Hacking Issue!!

[thehorsethatspooks]

Hey!
I have a 16.2hh 14 year old ex racer. I got him october last year and he was mildly mis sold to me but he came in a state so i was definitely not sending him
back
Anyway
We have major issues out hacking, He will hack anywhere i ask, he’s amazing however we can’t do anything other than walk
In trot he will just get quicker and quicker and eventually start cantering on the spot. It doesn’t matter if i’m rising slowly, half halting or whatever he just wants to go and it’s not helpful on roads! And don’t even get me started if i want a canter in the woods
He’s ridden in a bevel bit which he goes amazing in in the school
Teeth recently checked, recently treated for ulcers all treated now, saddle done, back recently done so i’m at a loss and think he’s just a very excited horse but what can i do to try and contain this excitement?
Id love to go on fun rides etc but could never if he won’t even trot out hacking!

 

[Red-1]

What re-training has he done so far to teach him to yield to the bit, relax and slow?

I have schooled some ex racers and they need training to understand this. Sometimes first rides when expected to be independent in a new place can be interesting.

 

[Muddywellies]

Do you have a trainer who specialises in ex racehorses. I know they respond to different cues to non racehorses, so you might be inadvertently saying giddy up. Many will respond if you lean very slightly forwards.

 

[PinkvSantaboots]

I've got an Arab that is very similar he was given to me when he was 9 his 18 now and he hadn't ever really hacked, I can't ride him in a large group he looses the plot and even with 1 other horse if we try and trot or canter he leaps bounces bucks and is all over the place, he has never been great to hack alone it took me ages to get him to do the shortest circular route on his own, and even years on he will refuse to go sometimes and I have to get off as he can spin and try and go home.

Not probably what you want to hear but I kind of gave up I'm getting older and I can't be dealing with the antics his so agile, I will occasionally have an amble out on him with a quiet horse or my oh comes on foot with the dog.

His never really enjoyed hacking he gets really tense and upset yet he is such a good boy to school he absolutely loves it the more horses in there with him the better, so I just school him most of the time and we are both safe and happy his not gonna change now and I think we are both happier without the pressure.

Hopefully someone can give you some advice about it but at least you know your not alone

 

[PSD]

I've got an Arab that is very similar he was given to me when he was 9 his 18 now and he hadn't ever really hacked, I can't ride him in a large group he looses the plot and even with 1 other horse if we try and trot or canter he leaps bounces bucks and is all over the place, he has never been great to hack alone it took me ages to get him to do the shortest circular route on his own, and even years on he will refuse to go sometimes and I have to get off as he can spin and try and go home.

Not probably what you want to hear but I kind of gave up I'm getting older and I can't be dealing with the antics his so agile, I will occasionally have an amble out on him with a quiet horse or my oh comes on foot with the dog.

His never really enjoyed hacking he gets really tense and upset yet he is such a good boy to school he absolutely loves it the more horses in there with him the better, so I just school him most of the time and we are both safe and happy his not gonna change now and I think we are both happier without the pressure.

Hopefully someone can give you some advice about it but at least you know your not alone

My old pony was the same. I could hack her with one other but no more or she would lose her mind. Bunny hopping, rearing spinning the lot. All out of pure excitement because we’d hunted and she instantly thought more than one horse was hunting time!

Sorry I can’t offer any help

 

[ycbm]

Do you have a trainer who specialises in ex racehorses. I know they respond to different cues to non racehorses, so you might be inadvertently saying giddy up. Many will respond if you lean very slightly forwards.

This is a big one with ex racers. Hold the reins tight and lean forward are taken as cues to go faster. It takes some guts but have you tried dropping the reins? That's a cue to stop. Trot isn't a pace most racers do much of. They walk, they canter, they gallop, but there's no call in race training for them to be pounding the roads in trot. As soon as the trot speeds up even a fraction, I would bring him back to walk. The periods where he will trot sensibly should get longer over time.

Red has also made a good point and as others have said, some horses never like hacking. My only one like that was a warmblood, but he hated going out alone.
.

