Starting Young Horses

Letters > Starting Young Horses/Problem Solving "Is this normal for a gentle horse?"

Dear Keith... Wednesday, August 15, 2007 We have a filly, she is Tennessee Walker and Quarter Horse that will be 2 years old in Feb. and we are getting ready to start breaking her. Right now she is what you would call Greenbroke. We are able to put a saddle her on, lead her, sit my 8 year old neice that is 50lbs. on her, and she will take a bit, she will backup, stretch, but the problem we are having with her is she wants right on top of you, she has broke my toes, knocked me down, if your sitting in a chair by her she will try to sit in your lap I guess the real question is, is this normal for a gentle horse? How old does she have to be to neck rein and when could we start getting on her? We watch and really love all the shows you have on tv what we would really like is to have the money to come to alive show with you. We also have the filly's daddy which is almost as bad he is a 6 year old gelding. He is a Quarter Horse that is way to fat, gentle, lazy, he will not pick up his feet, he stumbles alot we are afraid he is going to fall down with us on his back, and he also slings his head. We watched one of the shows of where when he starts slinging to pull the rein and turn him in a circle we have been doing this for about a week, he is getting better, but, he will not run at all he just wants to walk. What can we do to make him pick his feet up and not stumble as bad? He has been checked and is sound. Also he is totally different when a woman is on him, I don't have very much problems out of him but you put a man on him he becomes a different horse, he has thrown my husband of he rares up and bucks bad could it be the weight difference or could he just be a womans horse? Please help we don't know what to do with either on? Thank you very much Richard and Amy H

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