I have been training horses for about 3 years now (small town, but I want it to be my profession, I am about to start taking some online college courses) & I am always reading & trying to learn as much as possible to become better at it. But I am not very good at teaching yielding to leg pressure (I'm 5'3 & have the SHORTEST legs ever). I try hard but have not been very successful at it, but have gotten a couple to do it right. I just got through starting a 2 yr old stud under saddle, & when I turned his head one way his body would go the other way. I would use my outside leg lightly at first then increase the pressure until I was making him grunt front nudging him & I would open the inside leg so there would be no pressure there. I don't have a round pen yet but hopefully will be able to get one in the next 6 months or so, but I do all my groundwork on a lunge line in the pastures. I use a mixture of natural horsemanship & my own ways. Its just so frustrating...Am I doing it right? Is there any books or DVDs that could help? There are no really good trainers around here & I can't afford one right now, anyway.

*Sorry Its So Long, But I Needed To Vent To Someone*
Any Help Would Be Greatly Appreciated

Call your local competition barns and see if they have a working student position available. You can work around the horses in exchange for lessons. If you do well, you may be able to get an assistant trainer position working with the lower levels. Your height will not be a problem what so ever, so get that out of your head.

I know all the barns around here & none of them can ride or train worth a darn (I’m better than them), there is one woman that can ride but not an excellent trainer she used to be my friend, but we aren't anymore (thats a whole other story) Any ways I live in mobile, AL none of the good trainers ever come down here to do clinics (when they do I go to them) so I'm on my own. But are there any books that could help or would spurs help get their attention?

Little studs can be a pain in the @$$. They are more prone to selling up to your leg than other horses. You have to be more insistent to get your point across. They take a lot better timing and feel than other horses. That is why they are harder. Even Bob Avila charges $100 bucks more a month for little studs.

I'm not saying get in a fight and try to force your point across, just get smarter. To compensate for your little legs, get some good timing and some good heavy split reins, or a crop. Timing being the important part of it. Ask nicely, then wallop him, get your point across swiftly and surely, with good timing.

A lot of people would go to the muscle, trying to pull harder on the nose to force a turn. Then they start pecking with their legs, while their body gets stiff on the muscle. A downward spiral.

Instead, tip his nose, kiss or cluck to him, add a bit of outside leg and give him a chance to follow his nose, then go for a spank. A crop, or an over and under with the reins, I have found to be the best way to get a little stud's attention. Over spurring them makes them sull up more and become a tight little ball of muscle. The crop or the over and under will reinforce free forward motion. Most likely that is the problem; he is sucking back behind your leg and losing momentum. Getting it back would be the first step towards getting the steering. I hope this makes sense! Good luck.