My mare keeps bombing off with me. help!

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AngelicMagician

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My TBx Mare is strong and fast (obviously, being a TB) and I have had her almost a year, she is ridden in a dutch gag with happy-mouth type mouthpiece and goes really well in the school and such but just recently she has been bombing off with me on hacks, we start cantering and just get faster and faster until i have no control whatsoever! I don't want to change her bit because I know its just giving up and not the right thing to but I am losing confidence and this only makes it worse as i tense up. I used to have unbreakable confidence and she is a problem pony who I have changed dramatically so far, why is she suddenly doing this and how can I stop?

I have start using hedges and such to stop her but I am terrified that she will either jump it (she is a showjumping pony who is bsja registered and jumps anything) and then will end up on a road. I only worry for her. Also she will never just bomb in a field as i can easily walk through a field worry-free but its just when we are cantering. I am worried as it seems my confidence loss is rubbing off onto my other horse who I normally could trust with my life.
Help! :( I now try to avoid flat canter rides as i can only stop on an uphill : /
 
first check teeth saddle and back. also have you changed feed or exercise or turnout?x also changing a bit could well be the way forward
 
You have my heartfelt sympathy. My mare (well-bred sharp cob) does the same and always has done since I've had her. The reason is her case is/was that she came from a (very nice) livery-cum-dealership where their horses, then and now, are just allowed to let rip as soon as they get grass under their feet. And old haabits die hard!

But it isn't like this for you. Two things occur to me. Could it be that she's feeling spring in her toes? And, have you perhaps been out hacking with any of the variety above? I would doubt ath it's anything to do with back, teeth etc, just more her psyche (not that that's very consoling to you).

I've been lent a Myler bit, and am riding her in a drop noseband for the first time - I always had her in an eggbutt snaffle before - and she certainly is listening a bit more than she did. I have an additional problem, in that I have a very bad back and cannot sit to canter; I always have to lean forward out of the saddle as though I was hunting. It's really hard to sit back in the saddle when I want the canter (probably a gallop by then) to stop, and I'm doubtless sending her contradictory messages. It's just another thought.

The final thing that has helped me a bit is that I often hack with a very obliging friend who rides a very obliging steeplechaser. We do a lot of 10-20 paces canter, then pull back to trot, canter a few strides again, trot, and so on. My girl is gradually realising that an open field doesn't necessarily mean a re-run of the Derby. Anyway, hope this helps - and you are not alone!
 
It might help if you start reducing the number of strides in canter so she does'nt get away from you. Start by counting, say, 5 strides and then ask for a transition to trot. Then ask again. Repeat this until she gets it into her head that YOU are in control not her. Once you are confident that she is listening to you then you can gradually increase the number. What this will also do is take the excitement level down which is ultimately want you want to achieve. This might take a week or longer to get right. Good luck.
 
Rose Folly said:
You have my heartfelt sympathy. My mare (well-bred sharp cob) does the same and always has done since I've had her. The reason is her case is/was that she came from a (very nice) livery-cum-dealership where their horses, then and now, are just allowed to let rip as soon as they get grass under their feet. And old haabits die hard!

But it isn't like this for you. Two things occur to me. Could it be that she's feeling spring in her toes? And, have you perhaps been out hacking with any of the variety above? I would doubt ath it's anything to do with back, teeth etc, just more her psyche (not that that's very consoling to you).

I've been lent a Myler bit, and am riding her in a drop noseband for the first time - I always had her in an eggbutt snaffle before - and she certainly is listening a bit more than she did. I have an additional problem, in that I have a very bad back and cannot sit to canter; I always have to lean forward out of the saddle as though I was hunting. It's really hard to sit back in the saddle when I want the canter (probably a gallop by then) to stop, and I'm doubtless sending her contradictory messages. It's just another thought.

