How to train a pacer under the saddle.

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Redroan14

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Hi,

I've own a 15hand 12 year horse who you used to pace. I've owned him a few months now and have done a lot of work out hacking on his walking,trot and canter. I have been working on him stretching and doing a lot of stopping and starting with half halts etc to build his comfidence under the saddle. He is very eager to learn and very intelligent. I could hack him anywhere but I find sometimes out with others his head goes up and it can be a pulling competition to stop him going faster or back into his pace. His canter is getting there as long as we don't run into it as I find his breaks go . I do try and half halt but it can be a issue when he gets quicker .

I don't have a school where I am, I do
some schooling with him in the field eg circles, start stop, bending etc, pole work. I have him in a wikie snaffle and a normal bridal with a martingale.

I started again with him when I got him and his feet, vet check, back checked , teeth checked etc have all been done with due to not knowing his history.
 
Hi there!
I have a Standardbred too. They are great horses. What I noticed with mine is that a lot of transitions helped with his canter and overall balance tremendously. They can aso be your friend in teaching him to listen to you. Shame you don't have a school, but you can do them out hacking too. Try to trot for 10 fouleé and then 10 fouleé of canter and repeat. then you can start to reduce the nuber of fouleé gradually (can also try this on a circle, bigger one first and then reduce its size). Another thing that helped a lot were jumping grids and pole work. Can you rent an arena and have a lesson with a good instructor? Also when he brakes into pace, bring him back to walk straight away and go up to trot (or canter) again, that way my learned that pacing is frowned upon :D
Good luck with your horse and don't give up! At the beginning it was a bit of a hard work with my poney but after a year and a half we are competing SJ up to 1.10 m with plans for 1.20 this spring. We also did some unaff eventing but gave that up (his dressage is not up to scratch and even though with training it improved, I have no illussions as to his abilities).
 
Thank you.

I've been doing the transitions through walk, trot and canter out hacking. We've gone out for ages just going through the transitions. I always bring him back to walk if he paces and he seems to be mostly trotting now. I won't let him canter if he runs as I know he will panic and breaks go.

I will see about hiring schools or even changing yards as I think he is now ready for the grid work and schooling element on top of hacking.

How long did it take you to turn your pony around, I don't expect it to be overnight and I'm in there for the long haul.
 
Lets see, I got him in September and by November/December we have gotten rid of pacing under saddle. Mind you he will still do it now, although rarely, when excited (hence dressage comps are a no go, as he gets really hot under pressure). We were competing up to 80 cm by January. My boy was really fast to learn and I was lucky in that he has a very decent canter despite of being a trotter. But I found from opinions of others and my own experience that they are eager to learn. Hang in there, it will come and when it does it's very rewarding.
A menage would help you a lot, as you can vary excercises and ploework is a Godsend with the pacers.
For the panick/no brakes I could recommend draw reins or market harborough but I don't know your level of riding so maybe ask an instructor, as they can be very very helpful but only if used correctly (I am ready for the bashing I will get for this ;D). He probably panicks, tries to brake away due to no balance, so hill work to build him up and lateral work+transitions (LOADS) in lieu of draw reins would work too :)
 
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