horse increases trot speed on long side of arena

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impresario08

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My boy is being schooled again after some time off. He is sound and feeling well. we have just started trotting again for a little while now, and when I ride him in the big arena he speeds up in trot on the long side. He also breaks into canter sometimes (but will stop when asked).

What can I do to interrupt this habit? I have been circling him every time he speeds up and taking him off the track but we both get dizzy....I think it's an excitement/freshness thing rather than a balance thing as he doesn't tense up when he does it.

When he speeds up I get a bit anxious also as my previous horse bolted with me in the school at canter.
 
As already suggested ride 20m circles instead and work on maintaining the rhythm at all times, you control the speed not him, just trotting around the edge of a school is boring for him so start to incorporate more movements in general, if you tense up when he speeds off then he will be more likely to do so, so plan ahead, never go completely round the school without doing at least 2 transitions or circles, thinking ahead and having a plan and aim should help him focus and stop you becoming worried, a few lessons may be helpful to get you going.
 
An exercise an instructor had me do was to speed up for the short side and collect for the long, halt at E/B, collect then on wards.

You should never do a complete circuit without something, transition, circle, transition within the pace, shoulder in, stretching. It is for me all about obedience - he should stay in a pace and speed until you ask otherwise. So keep asking him to do things so that he has to keep listening.
 
When I've ridden horses that are a bit speedy/gung-ho, instructors have told me to spiral in/out on a 20m circle. It's always worked, and is now my go-to exercise if mine is getting a bit too full of it/sharp.

Also ditto the above, lots of transitions and shapes.
 
As others have said, it's all about incorporating other movements into your schooling - 20m circles, 10m circles, shoulder fore/in, collection/extension etc. to ensure your horse is completely focused on you rather than just running through the contact blindly.
 
Also keep your rising to an even tempo which helps. Was told to count to 6 each time I rise, Rise 1 - sit - Rise 2 - sit - Rise 3 etc. and start again at 1 after I get to 6. My horse was not consistent in his trotting and this has really helped. If he speeds up I slow my rising down which calms us both down.
 
impresario08 said:
My boy is being schooled again after some time off. He is sound and feeling well. we have just started trotting again for a little while now, and when I ride him in the big arena he speeds up in trot on the long side. He also breaks into canter sometimes (but will stop when asked).

What can I do to interrupt this habit? I have been circling him every time he speeds up and taking him off the track but we both get dizzy....I think it's an excitement/freshness thing rather than a balance thing as he doesn't tense up when he does it.

When he speeds up I get a bit anxious also as my previous horse bolted with me in the school at canter.
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Do loads of halt transitions on the long side :)
 
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