The final thing that has helped me a bit is that I often hack with a very obliging friend who rides a very obliging steeplechaser. We do a lot of 10-20 paces canter, then pull back to trot, canter a few strides again, trot, and so on. My girl is gradually realising that an open field doesn't necessarily mean a re-run of the Derby. Anyway, hope this helps - and you are not alone!
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The coming out of the saddle sounds just like me except its a habit and I find it so hard to make myself sit down as with my other horse as she is reasonably laid-back I allways go into a two-point position, I am rather doubting its a physical problem too as I compete her showjumping and nothing as changed, I have tried a variety of bits like pelhams, gags, hanging cheeks, allsort but not a myler (yet) although I see they are rather expensive and this bit I have right now cost quite a bit so might try to experiment with other things, she has been ridden in a drop but when i was in the pelham I couldn't use it so it may be a case of trying it on again. My mum has a very chill ex-racehorse who i think might do her some good although its not a case of getting into a field and galloping, it happends ontracks aswell and as i said, i can happily walk through the field or trot before cantering, its just as i'm in it =) Thanks much, your case sounds similar to mine as she was before ridden by a tall 15yr old boy who was a games rider so you can imagine what that was like and since i am a small 13-year old I must be like a feather! Sorry for the long reply!
 
Zuzzie said:
It might help if you start reducing the number of strides in canter so she does'nt get away from you. Start by counting, say, 5 strides and then ask for a transition to trot. Then ask again. Repeat this until she gets it into her head that YOU are in control not her. Once you are confident that she is listening to you then you can gradually increase the number. What this will also do is take the excitement level down which is ultimately want you want to achieve. This might take a week or longer to get right. Good luck.
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Sounds good, will try it =)
 
Blue used to get quite strong with me out hacking and XC, and he could be known to 'forget his brakes'. I found a drop noseband really helped, and rather than point at hedges etc I'd just circle if I was having trouble getting him to listen. Good luck, and I definitely recommend giving a drop noseband a go.
 
I'd echo the advice of doing transitions & if you do have difficulty in stopping ever circle her. Just sounds like she finds it all a bit fun really. If you get tense either sing or talk to her to take your mind off it. If you feel happy to, maybe try schooling in something milder or with the rein on a higher ring, that way out hacking you might feel more confident if you think you have extra brakes than usual. (not suggesting you shouldn't be schooling in a gag at all, just mean it for your benefit out hacking)
 
pugsandponies said:
Blue used to get quite strong with me out hacking and XC, and he could be known to 'forget his brakes'. I found a drop noseband really helped, and rather than point at hedges etc I'd just circle if I was having trouble getting him to listen. Good luck, and I definitely recommend giving a drop noseband a go.
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Yes I think I will definitley put it back on =D I allready have a few so its worth a try :)
 
i would try the noseband first, either a drop or flash! my mare was an angel until we got into 'races' bless her i put a flash on her and hey presto! no racing! my friend said she used to open her mouth really wide and stick her neck out then we'd dissappear! she was a cheeky new forest pony i do miss her! but yep nose band worked a treat! i only put it on hacking as didnt need it for jumping etc ! let us know what you tried and the outcome x
 
What are you feeding? With spring coming she'll be getting more from the grass so may be needing less energy from her feed.
 
littlelegs said:
I'd echo the advice of doing transitions & if you do have difficulty in stopping ever circle her. Just sounds like she finds it all a bit fun really. If you get tense either sing or talk to her to take your mind off it. If you feel happy to, maybe try schooling in something milder or with the rein on a higher ring, that way out hacking you might feel more confident if you think you have extra brakes than usual. (not suggesting you shouldn't be schooling in a gag at all, just mean it for your benefit out hacking)
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Yeah I think the transitions will help and you've hit the nail on the head with the whole finding it fun thing! She is never malicious about it, she just loves herself and galloping too much! I'd never not let her run but its nice to know you can stop :P I usually use my gag with roundings between the first and middle ring and the first ring but at the moment its on the middle with a single rein. If I can get this cracked I'm hoping the use my hanging cheek snaffle but time will tell... Thanks, A x
 
lynnandbella said:
i would try the noseband first, either a drop or flash! my mare was an angel until we got into 'races' bless her i put a flash on her and hey presto! no racing! my friend said she used to open her mouth really wide and stick her neck out then we'd dissappear! she was a cheeky new forest pony i do miss her! but yep nose band worked a treat! i only put it on hacking as didnt need it for jumping etc ! let us know what you tried and the outcome x
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Yeah, I think I'll defo put her in a drop or flash, she is in a flash but used as a cavesson right now so its easy, she opens her mouth and sticks her tongue all the time!!! Funny that she's a part New Forest too!
 
