Hacking alone help, does your horse 'run for home'?

[Dirty_D]

Does anyone have any tips on how to slow your horse down when your horse knows he is heading for home when hacking on your own?

Charlie is fine in company and although he walks slightly quicker to get home with company its not excessive and he does listen to me.

I took him out tonight on his own on a short circuit ride but as soon as we turned off and in the direction of home he just got really het up and wanted to get home as quickly as possible! I did a bit of leg yield across the road to get him listening but it was as if panic took over him, i forced him to walk all the way back but apart from jigging around all over the place and
cantering sideways/on the spot it wasnt ideal!

He will lead if in company and is probably one of the most confident with other horses around. (I'm the one who tends to get past obstacles so others can follow!)

I dont think its me either as i've always hacked out an so dont have an issue about it other than i like to relax a bit rather than speed home!

Do you think if i keep doing it day in day out he will eventually get bored or is there something else i can do. My previous horse was a TB but not so stressy and would walk on the buckle end no matter which direction we were going in so i have no experience of this!

Any suggestions welcome (PS all our routes are circular so i never have to turn physically back on myself)

 

[only_me]

forcing horse to walk is probably just getting him more wound up

I find that they relax when allowed to trot on, and settle better

 

[Firehorse]

mine does this too. whether alone or in company. i've found that giving him a longer rein can help. once he gets the message, he will start to stretch and then i slow him with seat and legs. it works most of the time, unless he is really fired up about summat, such as the new sheep next door or when a new horse moved in. he was a nightmare then. jumped over leaves in the road and threw a total tantrum when i made him wait at a junction!

 

[dwi]

With Daisy she got better the more we hacked on our own. Don't know if thats typical but it didn't take long at all with her.

 

[MissMincePie&Brandy]

My horse used to nap a lot on the way home too. I'd relax and use my seat to try and keep him calm and in walk. I also started to take him straight into the school and do 10 to 20 minutes of schooling after we'd got back, and I think doing this has helped, as he's not bad at all anymore. He still has bad days, but it's usually only if something's upset him.