Unless your horse is confined to a stall all day with no ability to move naturally walking is doing nothing for him as far as warm up. I'd try doing some stretching/bending exercises and then put him in a working trot to warm up. Don't worry about his frame and encourage him to stretch and relax during this time. After your warm up period pick up contact and start work. I don't think I've ever done more than one loop at a walk before picking up an initial trot unless we are both stiff

You should be riding as many varied horses as you can, so I'd ride them both. It sounds like they both have something to give you. Learning how to work a horse through problems is important and a good skill (and it can really build confidence) so in that respect horse 1 is good and it sounds like you have a good relationship with her as well. However, being able to concentrate on YOU is also extremely beneficial and for that a more "push button" horse is better. Working on your equitation

[quote user="txspots"] [quote user="QHAllAround"]Unless your horse is confined to a stall all day with no ability to move naturally walking is doing nothing for him as far as warm up. [/quote] Well, like I said right off, I don't know much about English riding :-) but I have ridden horses since before I myself could walk, and I know that running before you walk (in other words, not starting slow) is not a very good idea, in general: [/quote] I NEVER suggested that "running

One of the best horses I ever owned had the same father and grandfather. Grant in the conformation department he was so ugly he was cute, but he was smart and willing and would put up with anything. That's a bit too close to be "linebreeding" in my eyes (which is sometimes done, at risk, to emphasize very good traits in a line of course you end up emphasizing the bad as well and can end up with deadly mutations coming up as well (ex: HERDA and HYPP)). I'd have him gelded which I

If you can find a Friesian suitable for a beginner/lesson program at a price lower than a brand new sports car or some people's houses, even in this market, please send me the link if you don't buy him! You are on the right track looking at draft crosses and heavier boned varieties; however, a good solid stocky foundation type QH or Paint might also be capable (watch reining and cutting events some time; those guys AREN'T small!!!) and is also likely to be easier found. You're probably

[quote user="txspots"] [quote user="QHAllAround"] My comment would be that just because a horse works "just fine" in a bit does not mean it is the best tool for the job. Obviously "if it ain't broke, don't fix it" [/quote] Which is it -- use what obviously works for the horse; or if it ain't broke, don't fix it? [/quote] Sounds like the same thing to me. If it obviously works for the horse then it ain't broke, so don't fix it. I don't

[quote user="arabian girl"] QHAllaround: I dug thru my stuff and found I have a D ring Snaffle. Is that a good bit? Do you use a curb chain with it? I'm currently using a TTh. and doing okay, but my Arab may go well in a snaffle, I don't know. what should I expect changing him from one to the other? You seem very knowledgeable, so would like your opinion on this D Ring, etc. Or anyone who is familiar with one.....! [/quote] A D-ring is a fine bit. I assume it has the standard single

[quote user="txspots"] I'm not trying to "trap" anybody in anything. I was just confused by your post so I asked, that's all. . . Oh and I don't think anybody here is trying to "subscribe to the illusion that it's a nice, mild bit" if you'll re-read the posts (without the chip on your shoulder) I think you'll see that all we were commenting on was that we use them and they work fine for our horses that we do use them on - I never once said anybody

Like Solaris I've had good luck with the Andis we have, though they've now been relegated to dog clipping duty and I've been running them without a decent coolant so they've been overheating and in general not happy with me. If only I'd take care of the things... but they only ever have to get through one dog twice a year or so now.

So is she collected, "on the bit" and accepting of contact english consistently? It's good that she consistently canters well, that's step one. Loping is one of the hardest things physically you can ask a western horse to do. The amount of collection and correct carriage to lope correctly and also slow is immense. It takes a lot of physical conditioning to get to the point that it's physically possible. THEN we ask them to maintain all of that on a draped western rein. Not being