Horse pulling constantly

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Summer2692

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Hi there im hoping someone has so advice for me on what to do with my mare. I have a mare who is 15 and lately i would say last few months as she has got worse she constantly pulls on the bit and it kills my arms. Unless she's cantering she will pull me. I asked for trot the other day on the road she went straight into canter, when i pulled her back she just went against me and i have to come back into walk as it was hurting, although she still pulls in walk. She does it in the school too its like if your not going 10000 miles an hour she doesn't want to know and its frustrating me. I cant use leg as she's so sensitive she just get faster and any release in the rein she will canter she's in a 3 ring gag i dont know what to do with her? Any help please.
 
Horses are pressure animals. The more you push the harder she will push back. The more you pull the harder she will pull back. And she's stronger than you - she'll win!

It sounds like you have just got yourself in a miscommunication rut. Have you got an instructor? It sounds like you need to go back a step or to and establish seat aids fist before coming back to gentle rein aids. Changing to a stronger bit will be completely counter productive when you are pulling at her as you are.
 
Shay said:
Horses are pressure animals. The more you push the harder she will push back. The more you pull the harder she will pull back. And she's stronger than you - she'll win!

It sounds like you have just got yourself in a miscommunication rut. Have you got an instructor? It sounds like you need to go back a step or to and establish seat aids fist before coming back to gentle rein aids. Changing to a stronger bit will be completely counter productive when you are pulling at her as you are.
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Hi thanks for the reply!
Yes I've tried everything lol I've had lessons and i cant get her out the habit. I dont pull against her as such but any rein she has she will canter off there's no walk or trot so then ill try half halting doesn't make a difference shell just shove her head up again then ill get her in a trot and keep contact as i have too and that's when shell pull against me so i will allow a tab more rein and try using my seat no doesn't work she then canters again and this is on concrete not an open field or anything lol. She's always been in a 3 ring gag since the day i got her so i haven't put her in that bit I've just never changed it.
 
Shay said:
Horses are pressure animals. The more you push the harder she will push back. The more you pull the harder she will pull back. And she's stronger than you - she'll win!

It sounds like you have just got yourself in a miscommunication rut. Have you got an instructor? It sounds like you need to go back a step or to and establish seat aids fist before coming back to gentle rein aids. Changing to a stronger bit will be completely counter productive when you are pulling at her as you are.
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Do you have any advice on using my seat more and going back a bit like you said? Would you advise i just school at the moment as she's worse on a hack yeah any advice would be really really good as not sure how to start really thank you!
 
Sounds like hacking could potentially be dangerous. So some discipline in the school before venturing back out might not be such a bad idea.

As Shay points out, you can't pull against a horse that's strong - that just never works. Perhaps try a bit of reverse psychology which puts you in control of the speed. Start in the school in walk and if she trots before you ask then use leg strongly and go as fast as possible. If she breaks into canter then use your leg again and keep going fast. She needs to feel that the speed is your idea. Don't worry about contact, where her head is, or about anything else except going forward. Basically just charge around the school. Every time she feels like she's slowing down, kick her forward. With some horses you need nerves of steal as they'll zoom around the school at a gallop for several minutes before they slow down, but they will at some point slow down so stick with it, and it's at this point you want to kick them on again. Kick on for a few strides, then bring her back to trot/ walk. If shes strong to bring back, then kick her on again fast. Keep doing these "fast/ forward" transitions. She will soon realise that charging off or being strong when you ask her to slow, only means she works harder. Once you've got control of the speed, you can start thinking about the forward into a contact.

Hope that makes sense (?)
 
lizziebell said:
Sounds like hacking could potentially be dangerous. So some discipline in the school before venturing back out might not be such a bad idea.

As Shay points out, you can't pull against a horse that's strong - that just never works. Perhaps try a bit of reverse psychology which puts you in control of the speed. Start in the school in walk and if she trots before you ask then use leg strongly and go as fast as possible. If she breaks into canter then use your leg again and keep going fast. She needs to feel that the speed is your idea. Don't worry about contact, where her head is, or about anything else except going forward. Basically just charge around the school. Every time she feels like she's slowing down, kick her forward. With some horses you need nerves of steal as they'll zoom around the school at a gallop for several minutes before they slow down, but they will at some point slow down so stick with it, and it's at this point you want to kick them on again. Kick on for a few strides, then bring her back to trot/ walk. If shes strong to bring back, then kick her on again fast. Keep doing these "fast/ forward" transitions. She will soon realise that charging off or being strong when you ask her to slow, only means she works harder. Once you've got control of the speed, you can start thinking about the forward into a contact.

Hope that makes sense (?)
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That makes a lot of sense a really good idea I've never tried anything like that so thank you very much ill keep her in the school like you said she's just getting too much out and that can be dangerous thank you very much!
 
Hi, probably not a lot of help but we have a horse on the yard that, although fine to hack, was similar in the school. We put him on Topspec Calmer. It took 3 weeks but its like he has had a brain transplant. Assuming you've had teeth, saddle & back checks done. Where are you based?
 
