getting a fizzy horse to walk calmy and nicely

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Nicki85

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I've just started riding a 16.3hh ISH mare (chestnut lol) her owner events her upto pre-novice so far with success. I'm just helping with keeping her fit and maybe the possibility of doing some dressage on her. The main mark downs for the dressage stage are to tense!!

BUT i'm finding it so difficult to get a nice, swinging relaxed walk!! She is not to bad to start with but the minute you pick your reins up she is off to the otherside of the school at a trot. She tenses up through her back and it's just horrible!! Then as you get further into the work and ask for a more collected walk she tenses again and possibly jogs. Even at the end of the session when I have given her all her reins to stretch out she is still rushing around :/

I've tried the whole slowly slowly picking the reins up but that doesn't seem to help...

I know I need to work on seat control and slowing her down with my seat but just wondered if anyone had any pointers at keeping her calm and relaxed, like she is at the begining of the session?
 
If its nothing physical (presume she's sound etc and teeth/back/saddle etc)

Are you taking the same amount of time to work her before she settles or is she also like this with the the owner?

Could be possibly be a little too well for the work load/feed she's receiving?, perhaps she needs more work to balance out her enegy level or perhaps give her something else to think about if she's predicting the same old schooling session? perhaps she's a bit bored?

Just a few random thoughts, but I guess you'll of already gone over those.
 
Hi Nicki85,

I have had problems similar to this with my young mare, she is much much better now though,

What helped me was a few different things, I taught her to walk on a really long relaxed rein basically by doing all the walking work at the end of the schooling session so she was quite tired. Whilst walking on a long relaxed rein i made sure she got a really good pat and lots of good girls etc, she eventually put the two together and realised that long rein and pat = stretch - I still have to give her neck a little rub or pat during walk in dressage tests - but often get complimented on this on my comments as it really does relax her.

The other tips i have is be sure that you are not holding her back in the walk - anticipating her rushing off will mean she rushes to get away from the rein... be careful that you have a light forwards contact and are not holding her into an outline - I realised I was doing this at times- anticipated her rushing off so held her back - so it was a pattern forming - once I was really aware I was doing this I was able to stop it.

Finally as my youngster really was a stress head I found a tip for Mr Eilberg on horse and country TV - one of those lightbulb moments was try not to hold the horse, let her carry herself - again this has really helped me to sit up and use much more leg and seat into and out of all up and downward transitions..

Not sure if the above will be any use to you, as they are all different but the above is what helped my girl from getting low 50's in tests to consistent upper 60s and even in the 70s when she really is on form.

Good luck

Gem
 
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