Extrememly Hot Fizzy Horse?!

[EquiMaddie]

Hey guys! Just saying, I'm fairly new here and haven't posted too much etc, so my apologies if this isnt where it should be!

Millie is an 8 year old Welsh Section D rescue mare. I rescued her as a 5 year old from a local equine rescue and me and my dad spent 2 years together re-training her (mainly her paces, transitions, excitement, listening etc.) When I got her she was afraid of everything, but bold and colorful; filled with juvenile energy! Not too much has changed in that way, shes still got her foal like attitude however shes extremely willing and listens very well.

However, I'm having a slight problem. Her energy and willingness are good to an extent, but sometimes it becomes too much. We will get in the arena, happily walk and trot until its been 2 minutes and she starts getting excited. This is good as I know shes enjoying learning and riding in the arena, but it really interferes with our rhythm and many other things. She does something which me and my dad call a "tranter", a cross between trot and canter. She speeds her trot up, then when I try to bring her back and slow her down she seems to get more uptight and bouncy and starts hopping. At first a few people concluded its pain, lameness etc but she has never been lame and happily jumps and canters when out hacking.

My problem is that shes an absolutely AMAZING jumper and allrounder, and I want to start competing her a lot more. I just find it really difficult when she gets so excited because it ruins our rhythm, our line to jumps, our landings, just everything. A lot of people suggest doing some flatwork and going back to basics, which I've done, but it seems to get her even more hyped about jumping.

To some people this wont really sound like an issue which it wasnt for a while, but I want her energy to be contained and only let out at times when it needs to be (jumping not dressage.) I watch videos of people jumping huge fences, and their horses look completely relaxed up until the last few strides before the fence, then as soon as they are balanced afterwards they relax again. With Millie, the height isnt an issue! She has effortlessly jumped 1m 20 on multiple occasions, its just she really does get hyped about it! I find it a lot easier bareback jumping her as its so easy to stay on when she has speed and pace, so her energy isnt a problem there. But when it comes to shows and things, I dont want to be darting around everywhere I want to be able to have time to plan to the next fence etc.

I dont know if I'm asking too much of my horse to be jumping fair sized fences and to not get too excited, and it might just be her age or her personality, I dont know. I'd just like to know if anyone has any advice or activities I can do with her to calm her down? The jumping will most probably come will time and practice and experience, however its hard to do any form of flatwork when shes constantly wanting to canter and fizzing around everywhere!

Thanks, If I haven't explained something well enough feel free to ask.

 

[wkiwi]

Yes, a horse should be able to jump calmly at different heights.
I think you need to find a really good instructor local to you, who has experience with fizzy horses. It isn't possible to tell what is going wrong with your schooling, but there is obviously something as a horse should improve during a training session not get worse. There are many things that could be causing this, so it is hard to give appropriate advice (sometimes you need to do opposite things depending on the cause). It may just be a small thing, but you need to find out why she is not responding to basic manners (i.e. to stay at the pace and speed asked for); excitement is great but must be controlled - not by force though, you want a willing partner rather than one that you have to 'hold in place.
Even TB's off the racetrack can learn to go crosscountry without pulling and in a snaffle, coming back to walk and trot when asked, but it does take time and different methods for different personalities. I think you realise that fizzing around is not pleasant and needs fixing sooner rather than later, so maybe someone could suggest a good instructor in your area. Once you can work out what is going wrong (and fix it) you will find you make rapid progress as a partnership.

 

[EquiMaddie]

Thank you! Your advice is really helpful. When you dont have too many lessons and have to rely on your own knowledge it can get a bit difficult thats why I decided to post here. Its been a while since our pony club has done a rally which also isnt helping. I completely agree with everything you have said, like excitement is good but has to be controlled. I did some work with her today and tried jumping her in trot, then coming back to walk and halt after the jump. It did help a bit, but when I cantered her she got a bit bouncy and so I told her to halt. As she was excited she decided that rearing would be a better choice but I wasnt expecting it and slid down the back of the saddle tearing off a stirrup and falling off! She knew she was in trouble because she stood completely still and didnt spring off, but it was all her getting carried away. I know that time and practice will level it out but as you said it could be anything! Thanks

 

[PorkChop]

What is she like when you do gridwork? I find it can really concentrate the mind! She will eventually realise that she can't rush through the grid and there is so much you can do to improve their technique etc.

Obviously you need to start small so that she doesn't scare herself and it would be best to invest in some lessons.

Also canter poles would help with the canter

 

[Courts]

I have ridden a wb mare for my trainer for a few months who sounds very similar. She is exceptionally highly strung and excitable when it comes to showjumping and when i started riding her she either would canter virtually on the spot, going upwards instead of forwards, or would charge at the jump like a freight train. With her, the first few months involved predominantly flatwork with a focus on encouraging her to relax and move forwards in both trot and canter with a light contact. I find with horses that are very excitable, people tend to try and restrain them more from the beginning when you should do the exact opposite. You will find that while initially she will over exagerrate, eventually she will slow and adopt her natural pace without rider interference. Once she relaxes, you can pick up the contact slightly and continue with the flatwork, always keeping it interesting with lots of transitions and changes to keep her focused. With the mare I have been riding it took me 4 months of this but now she Works in a beautiful round outline from the beginnning and her walk/trot and canter have changed completely, generally moving in a forward, relaxed rythm. Once this is established, you can begin working on schooling for jumping. Unfortunately, with some horses such as the mare i have been riding, the excitement will always change their way of going when jumping but the rythm and control can be improved with a number of pole work (canter poles) and grids/gymnastics excercises. Working with canter poles on a circle, over a serpentine, in lines with related distances etc was very helpful in my case and its still something I always do with her before jumping. Grids , gymnastics, 2 - 4 jumps on a circle etc are also a great way to address the rythm issues you are having

 

[Barnacle]

It sounds to me like you're rushing the jumping because you find that most fun. You say you've tried flatwork and going back to basics but am i right in thinking you didn't really stick with it? I think you need a good instructor and to focus on flatwork. But if the instructor isn't an option, I would forget jumping for a month and just trot her on a loose rein and do transitions to walk and halt and circles every day. She'll relax in no time and then you can bring in some trotting poles and then some tiny crosspole grids and trot them. You have to do the boring stuff until it's actually boring (i.e. nothing "exciting" happens) and THEN you can raise the jumps and have some fun.