Flatwork advice needed please

[MissBay]

Ok so my 6 yr old kwpn is just back into work after a wee winter break and I'm wanting her to go nicely on the flat before we're out jumping again but I'm having problems trying to get her to stop running off with me and getting her goin from behind if anyone has any advice would be great x

 

[montysmum1]

Never underestimate the usefulness of transitions, both upwards and down will engage her hind-quarters progressively the more you do. And keep the work varied with asking for the transitions at different places in the school, and incorporating different school figures (circles/serpentines/rein changes) so she's always wondering what you will ask her next and not thinking about running off.

 

[wizzlewoo]

I can sympathise with this as I had a lesson the other week from an instructor that comes to our yard regularly and was highly recommended but that I had not used before. My mare is a big girl and although will never use her weight to bolt / barge she does have a tendency to get excited and run leaving her back end behind. I had struggled with this for a while and was promptly told by the instructor that he did not know who had more excuses, me or the horse and that I was being taken advantage of by my horse (not saying this is the same for you just my experience).
Getting to the point the exercises that we worked on were all transitions, getting her to respect that when I want to stop I mean stop. We did trot to walk transitions and canter to walk transitions. I am a right softy with my mare and so did not like the such determined approach as I had always been taught leg to hand not just hand, but after only 2 schooling sessions and a few arguments she was so much better that the slightest contact from the reign and she slowed. Now we are able to work on the transitions using leg to hand and the back end is so much more engaged and she respects the contact from leg to hand rather than running.
I am sure there are people that are going to shout about the bit not being an aid for stopping but it is difficult to explain with out sounding like I was just hauling on her mouth until she stopped, which I wasn't.
Keep working on the transitions and keeping her relaxed in the school (good long warm up on a loose reign to loosen the back and so she does not always associate going straight in to the school and working)
Lots of changes of rein to keep her interested.

Not much help but I can sympathise, Good luck

 

[MissBay]

Yeah she completely takes advantage of me because she knows I'm a big softy I've so far managed to keep her in trot as before she kept breaking into canter it's just a very fast trot but we are getting there slowly and obviously there's no quick fix and takes time