control while hacking!

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Ellie92

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Hey guys :) Just after a bit of advice really, i own a 14.2 arab x welsh x probably other things! he's 18 but thinks hes 3 half the time! He has had most of winter off due to work commitments, lighting no school etc, just recently he's becoming more of a handful while hacking, he's always been excitable but now he just thinks he can canter everywhere! he's fine on roads and the first trot but after that he puts his head up, hollows his back and jogs, if i let him canter he will constantly try to go faster and faster, and when we get to the end of a track or field and i begin to ask him to slow and start to stop he will pull on the bit, i carry a whip and have had to give him a tap on the shoulder to try to get him to realise, but this normally results in more head down and he does buck. after this he is normally completely fizzy, at this point i cant put my leg on at all. he wears a martingale and this doesnt help. If i give him the rein he will bugger off, and this is when we're on our own, in company he is 100x worse, has to be infront, everything is a race! im hoping he will get over it as now the whether is better and we can get out more, trouble is i dont have a school where i am so everything schooling wise/lunging is done in the field. sorry for the essay!! help appreciated please!

xx
 
I would say after reading this that he just has far too much energy after a winter off! My horse is like this (she is a TB, so naturally hyper too) She doesn't do well with time off!

The best advice I could give is try and keep him in a good amount of work to keep his mind occupied, this could help to keep his excitements levels down!

Check his tack i.e. if he needs a stronger bit etc (Strangely enough a flash seems to help me with brakes when my mare is on one, I have no control without one!!) I dont generally agree with bitting stronger and stronger until you get the required effect as I think in the long run it just makes their mouths too hard and you are worse off than when you started, but it does sound like he needs something slightly stronger for your control as afterall, hacking is dangerous enough these days without naughty ponies! You could just use it when you need it and go back to a softer one when doing work at home? That way you aren't toughening the mouth too much!

Also cut out any feeds/supplements, anything too heated, which could be adding to his energy levels! Mine can blow her brains on certain feeds and this doesn't help matters!

And last but not least, Try and relax!! This may not be a problem for you but I know with my horse that the more tense I am, the hell of a lot worse she is and I do tend to tense when she plays up so I have learnt to relax my body even if my mind is tense!!


Good luck and I hope this helped :)
 
If he's ok until after the first trot, I would keep walking until he's truly settled. My preference would be to get him lunging before you go out - but with no school (I'm in the same situation ) I guess that's not really feasible just yet with the ground.

Is he better if he's in company? Maybe see if you can get a reliable "baby" sitter to go out with you a few times to get the idea of slowing down out hacking.

I had similar things with my mare last summer - she just was a bit nutty for a few weeks, so we just stuck to short walk only hacks til she got it back in her head that steady was the best way to be :)

Personally I wouldn't use the whip down his shoulder in that situation, as if he's already wound up, it's just asking for a reaction.
 
My old welsh part bred was like that. Had to push your bum right into the saddle, and drive him up into the bit, so that the energy goes into collection underneath, rather than trying to run away from you. Easier said than done, especially if he was going off on one of his bucking fits :0)
 
thanks for replying.

The bit he has atm is a sweet iron tom thumb, we've tried so many bits! even bitless, and that was the best by far but hes recently finding ways to avoid it!

He has 16+ mix and hi-fi senior morning and night and also has hay. he did have a lick in his stable a while ago, the big 5k ones.. but he ate the WHOLE thing within a week :| but that made him go off his head even more so he wont be having that again!!

It does make me angry when he plays up because i know how good he can be and what potential he has, i know he can sense that but if he didnt play up in the first place i wouldnt get angry hehe.

i lunged him last week and all i got was bucking, kicking cantering round and round very fast! it was dangerous because he could of fell but try telling him that...
We're only with one other horse and when they are out hacking together its a nightmare, its a constant race and battle, both have to be infront and its just not a nice situation to be in, i envy people who can have a nice hack at whatever pace they want! :(
 
Was going to suggest bitless but you've said about that - what about a standing martingale or god forbid draw reins so that he is pulling against himself not you.

