Restarting Fritz... Don't let your guard down on a fractious horse. With Smokie Brannaman

Fritz has shown kind of a fractious personality over the last two weeks and sometimes you just never know what may trip his trigger. Day before yesterday he just went to bucking while tied up after being saddled. After that we has a good ride with no issues. Yesterday he sucked back on the lead before I saddled him then he flipped himself over when I went to untie him to start the lesson. Why does he do that? Perhaps you can see something I'm not but so far it's a mystery to me. He's been saddled a bunch and nothing has changed in the routine or physical problems. It just seem like he shorts out mentally at times. After the incident we had a good ride in the arena and things went well on his first ride outside. But it just goes to show you that you can't ever let your guard down or take things for granted when you are working with horses and every one may give you a different issue on any given day. That's why I put up these vids like they happen not just the pretty perfect ones that let you think it's all cupcakes and cool aid when you train horses!

[@suetwoponi8163]

Well done sir. Love how quiet you are with this guy.

[@addacus3]

Maybe he never had back cinch. Love videos on helping older horses. Thank you!

[@blocker1928]

Very good advice.

[@gialoretta1903]

I think the same thing about the whole English dressage, the horses do tend to push more into the pressure. Thank you for your videos, Mr. Brannaman.

[@blossomherd3921]

Sorry to say but I not sure what the person who started him under saddle was doing as I am a qualified riding instructor and I specifically teach and ride dressage. I have never taught my horse's to push against pressure and correct me if I am wrong but I don't know of any move where going against pressure is taught. Glad he found you to help him. His brain farts are part of him. A part that is not a good part but can be worked on with right handling.

[@ForeverYoungTattooCo]

gotta love a restart. Winter laziness, like a kid that plays video games through the cold season then the weather breaks and you tell him to play outside. Nothing but attitude.

[@coffeehugger]

You are well balanced in that ride even though the horse is a little sketchy.

[@chuckbus]

Go Smokie!

[@magdalenagauderon3754]

Hi.do you think there are Horses who had like overexposure .like mentally and it kind of turns a screw loose (havent got a better way of saying it) bit like nervous break downs i suppose and it just comes and hunts them back .involuntarily?would love to hear what you think.

[@myronschabe]

Some horses I think just don't tie well...had several fantastic show horses that did absolutely everything else well...I didn't make a big deal about it and mostly just ground tied and they gave me everything they had otherwise.

[@SouthAnnie]

Just curious - has this horse every been seen by a chiropractor? It may not be the case, but his hind legs seemed a bit stiff when you started riding him. Maybe he's in pain from a misalignment of some sort?

[@SmokieBrannaman]

I don't know if he has Annie. Thanks for the input! I'll talk to the owner and perhaps it wouldn't hurt. I haven't noticed any particular signs of being out though.

[@tomcooley3778]

Many needs his Atlas fixed after pulling back. Just saying.

[@hoofhearted3035]

Sorry, but dressage does not teach to push into pressure. Where did that notion come from?

[@myronschabe]

When a horse is this unpredictable, I feel there can definitely be something physiological...and for sure if you are in Lyme disease country get those Lyme levels checked - had a fairly quiet pony start spooking at his feed bucket -- had those level checked and he was off the charts with Lyme. Also, your Apps/Poa's (and I think greys/white) are prone to uveitis - eye disease ( so fly masks help with sun glare which is not good for this condition), so is also something to keep in mind.

[@stephaniemoore6122]

Are you related to Buck

[@blocker1928]

Smokie is Buck's older brother.

[@Southernsummits]

I don’t think it’s fair to say typical dressage training. There’s good and bad trainers in ALL disciplines. This horse has a poor first trainer. Signed an excellent dressage trainer.