Can you turn a hot horse into a calm one?

I have been wondering ulcers but my RI who saw it said it looked like sheer exuberance. Also seen a physio since then who said she looks in the best condition she ever seen her. Both say she just looks 'too well'. No discomfort round abdomen area. But I am aware it's a possibility and if this sort behaviour persists, I'll check it out. She's been fine ridden since then at home and I jumped her the day before the clinic at home and she was amazing. I'd expect a physical issue to be seen in familiar as well as new/exciting venues. Plus she got me off twice in the warm up: the first canter and the first line of warm up jumps. But she was asking to canter before she was cued for canter. It was more an explosion into canter having tried to break to canter several times already rather than protesting against a canter transition because canter hurts. She was on one from the minute I sat on her. The previous day she had been worked hard including jumping with no reaction. Deedee was much more classic- ok at first, deteriorating as the session progressed. Reliably bucking with certain moves, worse on right rein etc. My instinct is that it's not ulcers. But I will definitely bear it in mind as a possibility.
 
While I'd always give a horse the benefit of the doubt, I'm not sure that I would rush to the vet after a one-off incident unless there were other warning signs.

IIRC the person that had ridden her for AE since had an uneventful time?
 
Haven't read the whole thread yet, but will eventually.

So, just jumping in here with 'Hot' horses and the level of groundwork they can achieve. My short story is I purchased a 3yo Welsh D who was pretty wild, minimally handled and very flighty/sensitive. Not a mean bone, but always on the looking for things to react to.
I pretty quickly realised I was ill-equipped in the handling department, especially considering I planned on backing him myself.
I researched a lot and found Clinton Anderson's methods simple, adaptable (to a degree, meaning they can be broken down into smaller steps depending on the horse) and actually made sense. Simple ethos, gain respect and trust from the ground by being able to control his feet in all direction and speeds.

Long story short is, within a short time (well, quite a bit of time, but the horse has sat in the paddock most of the year while I worked) he's gone from flighty, reactive, non-thinking to being able to being able to think through situations much more easily. The combination of both desensitising and sensitising (active, i.e. lunging) exercises has allowed him to thrive, being sensitive in nature but having learnt to trust me and my tools through the desensitising work, he thinks through an exercise and responds beautifully. I've started the backing process and it has gone text book so far, including mounting.

The theory with this sort of solid groundwork is, you create a horse who is trustful and confident, who is able to think rather than react. This foundation on the ground then translates to undersaddle. My Welsh is a 'hot', 'sensitive' type who I expect will always be an exhillerating type ride, but that's not a license for him to act out and spook and react to everything he comes across!
 
Some horses are just ‘hot’ though. My speedy mare has always been bombproof; she will trot round the arena and look after my 7yo son, on the bit and working sweetly. I can also lead off her and she will help me corral wayward children and ponies and teach youngsters the ropes.

But.... take her out away from the children (horse and human!) and she will be dancing sideways and running like the wind if the ground is good enough and I let her. She knows now when she can exhibit that behaviour (I love a good gallop and a whizzy speedy hack!) and when she cannot, but that has not changed who she is! And I wouldn’t change her either - she is perfect!
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Top