crops

[crazyhorse]

ok im looking into buying a crop for my horse since she will only trot.

ok so im looking for kinda a cheep crop 10 to 15 dollers do any of you guys know of a good 10 to 15 doller crop or cheaper? if so whast it called. and should i get it on ebay or at a horse store thanks alot.

[cheri]

I can give you a dirt cheap country grit version. I only have one question, do you have any apple trees(preferablly wild crab apple)? If you cut a young growth stick doesn't have to be straight, shouldn't have a 90 degree bend in it either. About 18"- 24" long and strip all the leaves and little bumps off. And you have a "cheap" usable crop. Any soft, flexible wood will do.

[crazyhorse]

ok sweet i just took one of are apple tree branches and know i have a crop but it ant to strate lol o well hope it works

[cheri]

I use one, use it as an encouragement tool. Use lots of vocal and leg encouragement to help. You may want to lunge her so you can see her move, she may not be comfortable.

[crazyhorse]

thank you sooooooooo much i cut me an aplle branch and i just taped her very very lightly on the neck and boy did she ever respond know she loves cantering and galoping and all i have to do is kick its kinda of weird i know but hay it worked .

[crazyhorse]

but one bad thing she dotn like turning so it takes a while to turn her so its ride turns anybody have an idea of making a horse turn there head better? thnx

[tinypony]

when you turn make sure you're not pulling straight back. a good way to think of turning is this: if your turning to the left take your left hand and turn it away from the horse like you're turning a doorknob. this way you don't move your arm at all - it works really well on green horses!

[oakwood]

Try motivator spurs...much easier, or even small knubby spurs.

[cheri]

I'm glad I was able to help! I ride my mare both english and western, and my father (an old western rider) teases me for any english tack/equipment purchases he sees. So I grabbed an apple branch one day to try to get her to settle down and focus. I never had to hit her once, just tapped my foot/leg to keep her attention. Now when she misbehaves, just stopping at the apple (crop) tree makes her settle down!

[crazyhorse]

must be something about the apple trees lol

[cheri]

LOL! It's the fact that apple is a soft wood and the branches are flexible, not stiff and brittle. They make the best crops. I've actually broken a store bought crop once, what junk. Plastic core with nylon braid around it and fake leather end and handle.

[crazyhorse]

lol and apple branches are free and ther are tones of them lol

[Lindsey]

Crazy, are you sure a crop is what you need? I doubt that your mare is unwilling to trot, it's probably the aids you are giving her are confusing. I have had my mare for a year now, and we just started doing lots of canter work. She wouldn't listen to my commands, I thought it was her problem, but after many lessons and an improved seat she canters great. Have you thought about getting some lessons? I think in your case a crop could easily be abused and you could end up making things worse. Also, since you are a beginner, and I am sure your legs aren't perfect and steady (I have been riding for a year and mine still aren't) I would not use spurs at all!

~Lindsey