Getting my mare to settle cantering in fields?

[Doormouse]

My 5 yo Bogof, who is in theory a wb but definitely has some Welsh cob in there somewhere, is giving a bit of a headache cantering in fields.

She was great as a 4 year old, very settled and easy, then I took her Autumn hunting and she was quite awful, Broncs, leaps, very strong etc. I forced myself to keep going and she did settle in the end and as soon as she did I turned her away for the winter to strengthen up. She can back into work in April and I am the first to admit that I probably haven't really done enough with her this summer, plenty of work mostly hacking and some schooling but only been out in the lorry to fun things a handful of times.

Due to hard ground we didn't do much cantering this summer but once the ground improved we have been going into the stubble fields for gentle canters. She is like a demon possessed! In front of her mate she appears to think he is chasing her and scoots along pulling like a train, spooking with her bum tucked underneath her, behind she sticks her head in the air and brings her very short neck in and then pulls like a train. On her own she is only very slightly better. Once we pull up she takes 5 minutes to calm down, then she goes back to her normal peaceful self!

She is lovely to canter in the school, very steady and soft, it is just open spaces that seem to go rather to her head.

Anyone else had this problem and found a good solution?

 

[paddi22]

i've one who was an absolute strong pig when i got him and i had to school him in the field a lot. Working on going from canter to walk and loads of transitions. When i did canter it would be up steep hills when i would push him a bit further when he wanted t to slow. He always had to know i had the upper hand.

And it sounds awful but if i ever felt him do a cheeky pull at a fast pace at any stage, if he didn't respond to slow down after three increasing warnings, i would get all my weight in my stirrups, weight back, hold a neckstrap and absolutely reef one rein round and run him into bushes or any area i knew he couldn't jump till he had to stop. My thinking is that if he was being a pig, i'd match him in rudeness. It didn't take long before he knew if he didn't stop he would be made to. He's still a strong forward going horse, but he never does that 'pull' now where he has more control than me and he listens when i want him to slow. With other horses i wouldn't be as harsh, but he was a headstrong character and once he started to respect me we never had any more out of control issues.

 

[be positive]

I would be walking and trotting around them until she does settle, going first, upsides and behind mixing it up to keep her thinking, it may take a few days or may take longer depending on how bad mannered she is, she would then start to be asked to pop into canter for just a short way bringing her back to trot then cantering again until she drops the bridle and lobs along quietly, having her really established will be far better long term than having a fight, it will set her up for life but it could be a long haul to achieve it now she has got it into her head that it is all so exciting.

 

[Doormouse]

I would be walking and trotting around them until she does settle, going first, upsides and behind mixing it up to keep her thinking, it may take a few days or may take longer depending on how bad mannered she is, she would then start to be asked to pop into canter for just a short way bringing her back to trot then cantering again until she drops the bridle and lobs along quietly, having her really established will be far better long term than having a fight, it will set her up for life but it could be a long haul to achieve it now she has got it into her head that it is all so exciting.

Thank you, it is rather sad she has got like this especially after she was always so relaxed as a 4 year old. She walks and trots as quiet as a lamb in the fields, upside, behind, in front and even leading my daughter. The moment canter is mentioned however, she is frankly ghastly. I am slightly in despair with her to be honest because everyday seems to be a new day at the moment and I'm never quite sure what is coming next. She has been checked internally to make sure there is no problem with ovaries, vet did comment that she is still ovulating and that she may be a regumate candidate but it does really only seem to be the cantering that is the major issue.

 

[be positive]

Thank you, it is rather sad she has got like this especially after she was always so relaxed as a 4 year old. She walks and trots as quiet as a lamb in the fields, upside, behind, in front and even leading my daughter. The moment canter is mentioned however, she is frankly ghastly. I am slightly in despair with her to be honest because everyday seems to be a new day at the moment and I'm never quite sure what is coming next. She has been checked internally to make sure there is no problem with ovaries, vet did comment that she is still ovulating and that she may be a regumate candidate but it does really only seem to be the cantering that is the major issue.

That is more problematic then, I thought that it may be you tended to just canter, do you sit down or go into light seat and drop your hands on her neck? I would be riding her like a racehorse, bridge the reins and get off her back making sure she is only pulling against herself, I would also consider running reins, whispers that!!, so she is not able to get her head up and run, get her to settle behind a steady one that you can sit behind and keep going very quietly until she drops into a rhythm.
I would also make sure the saddle is not causing a problem, it may only show when she is more freely moving or when you do get up in the stirrups.

 

[Doormouse]

That is more problematic then, I thought that it may be you tended to just canter, do you sit down or go into light seat and drop your hands on her neck? I would be riding her like a racehorse, bridge the reins and get off her back making sure she is only pulling against herself, I would also consider running reins, whispers that!!, so she is not able to get her head up and run, get her to settle behind a steady one that you can sit behind and keep going very quietly until she drops into a rhythm.
I would also make sure the saddle is not causing a problem, it may only show when she is more freely moving or when you do get up in the stirrups.

Having ridden racehorses a lot I do always bridge my reins and take a firm grip on my neck strap! She gets so back that I end up almost sitting as she brings her head in so tight but high if that makes sense. I am finding it very frustrating because I always rode the 2 and 3 year old,fillies who would not settle on the gallops and never failed with one but this mare is way more complex! Hadn't thought of running reins, might give them a go. What I really need is a large flat field that I can keep going round as steadily as possible until she drops her head and settles!

Saddle checked a couple of weeks ago, all fine.

 

[PorkChop]

I love your description of her antics, we have one a little like this but controllable

Now you might completely disagree with my suggestion - fair enough, I am prepared to be shot down - however, do you have any ploughed fields that you could have a go in? Nothing hock deep obviously, but something that is rather hard work for her, often works.

 

[tallyho!]

I would second getting the saddle fit right - just to be sure...

I had a gelding that did this to me when I first got him. I tried a few things then one day on my own I just asked him to canter - he took off so I just let him go and asked for more... and then when he got tired, I made him go some more and more again. I think I made him canter/gallop about 10 times up and down. Tired, dripping with sweat I got off and loosened his girth. We walked the rest of the way home both of us knackered. He never ever took off with me again even on his first beach outing.