Come on, those with joggers - please help!

metalmare

metalmare

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I won't repeat the long post from earlier... didn't get any advice.

In short, I have a persistent jogger. He jogs on some rides (maybe once every 5 hacks?) so it's not the end of the world. However, once he gets going there is NOTHING that can be done to stop him (hoping you can help here...)

It's disconcerting on the roads as he gets short and tight, sweaty and blowy to go with it! Lets just say other (sensible) road users give a wide berth!!

Any ideas?
 
I had a chestnut mare once who was the most fantastic pony except she was a jogger. When I was 14 I thought it was quite fun so let her but when I was in my 20s it wasn't so much fun but I couldn't stop her. I have always stopped horses jogging straight away since but she was her own person and I'm not sure I could have stopped her. Good luck - buy a good bra!
 
metalmare said:
I won't repeat the long post from earlier... didn't get any advice.

In short, I have a persistent jogger. He jogs on some rides (maybe once every 5 hacks?) so it's not the end of the world. However, once he gets going there is NOTHING that can be done to stop him (hoping you can help here...)

It's disconcerting on the roads as he gets short and tight, sweaty and blowy to go with it! Lets just say other (sensible) road users give a wide berth!!

Any ideas?
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I have a jogger.

I tend to take a deep breath and sit really deep and relaxed in the saddle, she tends to calm enough to go back to walk. Dont get me wrong, it doesnt last long but the more persistent i am the more she seems to relax quicker.
 
LOL - hoggedmane - luckily I'm not too large in that department!

I'll keep trying breathing techniques. The pony has little trust in people - he's not afraid, he just doesn't have much faith; I think he's been passed about. I think it's all the more important therefore that I keep relaxed and breathe deep, as you say, to give him confidence.
 
As crazy as it may sound, On any joggers, I kick my stirrups loose and slip the reins [to some some degree]. Doesn't work on everyone, but most seem to chill.

[Presume tack checks etc have all been done]

Failing that, I make them work the jog instead. Shoulder in to shoulder out, leg yield, halt etc, good long working trot up a hill does the trick too.
 
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As above, kepping relaxed, thinking walk and softening the hands can work, or a good workout so they're too shattered to jog. Changing to a more heating feed can make mine a jogger.
 
He's due routine saddle check and dentist - working my way through the list as he came with no vaccinations, neglected feet, insufficient wardrobe, etc. Actually waiting in on the vet now for vaccination number 2.

I would be surprised if it is tack because he only does it at very specific times (when he is tense). At other times he can be quite relaxed in his work. It will be checked as a matter of course, though.

I did try slipping the reins last time and he sped up, but to be fair I didn't give him very long like that... if I'd persisted he may have calmed down. Giving him some other work to think about sounds worth trying, too and trying to trot out. Our country roads aren't busy but some people don't half fly down them!

Ultimately, the underlying problem is that he is tense to the point that he regularly stops, spins, rushes forwards, etc. I actually wonder whether he's short sighted? He is very tuned in to noises and smells - more so than any other horse I've known.
 
Mine's a good doer so just bare keep paddock, a bit of soaked hay to make him feel fuller and some equibites for vits and minerals. He's looking lovely on that, but he's never short on energy.

As it's his way of reacting to nerves, I think the calmer I am the better he'll be. I think it will perhaps take more time for him to begin to trust.
 
still tall, make sure your weight is over your heels (i.e don't lean forwards, keep your weight in the deepest part of the saddle), relax, imagine sitting comfy in an armchair, breathe deeply. Half halt, half halt and half halt again, then when you get a few strides of walk praise him. keep on doing this, and staying relaxed and he should learn that walk is better than jogging.
 
Try & relax the reins, some horses think a tight rein means action stations, & circle again & again until they get the message that if they jog they will not go forward. As soon as they go to walk, give a voice reward & start forward, if they jog again start over. You have to persist longer than they do & then always repeat the excercise every time they try it. Eventually the penny will drop.
 
