Just won't walk- at whits end now

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TheGingerPony

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So I am coming to my whits end now, I have an 11 year old chestnut mare who is VERY forward- which I don't mind except she just won't walk anymore, I have to use sedalin to calm her before I ride her if I want her to walk for any period of time.

I have tried several different instructors now, all of which haven't been too much of a help. I put her on walker for 30 minutes before I ride and she is only fed on hay now- not hard feed and minimal grazing on grass that's too rich.

I do the normal things by the book when she starts to trot off or start jogging about, I breathe out sit back in my saddle and gentle increase contact on the reins evenly and she responds by putting her head in the air and threatening to rear, or sometimes she will simply run through it. If I apply too much pressure/tell her off she runs out or just rears up and gets more and more wound up. She is very sensitive in the mouth anyway and is ridden in a neue schule Loose ring bit with cheek guards. I have tried her in running martingales which make no change to her rearing, i rode her once in a standing martingale until she snapped the leather.

I've had her teeth and back done she has had regular checkups with the vet and they assure me she is no pain what so ever and its all behavioral.

I've had her for 6 years now, and she has always been a bit of a speedy horse but since I went away for 2 months earlier this summer she has started to get worse and worse. I don't know if something happened whilst I was away- the girl who was riding her is very experienced and a well trusted and recommended person but I cant help think the two of them just didnt get on and she upset my horse- who can be quite sensitive at times.

I just need to know what to do to fix her :( I want my old horse back, thanks in advance
 
Have you heard the phrase "electric bottom" about some riders? It's because they themselves are tense so their horses pick up on that - those who have trouble getting enough forward (I'm one of those) are the riders who are relaxed to the point of almost slumping in the saddle. Try loafing around :)

Meanwhile go with her for a while and then make it cost her more effort. Push her into a proper trot for a few strides and then do some transitions, circles, serpentines whatever will make her work hard. She will soon get the message that she is letting herself in for a whole lot more effort unless she walks. And praise her for every few strides of walk - whatever kind you can to begin with then select the more relaxed ones to praise as she gets the idea. With some it is on the way home - so don't reward it be getting of and feeding, go somewhere you can school and do the hard work bit again, she will realise that coming home isn't something to rush for after all.
 
Thank you for your advice I will give this a go :) I think I am definitely one of those people- I will consciously try and relax myself a bit more, makes sense that I can't expect my horse to relax whilst I'm plopped on top of her like a little fire ball of tension :) Thank you for your help will let you know how it gets on :D x
 
You could try having her jaw X rayed - I had one for a while just like yours, eventually we Xrayed her jaw and she had bone spurs on the bars of her mouth - we ended up riding her bitless and she was fine.

HAve you tried riding her bitless. Also have you had a proper equine chiropractor to her - not just the vet checking over her back. From experience a lot of vets don't believe that horses have neck/backs out of alignment.
 
Does she walk about in the field?

Have you tried just taking your feet out of the stirrups & riding on the buckle? They will only fight if you give them something to fight against. You might jog round for 30 mins - 2 hours at the start but she will probably subconsciously just walk after a while.

Mine old mare used to do it after a gallop & people used to think I was nuts dropping everything in & open field but it was like a switch was flicked, sometimes the craziest options are the solution when it comes to horses !
 
If she goes on the walker are you able to ride her straight afterwards? If so I'd forget walk for the beginning of your schooling session. Do lots of trot/canter - canter/trot transitions, serpentines, circles, loops etc. avoid riding straight lines as much as possible. Do lots of things in short order so that she has to listen to you as she won't know what's going to happen next. Work her really hard and at the end when she is tired try some trot/walk transitions and see if she will be more willing.
 
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