People have problems with their horses because they don't let them go fast enough!

rhino said:
Understand and appreciate what you are saying, but I can guarantee that my boy will be a bombproof 'happy hacker' IF he has a confident rider. Like most horses, he does love to have a gallop; he always pulls up with no fuss, but I know he would get frustrated if he was constantly held back and niggled. Likewise, he's the one of the least spooky horses I've ever ridden but sometimes needs a 'strong' leg on to go past something.

A confident rider makes a confident horse; a nervous rider can ruin a genuine one.
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Whoooa. I love a good gallop. What I was saying was that you can't get (like you used to be able to) a good hacker that can turn his hand to most things they are either Dressage or SJ or eventer??? that you can have a good ride on without them having a hissy fit rearing or bolting off for no reason other that a leaf blew off a tree:D:p
 
There's nowhere near our yard that we can safely have a gallop but my pony is still sane and sensible out hacking so I guess not all horses need to gallop on hacks :) She gallops round her field and bucks like a good 'un but under saddle she is normally very well mannered to ride, even if the most we get to do is a fast canter.
 
Meant to add a local girl asked if she could go out on a hack with my friend and I we said yes of course:) When we set off and reached the woods where we used to have a good gallop etc she became a little nervous and asked us not to bomb off as we had a reputation (apparently) of galloping everywhere?:confused::eek: We had good hackers a bit of jumping, galloping, then skipping rope reins:D to cool off. They didn't need to be kept yanked in on all the equipment to stop head shaking, pulling etc., Just a knowledge of needing to just be able to have a gallop in appropriate surroundings.
 
OMG OMG OMG OMG !! Eureka I have done it!!!!

a 4 page thread where everyone agrees, the world has gone mad, we are all aggreeing, this isnt horse and hound forum surely??????????????? haha XX
 
Devonshire dumpling said:
OMG OMG OMG OMG !! Eureka I have done it!!!!

a 4 page thread where everyone agrees, the world has gone mad, we are all aggreeing, this isnt horse and hound forum surely??????????????? haha XX
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Yesss!!!! Brilliant!!!! Nice one DD!

You should now organise a mass gallop!!!! Ok, I know we cal them hunts/racing but this could be a one off!! HHO Gallop Festival UK!!!!
 
tallyho! said:
Yesss!!!! Brilliant!!!! Nice one DD!

You should now organise a mass gallop!!!! Ok, I know we cal them hunts/racing but this could be a one off!! HHO Gallop Festival UK!!!!
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HEHE Sod that I deserve some sort of award!!!!!! I think I did the impossible thing ever... I challenge anyone to try to break my record of a 4 page thread without anyone disagreeing


Just call me Queen Devonshire Dumpling from now on you peasants!!!!


XX
 
kirstie said:
I do agree that it is easier... But isn't it down to training, time and patience to let the horse learn a few manners and listen to the rider rather than wind itself up and throw a strop when they don't get what they want?
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Exactly!
Just what was said on the other thread about the horse training the rider!
 
DD, or should that be QDD :p?

If you have your settings set to 40 posts per page, your thread is still only 1 page long :( .... but you're right that everybody is agreeing :).

Wonders will never cease :D.
 
quirky said:
DD, or should that be QDD :p?

If you have your settings set to 40 posts per page, your thread is still only 1 page long :( .... but you're right that everybody is agreeing :).

Wonders will never cease :D.
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I heard that people who have their pages set to 40 posts per page were mere mortals lol

yes it is QDD from now on!!
 
tallyho! said:
ROFL :D:D:D:D

Ahem *brushes pyjamas smooth, curtsies*, your majesty :D

(yes, pyjamas, it's well late and I'm old)
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Am thinking I need my PJ's on.. but can't be bothered to move and surely I should have someone to do this for me!! lol

PS hubby is snoring in the chair... u know the one who i made out to be a fearless exciting firefighter.. in reality hes a tried out old man.. well he is nearly 38!
 
quirky said:
I agree, I know people who have never galloped their horse .... ever!

Ooh, that feeling of a horse opening up and giving its all is one I'd like to bottle. It never fails to make me smile :).
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:eek::eek::eek::eek::eek::eek::eek: surely you jest ??
Never ever had a gallop :eek::eek::eek::eek:
Im with you, there is no feeling can touch a flat out, rip roaring, flies on yer teeth gallop:D
 
So So true!!! the amount of riders going around with the 'handbake on', It's our generation thats too blame with most people having access to schools, you take thee riders out of the four walls and they are terrified!!!!
 
