new horse

Hi,
Hoping for some helpful suggestions. I have a new horse. 14 year old angloarab. As far as i know he has in the past been ridden bitless in endurance but for the last 2-3 years he has been ridden in a bit. i want to get him back to bitless. here is my problem at a walk he is relaxed, strides out, perfect but as soon as you ask for a trot he is tense bunched up, head in the air, hollow. He still does what you ask but he is obviously very unhappy. He is this way in a bit or in a bitless bridle. I want to ride in the crossover style bitless. Anyone got any suggestions how best to get him relaxed at a trot?

Hi,

Sounds like a lovely horse! I love Angloarabs! Anyway, Have you done any ground work with her? I am not an expert at this but i have seen a really good explanation of how to do it on Carlos Tabernaberri's DVD ( Its in his second DVD- the ridding one)! I Have actually attended clinics with him and seen it in action so if you can acess this it will give you an answer to your Question and the best thing about it too is he rides bitless too! Google him and his website will come up!

Another really important thing that you really need to consider is to check that her Saddle and bridle fit correctly, while she may be comfortable at a walk the trot is a completely different movement and therefore you need to have a saddle that fits her. Also check for sore spot over her whole body, she may also have a few muscle nots and some basic massage can help this!

I Hope this help!

Hi kadi,
thanks for your thoughts. I have Carlos's DVDs have not looked at them for awhile so i will get them out and rewatch. I am sure it is not the saddle fit becuase he is just as bad if not worse if i lounge him at a trot without a saddle. Since I wrote a friend of mine who does human massage has come up and given him a couple of massages. he really likes them. I am finding out a bit more about him through other channels and i think he has been turned out and not ridden at all for a lot longer than the last owners told me. So i think his back is very weak. I also get the impression that when they finally made the decision to sell him they put a couple of weeks of very solid work into him to move him on and of course on a totally unused back that has made him sore.
He's sweet boy but he diffinately has some problems. But that is usually true of most horses sold. Who would sell a really good horse? Not me!

Hi Tarsa, sounds like you're doing all the right things to me, and you may well have cracked it. Please keep us posted on how you're getting on.