re training a trotter

[colouredhat]

I've got a 15.2 5yr old trotter who i just cant seem to get to trot normally.
Sometimes she does and othertimes its 'trotter trot' with no obv reason as to why she changes.
on the lunge shes good and getting canter is no problem.
any suggestions as to how to get her to pick up a normal trot?
Thanks

 

[StormyMoments]

i dont know but i thought i'd go for a long shot


raised trotting poles? i dont know if this will work or not i have a 2 yr old trotter x tb so im wondering how she will come out too good luck!

 

[LittleBlackMule]

By "trotters trot" do you mean pacing, or 100mph flat out trot?

My Standardbred does both - left to his own devices he will trot faster than most horses canter, and if he gets excited he falls into a lateral pace, which is very comfy but shouldn't really be encouraged as it doesn't help to refine a correct trot.

Standardbreds and trotters are not big on collection, hence why they struggle with moving correctly, so you need to do lots of lateral work, work on circles, and hill work, to slow them down and get them balanced and using their backs properly.

 

[horsesforcourses]

I have a standardbred, when i first had her, she would only 'pace' when asked for trot.
The way i managed, was every time she went into a pace, just bring back to a walk, and ask again, really quietly and praise if they even only give you a couple of strides.
Mine had a really high head carriage, with an upside down neck, so the first few weeks when ridden, i hardly took a contact, just kept everything relaxed, and she brought her head down almost on her own accord.
If you have a hill to work on, that helps, (luckily we have a common with a steady incline), this will help in both the trot and especially the canter.
When turned out, she never paces, so this gave me encouragement to keep going with her.
They generally are quick learners, mine cottoned on to the trot within a few weeks.
If you want to jump, then you have the right breed, mine just loves it, never looks at a thing, and absolutely adores xc.

 

[Laroxes]

I'll probably get shot for this but horses cannot pace if they are working properly e.g. working from behind primarily, soft over their back. To teach my tb x trotter I used draw reins but with the help of a very experienced trainer as they should only be used in experienced hands.

My horse now only paces if he is tense (before a sj or xc round) and scores well at novice level dressage, although it is very hard to get transitions as precise as a 'normal' horse.

 

[Aeia]

I have a horse who I think is a standardbred as he started to pace. He was rescued as a foal so don't know his breeding but his conformation is that of a standardbred and looks just like some others I've seen!

He does struggle to work from behind and would often pick up pace instead of trot when schooling (he's never raced). I have seen him pace in the field but mainly when excited or when going downhill especially when coming down from canter he prefers to pace.

I've recently stared some pole work with him and since this he never paces in the school. I have to make sure he stays relaxed and doesn't rush as if he gets joggy its a pacey jog rather than a trot jog.

I struggle with schooling a bit as I have a bad leg so in rising trot I'm not that balanced and he's way too bouncy and fast to sit to. At the moment I'm working with the poles to strengthen him behind and they also help him to concentrate and slow down as he can't rush them. We also do poles on the lunge and I use an equi ami training aid to help get him working more from behind.

Our hacking is very hilly which I think also helps, but on the other hand coming down the hills he's very choppy and on the forehand as he struggles to sit down and get his hind well under him preferring to shorten and quicken his pace.

Andrea