaturalhorseman You are welcome Nannette

Great! There are 2 more parts to this session yet to come. I hope it’s helpful.

@@_thenaturalhorseman looking forward to them! 👏🏼

Thanks Ryan!

It’s my pleasure, I hope it helps

Thank you, I appreciate your feedback! Have a great weekend.

Thank you Jess.

It’s my pleasure, keep up the good work!!

@@_thenaturalhorseman today was lesson day. Instead of working with my mare Tweed, i worked with a very steady horse, Teddy. He's a gentle giant with a little bit of sass. He's never used a bitless bridal, and I've only ridden him once before, so he had to contend with 2 new things today. Plus, one of my stirrups was lower than the other and i didn't realize it so i was a bit off balance unbeknownst to me. He did wonderfully on the bitless (i knew he would, He's a smart and good boy). He's also used to spurs and I've never used them so i didn't. I needed a lot of help from my trainer today and we worked on yielding the hind quarters and fore quarters. It was really hard, and really fun. At one point, i was able to get him to yield the hind quarters by myself and he kept his one front foot in one place as he moved his other legs for a quarter of a turn by myself! I was so happy and proud of him (and me) and then i wanted to yield the fore quarters and my trainer had to really help me with that...its super hard. She had to tell me where his "3 buttons" on his side are to move the front, middle, and back end. I had no idea!!! You encouraged me out of my comfort zone, taught me what i am to look for in yielding the hind and fore, and encouraged me to keep moving forward in my learning even though im oldish. I cantered Teddy today for the first time. With Tweed, i have to hold on for dear life. Teddy is the exact opposite. So it was wierd and plus my right stirrup was lower and my right foot kept slipping out...i should have ckecked the stirrup haha. Plus i had on slippery snow overalls on bc it was cold so I'm making plenty of excuses why i couldn't find my balance in his gentle, Cadillac ride of a canter and since I'm used to Tweeds canter, i have to hold my reins low and tight to keep from losing control bc she's so fast. With Teddy, i didn't realize i was holding the reins tight and he didn't know weather to woh or go haha. So i had to give a lot of slack and bc i was off balance and not knowing why, i had to hold my right arm out and up to keep balance (like i was in a rodeo lol) and my trainer was so patient and funny and it was a great time working and learning because your video pushed me to try some new things. Wow I'm quite a talker!!! I am excited to watch more of your videos. Thank you so much for your education. Apparently I'm not a natural and riding so i have to put a lot of work into it. Hopefully in the end, I'll be a better rider for it

P.S. my trainer rode bitless for the first time today! She liked it

A 20 year old ex barrel horse that's now in a non-barrel lesson program was probably a local show/play day type. That usually translates to any leg on her anywhere only means go as she was never taught anything else. Pretty common issue that I see a lot rehabbing/retraining horses for many years. The head up is probably what she did when running. It's a response to anticipating going faster or trying to avoid bit and they probably put a tie down on her so her head didn't hit the riders face. I wouldn't even attempt anything other than a walk on her until she's learned to give to the bit or nose pressure, learned lateral leg cues, backs up and stops and has softened. No head up. One thing I train is whoa means stop, not slow down. I exaggerate starting with seat, word whoa and my legs completely way off, then rein pressure if needed. In a clutch situation, I want to know if I take leg off and say whoa we're stopping. Bitless is great, but it relies on the 1 rein stop which works well in an arena or field where it can be executed BEFORE the horse gets ancy or speedy. I won't turn a horse sharp even with bit if they're going faster they will fall with you. On a 6 inch trail with no way to turn the 1 rein stop is useless, so there is a better chance of stopping with bit leverage. But on a horse that runs through it, you just pray. Good news is those types will do same in fields where you have room to maneuver. Keep in mind that if she's had a tie down she's used to pushing against nose pressure, not giving, so her learning curve to bitless may be longer to transition. I'm a firm believer in bitless for beginner lesson horses and trail string horses. It's not fair to them to have mouths yanked on.

Hi Stephanie, I do love Wade saddles, the one I'm riding in isn't a wade though. There is a great saddle maker called Rob Gerbitz who makes Wade saddles, located in Walnut, Illinois. I have some clients who ride in his saddles and swear by them. They take about 12-18 months to get the saddle built and to you.

Hi Terri, sorry I totally missed this question. Yes absolutely settle him into some forward and as you work in the other yields, focus on forward through the yield and the departure out of the yield. The departure is where the lightness and impulsion will come from.

That's a great start! Now that things are finally warming up here in the midwest I'll be able to get out on the trails soon and do some videos. This is one of the most common issues that I come across when I teach my trail riding clinics.

Nice work

@@_thenaturalhorseman You are welcome