The only other suggestion i would have which worked with mine was circling - if he wont stand or messes about - turn very very tight circles and i do mean tight on the spot - head pulled right round. You wont be able to safely do it on the road but if you can do it when he wont stand when asked (keep turning him round then stop to see if he then stands - continue if he moves) could be better than tanking off - also they cant buck if they are turning round and round (I used it out hunting as he wouldnt stand still even after 4 hours out - definately helped)

or .... a calmer !!

On the up side .. at least he is enjoying his hacking !!
 
Never thought of a calmer! you see everywhere calmers for mares (which other horse is) but none for geldings, whats there about?

I've used circles before, normally doesnt help, just sets off again, although it has helped have a very flexible horse!
 
Ellie92 said:
thanks for replying.

He has 16+ mix and hi-fi senior morning and night and also has hay. he did have a lick in his stable a while ago, the big 5k ones.. but he ate the WHOLE thing within a week :| but that made him go off his head even more so he wont be having that again!!
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Certain Mix's turn my horse in to nightmare, so maybe have a mess around with this! Changing feeds is a pain but it could be worth a try?

Ellie92 said:
It does make me angry when he plays up because i know how good he can be and what potential he has, i know he can sense that but if he didnt play up in the first place i wouldnt get angry hehe.
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I used to get VERY angry with my mare, I even refused to hack for a while as she used to drive me insane! :p I then realised that the key is to try and enjoy the good bits, stay relaxed, and ignore the stupidity - Its really does work!! You are then more relaxed :)

Ellie92 said:
i envy people who can have a nice hack at whatever pace they want! :(
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It will happen! I once converted to the mind frame of "She hates hacking, so do I, so we just wont do it!!" She didn't hate it, she loved it- hence the hyperactivity :p She has now been diagnosed with Ring Bone among other things so can ONLY hack so I have had to learn to enjoy it, either that or she becomes a glorified lawnmower and I dont ride at all! I have learnt put more faith in my mare than I thought I ever could, she never used to be able to go infront (she is VERY spooky) but now I have more confidence on her I can quite happily kick her through it and ignore the spooking. Yes sometimes we have a row out hacking but to be honest it is probably half my fault anyway :rolleyes:

Just keep positive!!!! :D
 
Sounds to me like you could do with a course of regular lessons with him so you can regain your control and he will listen to you. Can you see what's about in your area and find a school you can hack to to meet an instructor? That with regular hacking and ground work from you should sort your problems out. Good.luck :-)
 
Ditto the lessons. Even if it's in your field at walk for now, it will improve control no end. Once an instructor has seen how your horse evades they can advise on any tack changes. It will get better, but please dot put yourself and horse at risk.
 
He can be spooky also, he's recently decided that the cows we have ridden past for the last 5 years are now very scary! resulting in stopping dead at whatever pace, we all know what that equals for me!!!

ahh changing feed is a nightmare, hard to know what to try, he doesnt mind tho, he'll eat anything!

We used to have lessons and at first he would tank around but he started going really well, i should do lessons really, its just trying to find the time, i know a good number of instructors fro where i used to work, its just travelling, i think im going to look into it tho thankyou :)
 
Agree with lessons!
Also feed wise, mine is on basic feed now! Chaff and non heating mix. Its cheap, her weight and condition is good and isn't hyping her up in the slightest :D
 
He used to be on very basic cubes and chaff but he doesnt keep condition very well in winter especially. anything with the slighest bit of sugar in is a no no, its so hard trying to find the right feed without losing condition etc
 
Maybe just try grass nuts. I use simple systems blue bag grass nuts - much lower energy than the red ones.

Mine did seem to improve on grass nuts and he holds his weight very well on them - but he does well in the summer on grass.
 
Have you tried adding sugar beet to your chaff with a supplement instead of feeding the plus 16 mix? My 22 yo Arab x welsh mare goes nuts on anything non forage based, I add oil if she looks like she needs a bit of condition. I also give her magnesium oxide for laminitis, which also works as a calmer.