wellsat said:
What are you feeding? With spring coming she'll be getting more from the grass so may be needing less energy from her feed.
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She's fed MolliChaff Origional, Calm and Conditioning Cubs by TopSpec and SpeediBeet, although she'll be coming off the conditioning cubes and SpeediBeet soon for just Cooling Mix and Chaff. =D
 
I got told to just walk on my hacks for a while and places where I would canter to make sure she walked took a while but she does have brakes and will go at the pace I want. Don't know if you have tried it but may be worth a go before you mess with tack if you and her are happy with it
 
AngelicMagician said:
She's fed MolliChaff Origional, Calm and Conditioning Cubs by TopSpec and SpeediBeet, although she'll be coming off the conditioning cubes and SpeediBeet soon for just Cooling Mix and Chaff. =D
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Personally I would swap the Mollichaff for a chaff that doesn't have any added molasses to see if that makes a difference. If you like Mollichaff maybe go for the Calmer or the herbal versions instead. Might just give her a little bit less energy to want to blast off!
 
lady_annabelle said:
I got told to just walk on my hacks for a while and places where I would canter to make sure she walked took a while but she does have brakes and will go at the pace I want. Don't know if you have tried it but may be worth a go before you mess with tack if you and her are happy with it
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Oh she is fine doing that, after initial 'are we going now/' then she just walks happily along and she will trot too its just when I canter it gets faster and faster before she is galloping out of control :P
 
Can you ride in double reins? If so put one on the first ring & the other on the bottom ring & use the bottom one if you need it to get control back. If you're not confident with 2 reins just stick it on the bottom ring for hacking.
 
wellsat said:
Personally I would swap the Mollichaff for a chaff that doesn't have any added molasses to see if that makes a difference. If you like Mollichaff maybe go for the Calmer or the herbal versions instead. Might just give her a little bit less energy to want to blast off!
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Yeah maybe. I was also told by my instructor to try Magnesium but not sure if it will have that much effect though...?
 
littlelegs said:
Can you ride in double reins? If so put one on the first ring & the other on the bottom ring & use the bottom one if you need it to get control back. If you're not confident with 2 reins just stick it on the bottom ring for hacking.
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Yeah may try that if i need to but even though she is strong she is quite a sensitive soul but as I have got a pelham anyway may as well try it, I used it with roundings before =D
 
Yeah magnesium is meant to have a calming effect. Pretty sure Spillars cool mix has it written all over the front of the bag that it contains magnesium so you wouldn't need to buy it as an additional supplement.
 
If you don't want to change bit, I'd ride with 2 reins, rather than strap the mouth shut. You can ride most of the time on the snaffle rein and just bring the curb rein into play when you really need it. I think you will find this much more effective than riding in a Dutch gag with just one rein.
 
Circles is good advice,
When u canter does she just go, or speed up slowly?
If she starts steady and gets faster could u try turning her before she has a chance to tank off?
 
Mollichaff calmer is excellent stuff :) can be used as a complete feed as well if you need to. It's got nice calming herbs in it.

Mine is being a horror and tanking off at the moment with his 14 year-old sharer... I blame the grass coming through! I have shown her how to circle him to stop him and if that doesn't work he will need his flash putting on - I am awaiting the dentist at the moment which is why it hasn't gone straight back on!
 
The ideal: Transitions and half halts are all well and good. BUT you need to do this out hacking too, for the context effect. Also, are you strong in the saddle? -your thighs should be like iron girders. To ensure that when you remain strong your thighs act as a buffer against the pull, your hands should not set up an opposing force that your horse pulls against either - as you won't win, so keep a good contact in which you have control of that neck primarily.

The reality: if you meet a field of pigs, you've had it - lol

Good luck

hth's:)
 
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Pearlsasinger said:
If you don't want to change bit, I'd ride with 2 reins, rather than strap the mouth shut. You can ride most of the time on the snaffle rein and just bring the curb rein into play when you really need it. I think you will find this much more effective than riding in a Dutch gag with just one rein.
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yes I might try that =)
 
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