galloping help!

[mirandaharry]

Hi

Yet again after some advice! My boy can be really on forehand, so probably where our probs are coming from.

Anyway took him out for a bit of a buzz and he was really good doing all the cantering - quite together and light in front, but as soon as we galloped he got REALLY heavy in front. He wasn't pulling or leaning in a "trying to run away" style (if that makes sense!). It just seems that he prefers to gallop with his head VERY low, which doesn't give fill me with confidence.

I know every horse lowers their head a bit and stretches out to gallop, so should I just assume that it's just him and go with it or should I be trying to keep his head up?

Any ideas welcomed! Thanks in advance x

 

[kayleigh_and_rocky]

Ah mine does the same to the point where hes nearly on the ground!!sorry i havnt got an answer except its not normal, so will be reading the replies!

 

[eohippus]

by what you have said it does sound like he is running from the forehand and not from behind. I would leave of the galloping and build up his cantering by doing short bursts of fast back to slow canter gradually building the length of time doing fast canter. Unless you are training him to race you do not need to gallop and good fast hunting canter is sufficient for all disciplines, so work on this first.
hope this helps
Dawn

 

[the watcher]

I notice one of mine does this when my friend or my son have both been riding her a lot, I won't allow her to get away with it as I think it is dangerous for both of us.
I just keep stopping her and asking her to engage from behind again, if we have to do transitions from gallop to canter to trot all the way along the field then we will. Eventually we get back to the point where she will pick up and wait to be asked instead of steaming off with her head between her knees(although she is always stoppable)
I also never ask for gallop or canter in the same place, she is ridden by novice riders quite a lot so I am careful not to train her to always go fast in certain places, that way she only increases pace when asked. To be fair though, just as I never drive a car at 100% of its capabilities, I will NEVER allow a horse to go flat out.
Of course as soon as mad 12 year old gets on board it is all undone in a matter of two weeks and I have to start over.....

 

[mirandaharry]

Thanks for replies!

I think it probably is just a case of being too much on the forehand. I never let him go flat out but he's not the most forward thinking boy and I think it does him good to be allowed to just go out and have a bit of fun to get him switched on (plus I think it sometimes does me good to have a bit of a woohoo moment across the fields!!)!

I guess we're back to transitions again to get him working properly - hurrah!

Thanks again!

 

[Parkranger]

ALL horses need to feel the wind in their mane from time to time! Admittidly we do it a little too often but it doesn't interfer with our schooling.

My boy's head goes quite far down but he's slowly working from behind more and is slowly clicking that it can be easier!