Cantering out hacking... and stopping!

Ziggy_

Well-Known Member
Joined
11 November 2007
Messages
2,324
Visit site
I'm having a little bit of an issue with my horse out hacking at the moment. She's always been strong, excitable and prone to brake failure so I'm careful where I canter her and make sure I pull up in plenty of time.

However she seems to get to a point where she just loses it and nothing will stop her - unless we reach the end of the track - she's not stupid and will stop immediately if she sees a gate/road or whatever coming up. She just doesn't see any reason why she should stop if there's a perfectly good track in front of her and stopping is entiely on her terms, not mine!

How can I stay in control of her? We always start with a steady canter and I have to keep playing with the bit to stop her locking her neck and peeing off, but she gradually gets faster and stronger until we can't stop and its not much fun. She's exactly the same alone or in company, and is always at the front in company as she's a nightmare to canter behind another horse and pulls like a train.

She's already in a dutch gag on the bottom hole, grackle and martingale; as I said, she's always been prone to brake failure.
crazy.gif
 
What about doube reins on the gag? One rein on the snaffle, other rein on the bottom ring, if you ride mainly off the snaffle ring when you first start cantering, then when she gets strong check her on the bottom rein, perhaps this may be more effective? Do you always canter in the same places? Do you go from walk to canter or do you make her trot first?
Izzi
smile.gif
 
I can find my horse strong doing faster work. And I do not let him ever go as fast as he wants to. However, when I know I've 'got' him and he really is between hand and leg I will move him on. And because I've pushed him on rather than being pissed off with he is pretty good at comming back - in fact he's very good at comming back.

He is also really responsive to my leg and hand.

Today we did some fast work for the first time in a while and he was absolutely 'up' for it. When he's like this our first canter is always up hill - the steeper the better.

I'm no real jockey - and as wimpy as they come. But have developed mechanisms to deal with a stronger horse without changing my bitting (it's not really a bitting issue for us) and really try to think about how I'm riding him at these times.

Works for me, as a smaller person riding a big horse.
 
If she's gradually getting faster, you could try making sure she never gets to the point where she's going faster than you want. As soon as you feel her start to quicken when you haven't asked for it, bring her back to you. Try not to put yourself in a position where you don't feel in total control.

I find one handed stops very effective with my pony (who is built like a tank and very strong) - he hasn't actually managed to tank off with me since I discovered one handed stopping!
 
What is one handed stopping???? Pulling on the reins with one hand, whilst making the sign of the cross with the other?? LOL
 
[ QUOTE ]
What is one handed stopping???? Pulling on the reins with one hand, whilst making the sign of the cross with the other?? LOL

[/ QUOTE ]

Pretty much, ha ha!
Seriously, it works a treat when Murphy locks his neck (i.e., I can't stop, can't turn etc). Reins short, wedge heels down, hold one hand firm and give about 3 (or as many as it takes) steady, firm pulls back towards you with the other hand. I pull as i feel his leading back leg hit the ground to push off if that makes sense, and I growl WOAH with each pull.

I discovered it by mistake when murphy tanked off and I had one rein tangled up in his mane - it was a bit of a hallelujah moment! I don't do it too often because he may learn to evade it but TBH since I discovered it he just doesn't bother trying to tank off anymore, he knows I can stop him
tongue.gif
wink.gif
 
The mare I ride is quite strong when in open fields, and stopping can be a problem!
I found two ways to effectively stop her.
A. Aim towards and hedge (In the hope she doesn't jump it mind!!)
B. Relax, don't fight, but give sure and strong pulls but not constantly. Put your weight back and use your voice. It took me a while to stop the first few times, but once the horse knows this means stop, they usually do.
smile.gif
 
gags are good if you change cheek pices to pony size as gags work on the poll as well as the mouth. so if your horse is a cob get urself pony cheek pices to hold bit on. ur find u can stop them with out a fight. i had same with my lad i got him a waterford gag to give him somthing to play with and i changed his cob size to pony and found i could stop him with just alittle pull not the ooooooo crap pull ..lol try it see how it goes. i wish you luck.
 
I used to ride an ex-race horse and she was terrible for running off like this.

I was lucky because where I lived at the time there were lots of stubble fields and when she took off, I didnt try to stop her, but when she got tired and slowed down, I pushed her on again I did this a second time and then we stopped at my request. She was happy to stop.

It only took her another couple of times to realise that it was best to stop when requested rather than when she wanted. I gave her lots of praise each time.

I would only advise this though in a big space, where it is safe to do so.

The mare still ran off with other people, but she didnt do it with me again.

I had a very close bond with the mare, Campari, and loved her to bits. I didnt do anything to hurt or harm her, just used reverse psychology.
 
Top