Help please

[Raine Ranch Minis]

How do I stop a horse from spining while Ground Driving?

My little mare, that is all she wants to do is spin and look at me.

So we will turn circles until I get her to stop. (BTW It is quite hard) I am going to a trainers in a few weeks and I wanted to have her ground driving a little.

 

[ClickMini]

Does she lunge with a single line yet? That is where I would start. You might need an extra person to begin with. When I start teaching a horse to lunge, I start with them next to me, then as they learn the go-forward cue and how to move their shoulders away from me, I begin to feed out the line and have them go a bit further away from me. Once your horse is lunging nicely and responding to voice and whip cues, you can add in a second line so that you are double-lunging. As your horse becomes comfortable with that, you can start to drive it out in front of you little by little. It is a process to go through, sounds like you might be missing some steps which will make it harder for her to understand. Hope this helps!

 

[Minimor]

When you're attempting to long line her are you running the lines through the terrets on top of the back saddle, or do you have them lower down, on each side of her body? To start with you should have them low on her sides--if you don't have a proper training surcingle you can run them through the shaft loops on your driving harness (run a strap from one loop under her belly to the other loop to keep them in place, otherwise they will just pull up and not keep the lines down lower.

Having the driving lines lower makes it harder for her to spin around--if she tries to turn the line will stay down around her hindquarters and make it easier for you to turn her back & get her straight again. If the lines are up on top her back it's just too easy for her to turn around.

 

[Mominis]

Since you are headed to the trainer's place in a few weeks, I'd shelf the ground driving for now. It's easier to teach something new than it is to fix a bad habit. I'm sure your trainer will help you get her going in a way that will let you be productive with her at home, when she returns. In the meantime, maybe building up her fitness would benefit her and the trainer both. Do some ponying or round penning and that sort of thing. JMHO.

 

[Raine Ranch Minis]

Does she lunge with a single line yet? That is where I would start. You might need an extra person to begin with. When I start teaching a horse to lunge, I start with them next to me, then as they learn the go-forward cue and how to move their shoulders away from me, I begin to feed out the line and have them go a bit further away from me. Once your horse is lunging nicely and responding to voice and whip cues, you can add in a second line so that you are double-lunging. As your horse becomes comfortable with that, you can start to drive it out in front of you little by little. It is a process to go through, sounds like you might be missing some steps which will make it harder for her to understand. Hope this helps!

Yes she does lung with one line. I will try a second line.

When you're attempting to long line her are you running the lines through the terrets on top of the back saddle, or do you have them lower down, on each side of her body? To start with you should have them low on her sides--if you don't have a proper training surcingle you can run them through the shaft loops on your driving harness (run a strap from one loop under her belly to the other loop to keep them in place, otherwise they will just pull up and not keep the lines down lower.

Having the driving lines lower makes it harder for her to spin around--if she tries to turn the line will stay down around her hindquarters and make it easier for you to turn her back & get her straight again. If the lines are up on top her back it's just too easy for her to turn around.

They are lower.

I do have a surcingle.

Since you are headed to the trainer's place in a few weeks, I'd shelf the ground driving for now. It's easier to teach something new than it is to fix a bad habit. I'm sure your trainer will help you get her going in a way that will let you be productive with her at home, when she returns. In the meantime, maybe building up her fitness would benefit her and the trainer both. Do some ponying or round penning and that sort of thing. JMHO.

Ok I will do that too.

Thank you all for your help.

 

[hobbyhorse23]

I agree with the others, AND...

Get thyself a helper! Sounds like mostly your poor girl is confused and is trying to do what's always been appropriate in-hand. She may also be feeling insecure because she can't see you. Have a helper walk at her head with a lead attached to a halter under her bridle and gradually transition from her following the leader with you giving gentle cues to working off the cues with the header getting gradually further and further away. If you want to make this even easier, put her in an open bridle and do the same thing before going back to the blinkers. I suspect she just needs to be shown what you want and that it's okay to walk ahead of you like that.

Also, what's this mare's herd position and personality type? If she's young or insecure in general, it may help to do some obstacle work or teach her to roll a ball with her nose, etc. to help her become more confident. A horse who is a natural follower is not necessarily going to be happy asked to go out in front where all the boogeymen are! You'll have to show her that you're still being the leader and will keep her safe, you're just doing it from the rear.

Leia