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Horse Behavior and Training

slightly disillusioned with the dually!

By:
xmiriam2003x
Date:
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hi everyone
i have a rising 5 year old 15.1h heavy cob mare who can be very pushy on the ground, especially when being led, you cannot really lead her in a headcollar as she's just too big and strong and if she decides she wants to get away she will. i am doing gound work with her with the help of an instructor. i have had great success with a dually on a previous youngster who was a smaller pony (but could be very cantankerous!)and she responded to it perfectly- it worked like a miracle.
my problem is this- my cob mare does not respond to and appears to not respect the dually at all! when leading her to/from the field in the dually i am often left out of breath with aching arms and red in the face because she's tried to put her head down to grass so much! however, if i use the bridle the difference is amazing. with the lightest touch on the reins she almost doesn't even try to put her head down (i don't yank on the bridle as i said i just use very light pressure if needed). i'm just a bit curious and slightly disappointed as to why the dually doesn't seem to "work" with this particular mare. i also feel like i'm not doing the monty lessons properly if i use the bridle for ground work if that makes sense? any thoughts would be welcome!
many thanks!

Debbie Roberts Loucks, USA
Hello! 2014 Cyberhunt winner 100 lessons completed 150 lessons completed 200 lessons completed 250 lessons completed 300 lessons completed 350 lessons completed 400 lessons completed 450 lessons completed 500 lessons completed 550 lessons completed 600 lessons completed 650 lessons completed

Sorry for the frustration! What part of the world are you in and are you using an Monty Roberts Certified Instructor for the ground work? We'd like to help.

xmiriam2003x
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im in yorkshire england, we don't have any certified instructors round here unfortunately most seem to be in the south of england :-(

Miriam (Holland&Germany)
Hello! 100 lessons completed 150 lessons completed 200 lessons completed 250 lessons completed 300 lessons completed 350 lessons completed 400 lessons completed 450 lessons completed 500 lessons completed 550 lessons completed 600 lessons completed 650 lessons completed

Hi xmiriam2003x,
What I would suggest is to make a slow transition from the bridle to the Dually, using your bodylanguage. Did you Join-up with your mare? Does she do a good Follow-up?
When you have her in a smaller area, like a roundpen, start with associating a certain bodystance with you giving the signal at the bridle. So she'll soon enough starts listening to your bodylanguage. When you're sure she knows what you expect of her, put the Dually on and use your bodylanguage as with the bridle, but start adding a signal with your leadrope on the Dually. Remember that you could never win a fight with any horse, but you could be her leader. She'll be cooperating with you, instead of trying to push her way through.
You can turn your disappointment into a win-win situation by helping your mare to find you as her leader.
Good luck and let us know how things go!
miriam

RonRich
Please upload your photo 100 lessons completed 150 lessons completed

Hi xmiriam2003x,
There are a couple of Intellegent Horsemanship (Kelly Marks certified instructor) RA's that may be able to help you, some cover Yorkshire here's the link if it helps
http://www.intelligenthorsemanship.co.uk/specialist-horse-training.html#north.
Best Regards,
Ron.

ruthy - Gold Coast, Australia
Hello! 100 lessons completed 150 lessons completed 200 lessons completed 250 lessons completed

Hi
I'd also add that dull constant pressure of pulling on the dually is not the way it works. It needs to be a strong, firm correction then allow it to loosen. I would work in the round yard doing the 4 step process of using the dually, and I'm sure you will find that your mare will learn very quickly to respond. Re-watch any of Monty's lessons where he uses the dually and you'll get an understanding of the very firm correction.
And I have a big 16.3hh thoroughbred, so I know you can do it!

MaggieF, Melbourne - Australia
Hello! 100 lessons completed 150 lessons completed 200 lessons completed 250 lessons completed

My gut feeling is similar to Ruthy's. It seems unlikely to have a horse that is unresponsive to the dually if the dually is being used correctly. Check out some of the previous topics on the dually on forum and certainly watch as many of the intelligent horsemanship videos as you can.

cherosnowball
Hello! 100 lessons completed 150 lessons completed 200 lessons completed 250 lessons completed 300 lessons completed 350 lessons completed 400 lessons completed 450 lessons completed 500 lessons completed 550 lessons completed 600 lessons completed 650 lessons completed

are you using a bitless bridle or one with a bit

Gen (Queensland, Australia)
Hello! 100 lessons completed 150 lessons completed 200 lessons completed

I made a similar mistake with the Dually to what Ruthy describes. I wasn't using constant dull pressure, but frequent little tugs instead of one good meaningful one followed by release. Hope you find some answers here for your mare.
.
Gen

Certified Instructor Ann Lindberg/Sweden
Hello! 100 lessons completed 150 lessons completed 200 lessons completed 250 lessons completed 300 lessons completed 350 lessons completed 400 lessons completed 450 lessons completed

Hi There! Do contact my colleauge Jo Birkirck, she´s in your area, CI ANN LINDBERG

Maya Horsey ~ Certified Instructor USA
Hello! 2014 Cyberhunt winner 100 lessons completed 150 lessons completed 200 lessons completed 250 lessons completed 300 lessons completed 350 lessons completed 400 lessons completed 450 lessons completed 500 lessons completed

Here is a link to al of the UK Instructors - Maybe speaking with one of them will help you http://www.join-up.org/instructors/#uk
Thanks
Maya

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