 

[Goldenstar]

You have think long term there won’t be a quick fix.
I would do as ycbm says and return to walk as soon as he speeds up you need to check your body position in case you are leaning forwards .
You defiantly need to be very aware that increasing the weight in the rein means go .
I would voice train him this is very helpful with this type of horse .

 

[Barton Bounty]

I echo the voice training, I did that immediately with BB it is so easy now

 

[thehorsethatspooks]

What re-training has he done so far to teach him to yield to the bit, relax and slow?

I have schooled some ex racers and they need training to understand this. Sometimes first rides when expected to be independent in a new place can be interesting.

Sorry i completely forgot to add he came off the track when he was 7 and was retrained by a girl who i’m in touch with however she never actually hacked him which i think is the main issue

 

[thehorsethatspooks]

Hey!
I have a 16.2hh 14 year old ex racer. I got him october last year and he was mildly mis sold to me but he came in a state so i was definitely not sending him
back
Anyway
We have major issues out hacking, He will hack anywhere i ask, he’s amazing however we can’t do anything other than walk
In trot he will just get quicker and quicker and eventually start cantering on the spot. It doesn’t matter if i’m rising slowly, half halting or whatever he just wants to go and it’s not helpful on roads! And don’t even get me started if i want a canter in the woods
He’s ridden in a bevel bit which he goes amazing in in the school
Teeth recently checked, recently treated for ulcers all treated now, saddle done, back recently done so i’m at a loss and think he’s just a very excited horse but what can i do to try and contain this excitement?
Id love to go on fun rides etc but could never if he won’t even trot out hacking!

Just to add as i forgot! He came off track when he was 7 and was retrained amazing, went to shows and arena hires however she never hacked him or took him anyway like fun rides etc which i think is the main issue so it’s all a bit exciting for him now

 

[Barton Bounty]

It will get better but will take consistency, they are known for being insecure and sometimes takes a little time for them to understand exactly what your asking of them, voice control is the easiest way, click and a little nudge might work

 

[PinkvSantaboots]

Just to add as i forgot! He came off track when he was 7 and was retrained amazing, went to shows and arena hires however she never hacked him or took him anyway like fun rides etc which i think is the main issue so it’s all a bit exciting for him now

A bit like my horse and he is voice trained I can lunge him and school him from my voice but when his in that excitement mode the voice doesn't have much effect, its like his in a different zone and everything just goes out the window.

 

[irishdraft]

Are you sure it's excitement and not anxiety? My relatively new to me mare is anxious & spooky out hacking on her own and is the same. She will start trotting which is actually running & if I let her will break into canter that gets faster & faster this is anxiety in her case, I keep her to walk interspersed with short trots which I try to keep slow and relaxed, the minute I can feel her starting to go I come back to walk. It's a long slow process.

 

[Red-1]

Is it possible the his training only went so far as to yield one side at a time, using the bend of an arena? In which case, if he is well schooled, could you use a shoulder-in when he wants to speed up (proving he does this competently and in a relaxed fashion in walk)?

Also, I would not allow an increase in speed to build up. I would intend to trot for 3 strides, then walk. Repeat until walk/trot/walk is very boring, then increase to 5 strides. But I would not do that unless he really understands how to give to the bit as opposed to fight it.

 

[Ratface]

Mine was a hot, incredibly fizzy Grade B showjumper who was chucked in a field and left when he did a DDFT in the show ring. He eventually came sound, but was a complete handful to ride. He was up for sale for a bad price.
The moment that the reins were picked up, the head came up, the jaw was set and he was off! Nightmare!
I spent 18 months wandering round small arenas and small fields, basically riding from voice and weight aids, all very quiet and subtle. We must have walked a great number of miles.
Eventually, we graduated to quiet lanes and carried on walking. We did a few steps of trot and then walked. Lots of praise, neck scratches. I also trained him to stop if I lent forward and put my hand out past his shoulder. This was the emergency-cord manoeuvre. I always had a few pony treats in my bum-bag, and he knew that if he stopped immediately he would get a couple of treats.
The main thing was not to let him go any faster than was required. It was a lengthy process, but we eventually got there.
He still tries it on, sometimes, but only for a laugh. The main thing is not to let him stealthily up the speed. Ride every stride!

It took at least