Advice Please - Jogging

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LadyB

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Hi Guys,

Was wondering if anyone could please give me some advice..

My Arab Mare always jogs all the way home and I am trying desperately to find a way to stop her doing it and just walk. I do half-halt her but she just stops and then goes straight back up to a jog again... It is soo uncomfortable and I am at my wits end trying to think of ways to stop her. I also tried just holding the buckle but she just goes into a really fast trot...

If anyone has any advice I would really appreciate it...

Thanks in advance..

Lou.xx
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My old TB used to do this, and I used to hate it!! We sometimes would end up cantering side ways down the road too!
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There is not much you can do, as much as you try and fight it sometimes you just make it worse!

Can you not try and come home different ways, so she does not know she is going home??

Apart from that, there is really not much you can do!

Just keep smiling other wise you will cry!! it used to pee me off that much I would end up getting off and walking home
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schooling is the only way really - get her listening to you in the school.

Funny as it's often more athletic horses who would rather jog than go forwards - Ty was really bad but has calmed it a bit.

I find bearing right down with my seat helps too. Also giving him his head so there's nothing to fight.

x
 
Have you tried turning him away from home as soon as he starts jogging? Once they realise that when they jog, they get turned around, they soon learn to walk. When he DOES walk, really praise him and pat him. It will take a while, so don't go too far from home initially or you'll be forever getting back!
Hope that makes sense!

Good luck!

Lou. x
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Yes I know what you mean - there are points which I think, I just want to get off as I have such a bad stitch...
 
My marfe used to do it a lot. I actually felt like getting off and leaving her there. As she's got older and been hacked a lot more, she has stopped almost. I tired the trick of turning her away from home and she walked off calmy, but as soon as I turned her bck towards home she was 20 x worse, in fact she nearly bounced me off.
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Hi Lou,

I have tried this and as soon as I turn back towards home she starts jogging again.. may try that again though - do you think if I do turn her back and she starts jogging again I should turn her away fom home again?? I just hope she clicks that I want her to walk or I will end up in Australia!!!
 
I would love to give you the magic answer but I think some horses are just like it in their heads! Actually come to think of it I had an arab pony that went most places at a sideways jog even at the grand old age of 20. Very infuriating!
 
Haha, yeah!

I would either turn him straight back again or ask him to stand still (facing home) the SECOND he starts jogging. He should soon realised that jogging with either get him nowhere or take him backwards!
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Hmm will try all your suggestions - however by the looks of things it seems I will just need to put up with it... She just acts so spoilt, if I keep half halting her etc she gets so frustrated and throws her head around, bucks etc.. Will keep persisting though...
 
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Hmm will try all your suggestions - however by the looks of things it seems I will just need to put up with it... She just acts so spoilt, if I keep half halting her etc she gets so frustrated and throws her head around, bucks etc.. Will keep persisting though...

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You need to school her more if she has a temper - Ty has had the most awful temper tantrums with me and my YO in the school - buck, stamp, kick out....they have to get it into their heads that they'll do what you want them to!
 
My horse jogged all the way home when I got him and I did turn him away from home til he was walking then make a big fuss of him and turn him back again. At some points I was getting further away from home (and it was pouring with rain!) but I didn't give in.
It only took a couple of sessions for him to catch on and he only jogs now if he's really wound up.
Its worth a try - just pick a day when you've plenty of time!
 
Poor you, I have only had to cope with that situation once & that was years ago. Same as most of the others though, as soon as he started to jog he was turned right round & made to walk the other way. You have to have bucket loads patience & stay very calm. The other thing is to start off with short hacks so the trip home is quicker & as he/she starts to settle increase the length of the hack. There is no quick fix to this & the time taken will depend on the animals attitude. Always reward the walking & ignore the jog, the punishment is in turning round & walking the other way. Good luck I really hope you get it sorted.
 
Henry tries this sometimes, but by no means sounds as bad as your mare! I make him halt as soon as he starts to jog. Once he's standing nicely I ask for walk again. Each time he tries to jog, on go the brakes again. This way I'm not constantly pulling him to slow down; he gets a short "halt" from me, then we continue as if nothing happened. Might be worth a try?
 
Its okay Lou, dont worry!! Def think schooling is the way forward however I dont have an area & when I try to school in the field she is so busy looking at things you dont get anything done...

I am def going to try the turning home thing..

Henry1997 - the problem is when I do halt her she just goes straight back up to a jog again - no walking at all... It is very annoying...

I will let you all know how I get on with the turning away from home idea..

Thanks so much for all your advice - Fingers crossed it works... I will worship you all forever if it does, lol!!
 
Jogging, that most infuriating of habits! Never managed to cure it completely but the things we've found that have helped the most with it are:

1. Never start an argument with the horse/pony over it & don't keep constantly 'nagging' at them either, both these things just tend to make it worse!
A firm & definite half-halt is often more effective than attempting to come to a complete grinding halt & then setting off again, as the latter usually results in them going straight back into 'jogging mode'!

2. Think 'relaxed' & try & put yourself into a 'cooling off' state of mind, same as you would as if you were finishing off a schooling session - after all, that's what the last bit homewards should be, a cooling down period.

3. Don't underestimate the power of your voice, for both praise as well as verbal rebukes. Timing is crucial here though, you can't afford to be even a millisecond out really! lol
Singing or humming softly to a gentle, slowish tune will at least help put the rider into a calmer state of mind & may even sometimes lull the horse/pony into following the rhythm!

4. For those neddies that have recently discovered the 'joys' of jogging (with a bit of luck, may even work on the seasoned 'jogger'!), letting the horse/pony come to its own conclusion that it is undesirable can prove very effective!
Slumping heavily in the saddle if they're jogging (sitting nicely when they're walking properly!) may just make it uncomfortable enough to give them the incentive themselves to knock it on the head! lol
(Before anyone shouts at me, obviously some common sense is required here - I'm not suggesting you do the last five miles home at 'sack of spuds' sitting trot! lol)

5. Pushing them on into a (controlled!) trot often helps & then asking for walk once they are trotting. You may have to do this repeatedly however, so don't give up!
Some are hopeless cases but sometimes it is simply a matter of wills & who gives up first!
 
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Slumping heavily in the saddle if they're jogging (sitting nicely when they're walking properly!) may just make it uncomfortable enough to give them the incentive themselves to knock it on the head!

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Bearing down in the saddle is the only thing that works for Ty.....
 
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