Many times, when you are training a young horse, they don't want to move-then again you could get the one that squirrel-hops across the arena, but won't walk in a straight line for anything.
Here is the key to understanding their behavior, and getting them to move.
When you get on your young horse for the first time, you may want to have someone lead him, just so that he knows that moving is what he's supposed to do while you are sitting up there, otherwise he is going to stand there completely bewildered while you sit up there clucking and trying to get him to move.
A lot of time, when you get on your horse for the first time, he is overwhelmed, and that will translate to fear easily, causing him to act out by bucking or acting crazy.
Even if you have been very careful and slow in getting him to this point, having someone on him with a saddle is a very new (and sometimes frightening) experience.
But, the secret to getting them to move is not in the amount of noise you make, or how hard to kick with your heels.
Like I said previously, you can have someone lead him so that he can used to the unbalanced feeling of carrying 100+ pounds around on his back, so that he is not afraid of moving.
(It is also important to have tack that fits well; otherwise he is going to act out as a result of that).
If sitting on him and making clucking or kissing noises while you squeeze with your legs or tap with your heels does not work, you can throw him off balance to make him take a step.
Gently pull his head around, not into his shoulder, but out from it, and shift your weight a little in the saddle, this will make him feel odd, (since before you were probably sitting square, and he was standing comfortably straight) and it should make him take a step to feel back in balance, after the first step, he should keep walking; if he doesn't, apply your aids again, and shift your weight so that he takes another step, then keep some leg pressure on him or cluck a little to encourage him to keep walking.
Stop him after several steps and praise him, and then try starting him with normal aids again.
For the first several sessions, keep it at a walk-eventually you are going to want to move faster, but as long as he is showing reluctance to even walk, work only at the walk.
Once he is comfortable walking and moves out easily from your cue, then you can move on to a faster gait.
Here is the key to understanding their behavior, and getting them to move.
When you get on your young horse for the first time, you may want to have someone lead him, just so that he knows that moving is what he's supposed to do while you are sitting up there, otherwise he is going to stand there completely bewildered while you sit up there clucking and trying to get him to move.
A lot of time, when you get on your horse for the first time, he is overwhelmed, and that will translate to fear easily, causing him to act out by bucking or acting crazy.
Even if you have been very careful and slow in getting him to this point, having someone on him with a saddle is a very new (and sometimes frightening) experience.
But, the secret to getting them to move is not in the amount of noise you make, or how hard to kick with your heels.
Like I said previously, you can have someone lead him so that he can used to the unbalanced feeling of carrying 100+ pounds around on his back, so that he is not afraid of moving.
(It is also important to have tack that fits well; otherwise he is going to act out as a result of that).
If sitting on him and making clucking or kissing noises while you squeeze with your legs or tap with your heels does not work, you can throw him off balance to make him take a step.
Gently pull his head around, not into his shoulder, but out from it, and shift your weight a little in the saddle, this will make him feel odd, (since before you were probably sitting square, and he was standing comfortably straight) and it should make him take a step to feel back in balance, after the first step, he should keep walking; if he doesn't, apply your aids again, and shift your weight so that he takes another step, then keep some leg pressure on him or cluck a little to encourage him to keep walking.
Stop him after several steps and praise him, and then try starting him with normal aids again.
For the first several sessions, keep it at a walk-eventually you are going to want to move faster, but as long as he is showing reluctance to even walk, work only at the walk.
Once he is comfortable walking and moves out easily from your cue, then you can move on to a faster gait.
Source...