I hack out bitless, as she gets worked up with any mouth pressure in fast work or when excited- we have snapped martingales in the past...! I use an s hackamore as this gives a little more control. She has been out of work save for shorthacks all winter so we are going to work on schooling bitted this spring. I totally empathise with you op,but it Os worth looking at a forage and oil diet.
 
I can't quote on my phone but if i recall correctly Hifi Senior is full of molasses, equally I would cut out the mix as this won't help with fizziness.
 
No a feed high in fibre is just what you need. Things that can make horses fizzy include: wheat/barley - any grains really. Molasses as it is sugar and most mixes are full of it and that is why they are sticky.

Best to stick to a simple feed regime really in my OP that is high in fibre, oil is good and non fizzing and low in starch and sugar.
 
meesha said:
Was going to suggest bitless but you've said about that - what about a standing martingale or god forbid draw reins so that he is pulling against himself not you.

The only other suggestion i would have which worked with mine was circling - if he wont stand or messes about - turn very very tight circles and i do mean tight on the spot - head pulled right round. You wont be able to safely do it on the road but if you can do it when he wont stand when asked (keep turning him round then stop to see if he then stands - continue if he moves) could be better than tanking off - also they cant buck if they are turning round and round (I used it out hunting as he wouldnt stand still even after 4 hours out - definately helped)

or .... a calmer !!

On the up side .. at least he is enjoying his hacking !!
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I would second the circling.

My cob is like this all the time, actually worse if he is in work for some reason. Circles and serpentines whilst hacking is what I resorted to....and even that took a while as after the circle he would head off jogging at even more furious pace like I had robbed him of covering ground distance! The important think is consistancy. EVERY time they jog the consequence must be the same.....it took me a while to be consistent as sometimes I had jut had enough........

Mine was turned away for a year after injury and lives out 24x7....he is like a different horse now....not sure it is related but it is nice :)
 
Ellie92 said:
ahh thankyou! is there any specific brands or feed you know of which you can recommend?
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I would look at Simple systems, Pure Feeds or Thunderbrook. The Thunderbrook feed I thought was too calorific for my chap but I was very impressed with the lady who runs the company.

I went for Simple Systems grass nuts and their ruff stuff in the end. My horse is a bit loopy on alfalfa so I wanted something grass based for him.

Hope that helps.
 
Irishbabygirl said:
Sounds to me like you could do with a course of regular lessons with him so you can regain your control and he will listen to you. Can you see what's about in your area and find a school you can hack to to meet an instructor? That with regular hacking and ground work from you should sort your problems out. Good.luck :-)
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I go with this, but does he have shoes on, I feel much safer on the roads without shoes, no risk of slipping and no concussion.
 
He does have shoes on, about 3 years ago we tried him without but he got very footsore and ended up lame so we cant really keep him unshod
 
I think feed is going to be the first thing to try!!
You could also try a balancer - I put my mare on one last year after a friend suggested it as it had worked for her very fizzy sec D x TB - He is another to blow his brains on any sugar/mollasses etc and this didnt fiz him up at all but also had all the goodness to keep him up to condition and at a good weight!!

It also had NO "hyping up" effects on mine, but unfortunately she is on a very strict diet from the vet (she is a tad over weight and needs to be slimmed down for the benefoit of her joints) So is on a chaff only diet now due to supplements needing to be added to something :p
 
I haven't read ALL the replies on this thread... but have you considered just enjoying it? ;-)

As long as you're safe on the roads (and can stay on top elsewhere!) then why not enjoy a good blast?!?

Obviously there are some good ideas about feeding & lessons above. You should pay more attention to those than me!
 
Hacking doesn't take much energy - (unless you are training for endurance and trot when you aren't cantering!). So first thing I would do is cut down the feed A LOT, I mean the mix, carry on giving him hay, etc. Honestly, he is not going to fade away and die because he doesn't get any hard feed for a month.

Can you give a litttle bit of work every day - and then take him out 2 days running at the weekend?

Schooling when you are doing quite of lot of trotting is takes up far more energy. Of course there is the problem that if he has had several weeks off, you want to gradually build up the amount of work, no-one wants to risk strains, etc.

It is a common problem, but it sounds as though part of your problem is too much energy and lack of manners.
 
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