Devonshire dumpling said:
Am thinking I need my PJ's on.. but can't be bothered to move and surely I should have someone to do this for me!! lol

PS hubby is snoring in the chair... u know the one who i made out to be a fearless exciting firefighter.. in reality hes a tried out old man.. well he is nearly 38!
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Shhh.. don't tell him that. He's a hero!

Now then QDD, on this rather high note, I am going to log out and climb up the pears.

Many thanks for an amusing and downright pleasant evening :)
 
tallyho! said:
Shhh.. don't tell him that. He's a hero!

Now then QDD, on this rather high note, I am going to log out and climb up the pears.

Many thanks for an amusing and downright pleasant evening :)
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He's awoken by his alerter hahahahaha that will teach him to neglect me!!


Night night peasant Tallyho! Sweetdreams xx (PTT)
 
Hi, I am new to this site so please excuse me for jumping in here but thought I best start somewhere!
My hubby bought me big chunky cob, happy hacker for xmas, lovely gentle boy, who turned a bit wild and would not let us near him.
Now I have also 2 x 3yr old section A's which we are foolishly (?) breaking for my 4year old.
One of them is so perfect, the relationship they have and will hopefully have for years to come is wonderful, he follows her everywhere and she can do anything with him. they ride out hacking together and although he spooks at little things like lorries, he is never naughty or dangerous (she is always on a lead rope).
Fat chap however has taken some work - maybe he was doped when we tried him out but we cant prove it - he is now lovely and is happy to plod along behind the youngsters. I have broken my back racing powerboats in the past and had a nasty fall from my hubby's ISH last year so I have to be careful so the most I have done is maybe 20 yards in trot but at least I still get to ride...I would love to open him up but I am so scared so I accept the best I will do is plod and at least I still get to ride. Hubby has tried cantering him and he goes mad, usually hubby ends up on the floor and this bloke has the stickiest arse of anyone I know!!lol So I dont know whether fat chap is too lazy or what.
Reason for my post and essay is just to say that maybe some people dont have the confidence or desire to flat out gallop, maybe just a light hack for a few miles a couple of times a week is enough to keep everyone happy. But also, why do you think chunky monkey goes mental? He has never been lunged before and I only have a field so no arena to try and teach him. We are hoping to get him hunting eventually but he will need to get his arse in gear!
Many thanks
 
My favourite gallops are when the horses have let you know they really need one, it's freezing cold and tears stream down your face from the wind and, yes, I forget to breathe too. It's usually winter when they've been inside longer than normal and we decide to let them have a "hooley".
All that said, I still like them to have manners, go when they are told they can and not at other times and pull up when asked. We do have a great track on a bridlepath which is over a mile long and soft enough in the colder months but we do meet other horses and walkers, hence the desire to be able to stop, rather than mow them down!
But there's nothing to beat that feeling when they take off...
 
I agree, horses do need a good blast every now and again. I know alot of people who won't even canter on a hack never mind gallop. One claims her horse bucks when she canters. I have watched her and I'm not surprised he bucks as she canters with the handbrake on and bangs up and down on his back as she is tense. The horse is very confused and uncomfortable. I've never actually seen him buck but I think he is tense and probably feels like he is going to buck. She has spent a fortune paying her instructor to hack out with her but I don't see any improvement in the situation.

Someone else readily admits they won't canter or gallop and pays some to take the horse for a good blast once a week.
 
Awww this thread makes me want to go gallivanting round the muddy fields with the Boy :D Shame he's on box rest as he loves a good blast and as long as he's moving forwards at a decent pace he doesn't fizz up or be quite so much of a daft Boy!

Some horses needs a blast others don't, bit like humans I guess ;)
 
You can not beat walking back along the beach and looking at your prints from what looks like a 3 legged horse ..... or getting snot in your ear (but that might just be my dodgy konk)
 
The horse I ride loves to go for a gallop, although we don't have many places to do it. There is one short one across a field and when I first started riding him he was a bit of an arse to pull up but we've been practising our canter in the school, going forwards, coming back to me, and now he stops like an angel. I took him out in the big field at the yard on Tuesday evening, decided schooling in the little arena out there was boring and he was too excited for it so took him for a hooley around and he just loved it. He was properly stretching out and going for it, you'd think he was a TB not a French Trotter!

