Any advice

[Katie_rory]

I have just got a new horse, I can speed him up and slow him down in all paces on the flat however when I put even a pole down on the floor he rushes and speeds up over the pole and sometimes knocks the pole, I try and slow him down but he either pulls and goes faster or just stops, any advice on ways to slow him down?? Thanks

 

[Red-1]

Is that at walk?

IMO if your horse is good on the flat but rushes a pole you need to dumb it down until it is a tolerable level. For example only walking until it is boring. If even walking is too exciting I would school round poles without going over, and one time just turn short to one and walk over. There will be less anticipation that way.

If a horse rushes a pole even at walk on a short run up I would quietly halt after. If that does not work then I would have a look at how elastic you are in your hands and body when riding, in case you are blocking him or tensing up without knowing.

The idea is that you are elastic and communicating every stride, and that should not change because there is a pole in the way.

Other than that you could star from the floor, even have a half pole fitted into the doorway, gateway, half way up the driveway, until poles are just unimportant pieces of wood, and build it up from there.

Of course, I would satisfy myself the horse was comfortable and not in pain before all of that!

 

[Shay]

My daughter's SJ'er was a bit like that when he first came to us. Obviously rule out pain first - even the elevated step to clear a pole on the ground can cause pain. Or he might be remembering pain from before. So check saddle, teeth back etc.

Then keep everything very calm and quiet. We scattered poles on the floor randomly around the school and just went over them or not so he couldn't anticipate. Horses are pressure animals so the more you pull the more he will lean. You need the right bit and calm quiet hands. Once he figures out it isn't going to hurt and you are not going to get rough with him he will calm - but it might take time.

The other thing to possibly think about is whether his natural rhythm is just faster than you are used to leading to to feeling he rushes, then checking him, leading to him rushing more to evade you and setting up a circle of behaviour. Working with a good instructor might help.

It takes time to build a relationship - don't worry. It will come.