Question # 210: I recently bought a nice 14 year old Oldenburg mare that has been used as a lesson horse for several years. She is sweet, quiet, responsive to my leg; but the most stiff and resistant in the bridle that I have ever come across...
...There is no head tossing, no temper tantrums, just resolute stiffness. There is absolutely no give or softness laterally or longitudinally. I've started working with her by flexing to the left and right, having her give to me each direction at the halt, working on the lunge with side reins, lots of transitions from walk to trot; tot to walk to halt. (No reason to add canter to this yet, lol.) She is quite unfit, but in great weight and health. She has that odd dip in front of her withers that horses get when they work in the wrong frame for so long. She also has an odd habit of tapping her front teeth together when she is working. I've just started with this horse. I think I'm on the right track. What do you think? Any good exercises you can think of? (Anonymous)
Whenever you feel that "almost dead" type of rigidness in your hand, the horse is usually quite rigid and blocked in their... (Click on Question Title above (in blue) to read full answer)
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