No Brakes!

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jsone

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My 16.3hh mare is just coming back into light work. She's doing well and works fine in the outdoor school. My problem is that as soon as I take her out on to the farm land to go hacking she's on her toes all the time and is very strong,although I try and keep her at just a walk I just know she's ready to go at any opportunity. She took off for home across the stubble field the other day and it took so long to slow her down and get her under control again. She is also blind in one eye so I am always concerned that she could trip and fall. I have had her for about almost two years and its only really since around June that we've been able to get out and about under the rehab programme our vet set out for us. My instructor wants me to continue with a snaffle but friends say I'd have more control with a dutch gag. instructor thinks this could make her buck and rear and just to try and sit tight as she's sure she will stop tearing off eventually. Easy to say that when you're not the pilot..........lol My horse has competed internationally at a high level so she is a big strong mare and I am pretty much just getting back into riding again. Any help or advice would be much appreciated as she's a fab girl ........ despite the white knuckle rides :-)
jas
 
I'm surprised any instructor would say 'she'll stop tearing off eventually' without showing concern for either your or the horses safety...! Maybe try a new instructor?

I agree that the aim would be to get her hacking well in a snaffle - but until both of you have done a bit more work or schooling it is better to use a stronger bit or some extra 'control features' for your safety and confidence.

What does she actually do when she takes off? Throw her head up or stick her head down? Open her mouth? Buck?

A dutch gag may not be necessary - it depends on exactly how she's grabbing control from you as to what you use to counteract it. You may only need a different noseband or a martingale.. can you give us more details?

Aversion tactics can also help - if she's only just come into work can you avoid stubble for a bit and do lots of slow road work? If she behaves on the roads you can build up her trot work and try cantering her later in the hack when she's more tired?
 
my old horse was also a bit, shall we say, fresh! when out on hacks. i used to try finding a flat field and doing some schooling work for 15 mins or so, i found that this really helped as it gave him something else to think about when on the hack, also uses to do leg yields/half pass etc to try and keep him occupied. def think you need to be safe though and if you can't stop then you're not safe, as said already think about using a martingale, different noseband and try another bit, maybe find out what she used to wear when competing as she will be used to this and t least you'll know it'll stop her!
 
what has she compete internationaly in? whats her competition name?

if shes tearing off out hacking put her in a rugby pelham with a flash and two reins. thats what i ride my mare out in. nine times out of ten shes an angel, but the other time shes a nutter, so with two reins means i can ride her off the 'snaffle' rein when shes being good keeping the curb rein loose, but when i feel shes going to be a pain i can get hold of the curb rein and keep her back too me. My mare is strong too with a huge neck and believe me when she wants to go she wants to go, youve just go to be quick and learn the best ways to deal with it. Do you hack out alone or in company? if alone then go out with someone else in case anything nasty happens.
 
I wud try her in a snaffle mayb try a martingale so she cnt chuck her head in the air and grab the bit and if u aint got one already a drop or a grackle noseband to keep her mouth shut so she cnt get hold of the bit.
 
Hi

When she took off last time she had her head down. She didn't seem to have the bit between her teeth just was very hard to pull up. When she did start to listen and pull up was when she came in sight of the outdoor school and our field. I took her out again last night this time with another horse and rider. She was a bit calmer but still on her toes and giving the signs again that she was more than ready to gallop off. She also decided to go backwards at speed once we were about a mile from home. Fortunately it was off the path and into the stubble field beside it and although a bit hairy it wasn't too bad. My friend threw his crop to me and after a smack with that.....her first from me......she stopped it and behaved better. I think she needs a more confident rider than me to take her out to help her gain confidence but its so hard to find the right person
 
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