Agreed on the spurs.  They can be helpful with a dull horse, but are not for a rider that may not be able to control their heels yet (and should be used in the same progressive manner as the crop on a dull horse - and should be used for training the response, not forcing it).  The crop is the better idea.  But double check, too, that you are not telling him to stop.  Make sure your hands are light and forward when you ask.  Sometimes we think so much about one cue, we don't notice that we are giving an opposite cue.

 Pay attention to what happens before he stops.  Can you feel him slowing down?  If you can add your cues BEFORE he stops (this will get better with your experience), you will have a better chance of getting him moving again.  And make sure YOU don't focus on what is distracting him.

 Sometimes, turning them left or right can get them unstuck too, if they just won't move.  Don't let him stand there.  Get him moving, in whatever manner and direction possible, as quickly as possible, using your progressive cues and turns.  Then rest when you want, after he has moved, even just a little bit.

Boy, that is annoying!  Let me add my vote for the dressage whip, or crop.  This little beast sounds fairly smart, so I think he just has your number!  It's been my experience that once you let the horse know you are not kidding around, and you expect him to do what he's asked to do, it doesn't take long to fix such behavior.  Re spurs, I would be sure about that before you try them; some horses are very reactive to spurs, even mild ones.  Check with your trainer before you do anything since he/she probably knows this horse well and can tell you what to expect.  This is a case where being more stubborn than the horse can pay off!  Good luck to you!

This sounds a lot like my App (Smokey).  I had Smokey for 6 years and had some of the same issues you mention.  We've been able to fix some of them.  I used a lot of leg in the beginning to keep him going, and always rode with a whip.  He used to stop all the time, and I needed to anticipate this and put my leg on it before he would stop.  After many lessons, we figured out that he was stopping because I was slightly tipping forward.  He is extremely sensitive to my position.  Once I improved my seat, he got much better, but every now and then he'll try to test my patience again.  Using a dressage whip helped a lot since I can reach his behind or tap him in the shoulder.   

Smokey also used to stop all of the sudden and there was no force in the universe to make him move forward.  At best, he would just back-up really fast. The only way I got around it was to ask him to do something different and simple right away that he would say 'Yes' to it, and this would snap him out of it.  I realized that quite often he would get on this mood because he was unsure of what we were doing, or my position was sligthly off balance, etc.  It was a matter of him not trusting me.  Sometimes if I would continue to push, he would then buck.  He very seldom does this any longer, but there was a time he did it everytime I rode him.  For example, if I was asking to canter and he would stop and not move forward, I would then bring him back to a halt, give him his head, and ask him to walk.  Once he would go a couple steps, I would pet him, ask him to halt, and then ask him for a couple steps a at walk again.  The key is to ask for something you know your horse will say 'Yes' to it, and this changes his state of mind.

I ride mainly dressage on my other horse.  I have done some dressage with Smokey, but he sure likes jumping much more.  He never stops when we are going over fences.  So, I have been taking jumping lessons with him.  This has translated to a better attitude when we do flat work.  So, finding what he enjoyed best helped a lot.  However, I would still like to show him in dressage, and that's still quite hard, since he is very insecure at shows (one can say he truly hates shows, unless of course it is a jumping class).

I hope this helps some. 

I think it unlikely you would be encouraged or even allowed to ride a school horse in spurs. We certainly don't allow our clients to ride in spurs unless they are on their own horse and insist upon it.

The trouble with spurs is that if the horse does get a bit too quick and the rider grips with the leg to keep balanced (as many riders do) this can fix the spur into the horse's side and send him on faster.

Spurs used in this situation would be classed as a 'specialist correctional tool' rather than a standard enhancement of the aids anyway as you are using them to strengthen your leg rather than refine your aids which is their 'official' purpose. I have used spurs (and two dressage whips!) on a horse like this before but it was for reschooling HIM rather than learning myself. :)

Grace and Lila:

percheronrider:

Is that Chloe in your sig picture? She is real cute!

No, Thats Lila, but thanks. This is Chloe! She has gotten over her stilly game and is a really good pony. I bet that your horse will get better if you use a whip.

tartypep:

This is what my pony mickey does but he is only young so if he is young he is just playing around.

 

dmmalpert:

Sounds like you're riding a lesson horse?   Pretty typical if that's the case.  Duller horses are safer to ride and tolerate more, but they can lock up and be stubborn.  It's a trade-off.  I love a great sensitive horse, but then you have to make sure they're not spooky and all over the place.  I guess you have to take the good with the bad.  And I'm with everyone else - this horse is definately in need of some dressage whip therapy!  just make sure you are black and white - don't nag with little taps from the whip or she'll begin to ignore that as well.  Ask with your leg - once, if she doesn't respond, then give a light tap with the whip, if she still doesn't respond, then she needs a good whack with it to get her attention.  If you do it right, she'll stop doing this behaviour really quick.

It is better to put me on Blueberry, a safer and bomb proof pony, since he is no longer a greenie. I think he is greatly improved from last year when he stopped every few inches to turn and nudge my boots with his nose. My trainer thought that was sooooo cute. I just found that stuff annoying. That was last year. I'll have to over come this stopping stuff. After I ask him with my legs, it will be a relief to ask with a whip.

pyenelle:

how about trying a mild set of spurs?? i've noticed when i carry a crop of some sort; i tend to lean on it too much as a crutch.. the spurs free up my hands and are only used as a neccessity for times like yours.

percheronrider:

It is better to put me on Blueberry, a safer and bomb proof pony, since he is no longer a greenie. I think he is greatly improved from last year when he stopped every few inches to turn and nudge my boots with his nose. My trainer thought that was sooooo cute. I just found that stuff annoying.

YIKES!!!!

NO wonder you have a problem!  Once is cute, a bad habit that a trainer overlooks is a recipe for trouble!

No kidding!  I think all of us are at times tempted by "cute" behavior.....but I am getting to the point where "cute" consists of the horse doing what he is asked, and not coming up with his own ideas.  I won't say my horses don't get away with some "self expression" but NOT while under saddle, thank you!  From what I've seen, the more they get away with that stuff, the more they think they are in control, not you.  A dangerous situation!

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arabian girl:

Boy, that is annoying!  Let me add my vote for the dressage whip, or crop.  This little beast sounds fairly smart, so I think he just has your number!  It's been my experience that once you let the horse know you are not kidding around, and you expect him to do what he's asked to do, it doesn't take long to fix such behavior.  Re spurs, I would be sure about that before you try them; some horses are very reactive to spurs, even mild ones.  Check with your trainer before you do anything since he/she probably knows this horse well and can tell you what to expect.  This is a case where being more stubborn than the horse can pay off!  Good luck to you!

Ha! ready for that too.

Good for you; your dressage whip sounds like a good choice.  No, hard whacks probably aren't the first thing to try!  Lol!  I just think you need to put your message across clearly so there is no room for negotiations!

arabian girl:

Good for you; your dressage whip sounds like a good choice.  No, hard whacks probably aren't the first thing to try!  Lol!  I just think you need to put your message across clearly so there is no room for negotiations!

There will be a schooling show May 24, so I hope I will be able to use some great music I found from the CD, Vision of the Shaman for the Kur. I hope, anyway that I can use that.