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jules9203 said:
Hi, probably not a lot of help but we have a horse on the yard that, although fine to hack, was similar in the school. We put him on Topspec Calmer. It took 3 weeks but its like he has had a brain transplant. Assuming you've had teeth, saddle & back checks done. Where are you based?
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Oh really? Yeah i hadn't really thought about food as in the summer i tend not to feed her so didn't think about feed but ill try that too!! Thankyou
 
You probably know this trick and already use this but when asking her to slow down pull one rein release then pull with the other. as long as you ride in a bit it will work. have you tried switching around bits and trying others? that helps sometimes, also one horse I rode a while ago was sensitive in her mouth so when you were pulling slightly she would go faster and faster to try to release the pressure, but if you selected the bit you probably have picked the best option for your horse.
 
Horseshoe2 said:
You probably know this trick and already use this but when asking her to slow down pull one rein release then pull with the other. as long as you ride in a bit it will work. have you tried switching around bits and trying others? that helps sometimes, also one horse I rode a while ago was sensitive in her mouth so when you were pulling slightly she would go faster and faster to try to release the pressure, but if you selected the bit you probably have picked the best option for your horse.
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Hey thank you for your reply! I appreciate all the advice i can get very help full. No i haven't tried other bits she wore this one when i got her a 3 ring gag but i use it on the normal snaffle rings so dont actually use the rings as such. What would you recommend to try whilst doing these tips and exercised with her of course x
 
Often a horse that pulls is one that is out of balance and on the forehand. It may sound odd but often using your leg to ask the horse to work forwards to the contact stops the pulling.
 
Hi OP - sorry I didn't get back to this tread yesterday so missed your queries.

Eggs has a good suggestion - it is quite right that she may not be pulling as such but leaning on you as she is unbalanced. The suggestion of hooning around the school is quite a common one - it can work but be careful your school is large enough. She'll lean inward on the turns and if the turn is too tight or too fast she'll slip and might fall. Also be sure that the sides are safe for you to fall against - some react to that tactic by bucking. A lot. And if she is just unbalanced as Eggs suggests then you are effectively punishing her for something she can't help.

It may well be worth changing your bit - but I would really suggest only doing so with an instructor at this point. You've both got used to pulling against each other and if you do so in something too strong she might rear to evade it. That's a habit you really don't need!

You asked about what I meant by going back a bit - I was thinking about regular lessons - once a week if you can - with a good instructor working on downward transitions without the reins. You can do that on the lunge so someone else has control while you learn the correct way to use your seat aids. I know you say you are trying with them - but they clearly are not working for you. So if you have someone experienced on the ground they may be able to see why. It may not be you - it might be the saddle. For example if your tree is damaged every time you sink your weight down to stop her you could actually be driving the tree into her back and effectively spurring her forward again. Or it might be that she needs more work on her balance and they could suggest exercises for you to work on. Or there could be low grade lameness, damage to the mouth, back pain not connected to the saddle. All manner of things in her way of going that could be making this worse than it needs to be. Someone experienced on the ground can help spot that. And if you need a different bit or a martingale or anything like that they can advise. Saves a load on money in the long run and is far safer. Right now she is a danger to you and no-one wants to get hurt.
 
I don't have much experience with dealing with this, I gave the tips I know that work and information that may help. But I've done some research and I think a Hollow Mouth Loose ring snaffle bit is the one the horse with the sensitive mouth likes and goes best with, maybe you could try a harsher bit? my friend has a very forward pony that used to just take off, she uses a Waterford bit (I think) and now she has barely any problems. Apart from that, circles and lots of them! Maybe poles, so the horse has more to think about, so then it has no time to think about going faster. Also, changing what you do constantly, do plenty of lateral movements and transitions, this means your mare has to listen to you. Although i'm not experienced at all, these should give some good ideas for you to try.
 
Does your mare trust and respect you on the ground when you are leading her and grooming her? If she doesn't that may be worth fixing. I'm not saying you go all out on natural horsemanship and everything but simple things like lunging her more and leading her in trot with her going at your speed could make a slight difference.
 
I've found sharp horses need leg on, and dull horses need leg off. I'd do what others have said and if she wants to speed up, make her but on your terms - if she tries to slow, then ask her to continue. I've never had this problem ridden but have when lunging. You need nerves of steel, especially for a fit horse - my mare refused to walk on the lunge and it took 40 minutes of trot before she even contemplated slowing. Then, despite the fact she was dripping with sweat and exhausted, I had to tell her she wasn't stopping. This only happened once and she realised I wasn't taking any messing any longer
 
Does she respect your aids in terms of your seat and legs? If not, I would be going back to basics asking her to listen first walk - halt - walk. Squeezing with your legs as you halt, do not take the pressure off until she does what you want. Once that has been established you could progress to walk- trot - walk.
 
If this is new behaviour, I would have the saddle checked and tbh if it has been checked recently, get a 2nd opinion. This could be assign of discomfort. I would also put a 2nd rein on the bit, that way you can usecthe curb rein when she gets strong.
 
Teach her to respond to your voice. Lots of groundwork and lunging. My guy can pull like a train but he is extremely responsive to the voice, so I use that combined with softer hands and seat aids to teach him to listen to me beyond pulling.
 
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