First sponsored ride and fizzy horse?

W

WackyWelsh

Active Member
Joined
7 April 2018
Messages
30
Visit site
Hi all, so my horse is going through a stage where he feels like hacking is all too exciting and likes to buck/bronk in canter, and I can feel he really wants to go (back, teeth and tack all checked, he just gets excitable.) The good thing is that I do have breaks in just a snaffle, I’ve done a lot of varying where we canter and trot-canter-trot transitions so he stops anticipating, but he still gets fizzy!
I’m going on mine (and his) first sponsored ride next month and I’m worried that he’ll find it all too exciting and I’m not sure I’ll be able to hold him if his big welsh neck comes into action! The most people we’ve hacked out with is 2, so he’s not used to being ridden with lots of horses either.
Any recommendations on either exercises I can do while hacking (he’s perfect in the school) or a bit that I can change him to - either a slightly stronger bit than a French link snaffle or a bit he won’t be able to grab.
Thanks :)
 
Ok, I'll give this a go and share some ideas. I love sponsored rides but they don't suit every horse and some do find it very exciting particularly at the beginning. Ideally, I'd go out with a slightly larger group and have a canter in an open field to test your brakes. And try more sedate group hacks or a visit to the gallops.

But if you don't have the opportunity, and you're fairly brave or not as prone to nerves as I am, then I'd go with a sensible other horse, done a neck strap, martingale if he's liable to chuck his head around, and a stronger bit that has a similar mouthpiece. Do you know if he's the type to lean or go on the forehand, or tuck back? That will impact bit change. Try the new bit before you go too. I tend to opt for a gag with the same mouthpiece, but have used a waterford if they lean.

Then be prepared for a possibly exciting start but I do tend to find they settle after 15/20 mins. Or get totally wound up the whole way around, in which case you may have a horse that isn't suited ! Good luck and hope it's fun :)
 
Get some sticky bum breeches and a neckstrap, and hold on!

Ditto Bernster's advice - if you can go out in a larger group for a faster hack, that might set you up well. I've taken a few different horses out on fun rides, and usually when it all goes to pot, it's when people gallop up behind you. Would your gelding be ok with that? Is it something you can 'practice' out hacking? I'd try to get to an open field or the gallops to blow some steam off first.

You could try leaving him out overnight the night before, that takes the edge off mine quite nicely!

Have you booked your fun ride, or are you still choosing? We pick depending on how many hills there are. If we can get a big hill to start us off, we can take most of the fizz out! Otherwise with some of the more fizzy/excited ones, I just let them do an in-hand canter to keep the peace.

I wouldn't dare take my current gelding to a fun ride, so I'm super envious of everyone else heading out! Don't forget pics when you've done it.
 
I’m another one who wouldn’t take mine. Have spent so much money and time to have him produced into a sensible ish horse despite his explosive tendencies and spicy nature, I think a fun ride would just tip him over the edge! Maybe another year!


pixie27 said:
Get some sticky bum breeches and a neckstrap, and hold on!

Ditto Bernster's advice - if you can go out in a larger group for a faster hack, that might set you up well. I've taken a few different horses out on fun rides, and usually when it all goes to pot, it's when people gallop up behind you. Would your gelding be ok with that? Is it something you can 'practice' out hacking? I'd try to get to an open field or the gallops to blow some steam off first.

You could try leaving him out overnight the night before, that takes the edge off mine quite nicely!

Have you booked your fun ride, or are you still choosing? We pick depending on how many hills there are. If we can get a big hill to start us off, we can take most of the fizz out! Otherwise with some of the more fizzy/excited ones, I just let them do an in-hand canter to keep the peace.

I wouldn't dare take my current gelding to a fun ride, so I'm super envious of everyone else heading out! Don't forget pics when you've done it.
Click to expand...
 
Bernster said:
Ok, I'll give this a go and share some ideas. I love sponsored rides but they don't suit every horse and some do find it very exciting particularly at the beginning. Ideally, I'd go out with a slightly larger group and have a canter in an open field to test your brakes. And try more sedate group hacks or a visit to the gallops.

But if you don't have the opportunity, and you're fairly brave or not as prone to nerves as I am, then I'd go with a sensible other horse, done a neck strap, martingale if he's liable to chuck his head around, and a stronger bit that has a similar mouthpiece. Do you know if he's the type to lean or go on the forehand, or tuck back? That will impact bit change. Try the new bit before you go too. I tend to opt for a gag with the same mouthpiece, but have used a waterford if they lean.

Then be prepared for a possibly exciting start but I do tend to find they settle after 15/20 mins. Or get totally wound up the whole way around, in which case you may have a horse that isn't suited ! Good luck and hope it's fun :)
Click to expand...

Thank you :) we actually have a gallops behind the fields on our yard since I believe it used to be an old racing yard, and I always have breaks when I take him on there! But again, it’s only ever by ourself or with 1 or 2 other people, he can actually sometimes be more sensible if he’s with someone else, it’s just if they start acting up he feels the need to join in!
 
My mare doesn't really hack or do any XC related events as she doesn't enjoy open spaces. However my hubby and his horse do so 18 months ago we bit the bullet and just got on with it. She exploded from the get go and ran the whole ride like her tail was on fire. Luckily I could hold on but is was an unpleasant 12 miles.
I wanted to give it another go come spring and we decided to go last in the ride as to have nobody overtaking us and going at our own tempo. That made a huge difference. We have done a couple now and even if she still dance occasionally and doesn't enjoy it when we get overtaken we have found our way of going round and I quite enjoy them now.
Have fun and hold on.
 
My usually chilled TB gets very uptight at fun rides at the start of them. I've found that what gets to her is people who come screeching past in canter at the start (she's fine with that later on!). Our way of settling usually involves finding a big field at the start of the ride and riding big circles in trot and canter to get her forward and softer. This has worked every time for us and she's much more relaxed for the rest of the ride which means we can start to enjoy it!
 
A few thoughts....
What's he like if he sees horses ahead of you when hacking? If he gets excited and really really wants to join them a fun ride might not be a good idea.
If you compete, what's he like in the warm up?
As for bits, you say he bucks / broncs when excited and really wants to go. If you use a stronger bit he may well get worse with this. Sometimes it's safer to have less breaks but the horse keeps all four feet on the ground.
If you can pick a time slot for the ride try to go very early or very late to reduce the number of horses around.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Top