Okay, thank you. This is essentially what I'm doing, I think I'm just being too impatient and expecting results too quickly. This obviously isn't a quick fix. After all, he's 13 and has a fairly dubious past history.

I think patience and time and trust along with all the elements above will improve him. I doubt he'll ever be cured of it - he's a very strong personality and frankly a bit of a yob, ridden and on the ground.
 
He'll trot all the way home quite happily. He's jogged all the way round a ride before. I've tried relaxing and circling, too (when safe) as well as getting off and leading.

Ultimately, he's incredibly fearful. Last time he did this I could only think it was because of a burning smell coming from an angle grinder. He started jogging a mile of so before we got to the angle grinder (we were downwind of it). Then he continued for several miles afterwards until we got to the road home, when he visibly relaxed and walked out.

Of all the horses and ponies of varying breeds and backgrounds that I've ridden he is the most nervous... which brings me back to wondering whether he is short-sighted? Or has an anxiety issue just like some people have?
 
RE relaxing & circling, you need to persist if you want a cure. It may take up all the time you allowed for your hack but the end game is worth it.Remember to circle on both reins.
 
I used to have a jogger and circling would wind him up even more. I found that relaxing and loosening the reins with lots of half halts helped. I would also do lots of trotting on hacks, so that when I asked for walk, he realised it was easier to just walk.

He was 18 when I got him and it took about a year of persistence from me for him to stop jogging. After then he would only jog if something really scared him, and I could usually settle him down fairly quickly after we had passed said scary thing.

Patience is the key!
 
Yeah - I think I've tried 20 different things and not stuck with one :-)

I also think perhaps I've asked slightly the wrong question here - the jogging is the symptom of something underlying. This pony lives on his nerves, even on the yard. He's nervous of the mounting block and of the hedge next to the field that I school in - a flock of sparrows is a reason to bolt - even another horse coughing makes him jump out of his skin. Hacks are fine on roads we know - new route = fear, fear, fear... after maybe five rides he's okay.

Mental health? Personality? He's like it with and without tack on, ridden and not.

But he's lovely and I'm very fond of him... also, with routines, time and kindness he is improving.
 
My old boy used to jog when he got his knickers in a knot. One of the things that worked for me was using the same voice commands for walk that I used when I lunged him. Lunging in itself had started as a nightmare (think galloping on the end of the lunge and no other pace) so I used my voice quite a lot. It then helped when we were out, probably because it was familiar and therefore to be trusted.
 
It will be checked and it could be a factor, but I usually ride on a very light rein (unless he is going to run home) and 90 per cent of the time he and I are relaxed.


As I say though, it will be checked for peace of mind.
 
metalmare said:
Yeah - I think I've tried 20 different things and not stuck with one :-)

I also think perhaps I've asked slightly the wrong question here - the jogging is the symptom of something underlying. This pony lives on his nerves, even on the yard. He's nervous of the mounting block and of the hedge next to the field that I school in - a flock of sparrows is a reason to bolt - even another horse coughing makes him jump out of his skin. Hacks are fine on roads we know - new route = fear, fear, fear... after maybe five rides he's okay.

Mental health? Personality? He's like it with and without tack on, ridden and not.

But he's lovely and I'm very fond of him... also, with routines, time and kindness he is improving.
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Just read this....how long have you had him? Mine was very similar to yours...in fact I would possibly go so far as to say mine had had a total meltdown prior to me getting him. Gawd knows why I bought him:rolleyes: Anyhow...its taken almost 2 years of bonding, groundwork- hacking out and about and just generally both of us becoming more confident in each other. Don't get me wrong, he still has his 'daft' days but he is much more relaxed now. Its probably just going to take time for him to settle and relax. Jogging and rushing is often down to lack of confidence.
 
moleskinsmum - Kes is also like this on the lunge. He goes like leather, bucking, showing the whites of his eyes - I have to drop the whip. He does calm after a while and he will trot, but he seems to think I am the devil himself if I have a lunge whip. It is typical of his attitude to life.
 
