Advice Please

O

onebigjump

Well-Known Member
Joined
27 August 2010
Messages
179
Location
Surrey
Visit site
I'm having a few problems with my horse in trot, she is 5 yrs old and has only been in work for the last 3 months.

When I put her into trot she trys to rush off and puts her head in the air and I am finding it really difficult to slow her down. Her back and tack are all fine but she is due the dentist next month so I guess this could be the problem but she accepts a contact in walk?

She is very green and at the moment we only have a lesson every couple of weeks, the rest of the time it is just hacking at the weekends as I don't have a school. I'm not expecting her to be perfect and I don't want to rush her just need some advice on dealing with this.

She has a flash noseband and a jointed full cheek snaffle (this is what she was backed in)
 
She might be struggling for her balance causing her to rush on. Do you try and hold on to her head when she rushes? That may well encorage her to put her head in the air to try and avoid the pressure. Is it a single jointed snaffle? If so, unless she has a particularly high palatte, then you will be jabbing her with the joint in the roof of her mouth - the flash will just mean that she isn't able to open her mouth to get away from the pressure so she will put her head up to try and get away from it. I would go for a full cheek french link and cavesson and see how she goes with that. If she rushes on and puts her head up I would ensure your leg stays on and you allow with your hands. Circles and serpentines will help her too by making it harder to go along like a giraffe (making the right thing easy!) as she must work more correctly to bend through a turn.
 
I agree with the single joint and flash comment, french link all the way. She's probably just unbalanced and is compensating by rushing. Some people wont agree with this but it's worked a few times for me, as you ask for trot keep your outside rein steady on her mouth and open your inside hand and ask for the trot on a long curve rather than a straight line. Keep your inside leg on and this should mean she has to engage her hind end to keep her balance and mean her head stays lower, giving you more control over the rushing. If that makes sense :) They find it harder to run round a curve when they're young.
 
Thank you for the advice, I forgot to say that when we have lessons we do lots of circles and she is alot better, it just seems to be on hacks. Glosgirl I will give that bit a try I hadn't thought of that but i will wait until she has her teeth done next month.

I do try not to hang on her mouth when she rushes off, and I try to slow my rising down just find it really difficult, It does make me a little nervouse when she rushes off because she completely ignores my seat and legs.
 
The bendy thing works on hacks too, do long slow wiggly lines, changing the bend and opening your inside hand through each one. Does wonders for balance and schooling, rushing horses are usually lazy through their backs so once you can get them engaging you can slow the speed. Half halts are always good too :) Good luck with her xx
 
I'd drop the contact as much as you can and keep her on circles. Don't worry about looking pretty/working on an outline. Let her find her rhythm with you on top.. change up and down transitions and aim at maintaining a steady beat in the trot. Perhaps count out load to your self and breathe deeply.. she may rush off but just give her little half halts then release the contact again.. it should come. Don't hang off her as she will more than likely just get faster and faster..

Get a good balanced trot in the school so you don't need to worry about her whizzing off and then you can refine it into something pretty..
 
Ditto the above. I'm working with my friend and her young horse, and he was doing much the same thing. He is willing, but has not been taught anything.

We did several lessons just going walk to halt using just back and legs, with the tiniest of squeeze on the reins, so he knows what a 'halt' signal is. Then progressed to going walk to trot, but just for 5 or 6 strides, then back to walk, again using back/legs. This has stopped him 'rushing' into trot, and snatching the reins for balance. You need to get these basics in before they understand what a half-halt is, then you can use h-h whenever needed.

We are now getting him to trot and 'listen' to the riders rising, so you can then use this to slow down, or increase the power without rushing, and all of this with the lightest contact so he finds his own balance and doesn't lean. He's a cob type, and very 'downhill'.

It's just lots of patience, time and repetition! But so rewarding when they learn! :)
 
Oh and forgot to say his 'natural' speed is actually pretty slow, but very consistent.... and once we're got him listening, he works through from behind into an outline on the lightest of contacts, bless him.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Top