I find if I shorten my reins he gets more antsy, if we just pootle round with longish reins he's far happier, especially coming home, he just gets wound up if I try to slow him down too much. Although yesterday I was in the school and just got fed up with him because he kept jogging so I kept turning him in tight circles, he did eventually get the message and be relatively sensible. It's funny he was so hyper because I gave him such a good gallop and jump on Tuesday, I thought he'd be tired as he was lying down when I arrived!

This was him on Tuesday, he loved it. He would go full pelt up to the top then trot back down and go again when I asked him.
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My horse thoroughly agrees with him!! I had a very embarrassing ride recently! I agreed to baby sit a nervous rider on her first ever hack on her new pony. She has ridden for years but lost her nerve a bit after a very bad fall - anyway her pony just doodled along, and my 17.1hh wanted to stride out as normal - I kept having to stop and wait, as I didnt want to get so far ahead her horse jogged etc, and un-nerved her! Well after 20mins of stop, starting, we were about halfway round the hack route - when my horse had, had enough and started poncing and prancing on the spot!! Had I let him walk out on the buckle he would've been fine, but I had to think of my nervous companion who was looking a little grey with my horses antics!! On the homeward straight, we were doing mini-rears and plunges and pony was still walking like he was half dead!!

Then almost home my boy was sweating and really tense, he put just did a huge rear, put his head between his legs & tried to take off!! Luckily I managed to stop after 3 strides of gallop!! Turned round and friend had thrown herself off her pony who was just looking at us going "what was that about" , and luckily friend wasn't hysterical but said she wanted to get off rather than fall off!! Lol - So she walked pony home and I quietly trotted my lad round one of the fields and you could just feel him sigh with relief!!
 
Very true, i'm inclined to agree- let them go forwards and give them their head!

I think a lot of the time it's down to common sense and judgementreally as to what rhythm the horse goes in some are better more forwards and some need slowing down before they can go forward -obv when schooling you don't want them so fast that they go flat and on the forehand, but many times when i've had a sit on someone elses horse, i ride them forwards and they look at me like i'm mad!

I have someone in my family who is an old school racing trainer too, and they have a lot of experience of the naughty ones and has also had a lot of badly behaved every day riding horses sent to them and i remember years ago they told me a lot of the horses that come to us with problems are big horses whose riders don't let them go forwards!, so true!
 
This thread has just made me want to go for a really good gallop this weekend now!! Although summer is obviously coming to an end (which means nights drawing in etc) and I'm sad about that, I am looking forward to rain and therefore softer ground which means I can stop obsessing over my horse's joints take him for a bl00dy good gallop :D
 
I'm inclined to agree. In fact, I've often said the same myself. My older horse has a reputation for being a dead safe hack, but I have a reputation for going everywhere at full speed (unfairly as I often used to babysit folk and he was quiet as a mouse and I always let them dictate the pace!). I used to ride with a friend who had permanent brake problems with her horse. I once let her take mine out and she complained bitterly he'd behaved like a loony the whole way. On further inquiry of her companions, I gathered she'd held him tight and not let him relax the whole way. I now see why she has brake problems with her own horses. I won't tolerate my lad jogging or bouncing the way she allowed him to, but you can't pull him out of it, you just have to let him have his head - the more you pull the more he thinks it's time to go. I'm told racehorses are trained / think in this way too. The horse in question is a HW cob. I've used this approach on many horses over the years and I always seem to have fewer control issues than their owners!

I used to think he was calm because he regularly got out for a good gallop. But in hindsight, I don't think it matters whether you're galloping or having a fast canter, or even a quiet hack in walk and trot - horses are calmer when you've got the handbrake off and they're stretching into their natural rhythm at any pace. You can't beat a good gallop though :D

I've had my youngster 2 years, he's now in his second summer in work - although I hacked last summer, he never stretched out under saddle. It's literally been the last two days I've been out on the stubble, teaching him it's ok to gallop out. He can fairly move :D But despite the fact galloping is new to him, he's never been strong or unmanagable to hack or school (spooky as
h3ll but light in your hand). But then, he's always been allowed to walk, trot and canter forwards, with only a light, guiding contact and no holding back.

I hope the stubble's still good tonight :D
 
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