metalmare said:
Yeah - I think I've tried 20 different things and not stuck with one :-)

I also think perhaps I've asked slightly the wrong question here - the jogging is the symptom of something underlying. This pony lives on his nerves, even on the yard. He's nervous of the mounting block and of the hedge next to the field that I school in - a flock of sparrows is a reason to bolt - even another horse coughing makes him jump out of his skin. Hacks are fine on roads we know - new route = fear, fear, fear... after maybe five rides he's okay.

Mental health? Personality? He's like it with and without tack on, ridden and not.

But he's lovely and I'm very fond of him... also, with routines, time and kindness he is improving.
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This only popped up after I'd posted but sounds oh so familiar! Even at 18 my boy bolted because there was someone walking down the road in a white coat. I persisted throughout his life (cos I was very fond of him as well) and we made all sorts of progress, including becoming pretty much traffic proof (apart from quads) but looking back I wonder if I should have tried a calmer along the way, just to take the edge off. Anything new frightened him half to death and his reaction was always to run.
 
Hippona - I've had him coming up for four months - and each month is better than the last. What you're saying sounds a lot like what I'm experiencing and I like this pony very much and feel he deserves his chance to settle. I think because he is tricky he has been sold from dealer to dealer (although he was in his last home 3 years). I think change is a very negative thing for him. I'm sure he will continue to improve.
 
I hadn't thought of trying a calmer. It's not something I've ever really looked into but it sounds like it might be worth researching.

Were it not for traffic I wouldn't be as concerned as I am, but we have to make progress on new rides and routes whilst keeping ourselves safe.
 
I would try calmer. There are several about, and it can be a bit trial and error, at one point, I had three horses on it, and none of them were on the same one! Sometimes trotting on will help, although with some fizzy types, this can just set them alight. I ride one at work, and find half halting, and give and retake of the reins sometimes stops her. Another one which has worked is to pinch a bit of the skin on the neck.
One horse improved massively for being dismounted and led, he is just starting to walk properly now. His problem was he was always trotted everywhere when he wouldn't walk, andjust got more and more revved up. (the partner doesn't help!)
 
metalmare said:
Hippona - I've had him coming up for four months - and each month is better than the last. What you're saying sounds a lot like what I'm experiencing and I like this pony very much and feel he deserves his chance to settle. I think because he is tricky he has been sold from dealer to dealer (although he was in his last home 3 years). I think change is a very negative thing for him. I'm sure he will continue to improve.
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Me too..stick with him. Routine, firm but fair and not asking too much at once may be he answer. Mine also goes on the lunge like the wall of death.....so I just don't bother, it only stresses him and makes me dizzy:o:D
 
I'll do some research into calmers. I also wondered though whether I should see how he behaves over the winter. He may be more relaxed when the grass isn't as good? He's been on bare keep all summer because the constant rain has kept the grazing like spring grass. Then again, when it's not so hot he may feel more awake :-)
 
How much work does he get? Iv got a jogger who is a nightmare and you can trot for however long but it don't work she would carry on till she drops. Cicleing etc just makes things 100 times worse and letting the reins slip a bit is all she needs to try and canter off. Saddle, teeth etc all fine. I just bridge my reins and sit deep and stay quiet on her. BUT if I can get enough work into her which is hard with a full time job she stops and walks. So maybe you just need to up your work?
Oh and my mare would get to the point off a slowest jog possable and still not walk more a slow bounce.
 
Hippona - you're right about not asking too much. Out hacking, he works into a contact, but asking him to relax onto the bit makes him anxious. He's too busy looking and listening to concentrate on me. Now I know some people will say he should be made to listen to me, but I've tried arguing it out and it just winds him up. So I think it's better to let him focus on one thing at a time, at least until he becomes more settled, because it's very easy to blow his mind.
 
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