Exercises For The Excitable Horse

[sasquatch]

Am bringing mine back into work atm, so lots of schooling and getting him fit again.

He's very excitable, seems to be any sort of forward movement is exciting and he's rushing quite a lot.

As he's only coming back into work after a few weeks off for a sore back he's not the fittest and is a bit stiff on his right side

need a few good schooling exercises that use w/t/c for a horse who gets very excited/strong and bored easily without being too hard for a slightly stiffer, unfit horse!

thanks guys

 

[soulfull]

I have similar problems with my welsh mare when she has her moments. I find serpentines in any gait useful, obviously in canter you need to change lead so come back to trot, but vary it by staying in trot as he will anticipate. Lots of different size circles and half circles in trot and canter, lots changes of pace
I find she gets more bouncy if I do exciting things like counter canter or changes even voltes in canter is far too exciting, bless her

 

[misskk88]

Plenty of shapes and changes of rein to get him moving through himself and changing bend is a good place to start. Circles, teardrops, serpentines etc all work well. I would also be playing with the pace to get him listening, so that he waits when asked, and moves on when asked.

Also, have you tried lateral work? Nothing too hard if he is currently unfit after time off- maybe some leg yielding on straight line or circle to start off. I would try to be keeping a horses attention as much as possible when excitable- not allowing anything to go on for too long so that they are ready to burst or become bored, but keeping transitions, changes of rein/bend, shapes etc short and sweet and as calm as possible. Mix it up too- don't repeat the same movements over and over without trying something else, and then coming back to it if you really need to. It certainly works for getting them listening as they then cannot anticipate what is coming next- I find it gets them thinking forward, but 'waiting' for the next movement or command.

Good to hear your horse is keen to get going though, so I would work with his enthusiasm as much as possible

 

[PaulnasherryRocky]

Agree with serpentines, they calm my boy down and make him focus a bit more!

Also one I was told to do this weekend- walk up to a corner in the school, stop, don't turn the normal way around the corner but turn the opposite way (towards the fence) and then trot or canter away. This for me was because my horse "knows where to go" at the corners so tries to speed up, so by turning the other way he stopped racing round the corners because he didn't know which way I was going to turn him so he slowed himself down quite a bit. You can trot up to the corners too but I'd only do this in an indoor school as I'm not 100% certain he wouldn't jump the fence...

 

[sasquatch]

Plenty of shapes and changes of rein to get him moving through himself and changing bend is a good place to start. Circles, teardrops, serpentines etc all work well. I would also be playing with the pace to get him listening, so that he waits when asked, and moves on when asked.

Also, have you tried lateral work? Nothing too hard if he is currently unfit after time off- maybe some leg yielding on straight line or circle to start off. I would try to be keeping a horses attention as much as possible when excitable- not allowing anything to go on for too long so that they are ready to burst or become bored, but keeping transitions, changes of rein/bend, shapes etc short and sweet and as calm as possible. Mix it up too- don't repeat the same movements over and over without trying something else, and then coming back to it if you really need to. It certainly works for getting them listening as they then cannot anticipate what is coming next- I find it gets them thinking forward, but 'waiting' for the next movement or command.

Good to hear your horse is keen to get going though, so I would work with his enthusiasm as much as possible

He's a bit wick with leg yielding by itself, so it would give him something to think about definitely!

So far I've been doing serpentines and circles etc. in w/t and then once he has tired himself out a bit and isn't as bouncy letting him have a short canter, asking at random places with a variation of how many strides, then after doing one canter on each rein going back to doing a bit of w/t, then canter again as once he's asked for canter he just seems to find it so fun he doesn't want to stop - and it was canter he was most sore in so I don't want to be doing a lot of canter work until he's fitter and back into doing a bit more work first!

He is definitely excited to be out doing something, which is good but sometimes he is a little too over-enthusiastic.
Not too excited with the thought of getting him jumping again, even when he was feeling more chilled, the best way to describe him when he sees a fence is 'keen' and 'very enthusiastic' - think I'll definitely stick to poles for a while.

 

[GemG]

Lots of good ideas already...

... In trot, transitions within the pace ... Interspersed with a walk on free rein encouraging them to relax by really 'thinking' slow, in the trot 'slow' your rise for example. It's amazing how the excitable, forward horse secretly gets you 'riding' faster if that makes sense.

I have found a wee scratch on the withers with one hand whilst your on a circle trotting for example can sometimes encourage a bit of softening and relaxation along with some soothing tones of the voice.

As you all know, different horses can respond better to different tactics!

I find with mine, letting him have 10 mins of nonsense - letting him move on in a canter up the long sides etc, and have his silliness before asking for what I want , then gently easing him back helps, but for others this may make them worse :/

 

[GemG]

Not too excited with the thought of getting him jumping again, even when he was feeling more chilled, the best way to describe him when he sees a fence is 'keen' and 'very enthusiastic' - think I'll definitely stick to poles for a while.

Haha mine is 21 years old and has got faster and more excited about poles with age !!! He is worse than ever when pointed at a jump.

So he is now doing dressage... Or trying to.. Mostly.