Running through trot

[Tickles]

I've just started riding a middle-aged horse who, afaik, has used trotted only a few paces to transition to/from canter for the last decade or so. Horse is responsive to aids for (particularly upwards!) transitions but runs 'through' the trot, feet working really fast, neck stretched forward. Horse is seen regularly by vet etc and is less responsive to trot-walk aid than walk-trot so I think this is learnt behaviour more than anything physical (although open to other ideas).

Plan so far
- trot for ages with changes of direction, circling, leg yield etc (will steady on small circles, but then runs when going straight again)
- trot over poles (works only whilst you're actually going over the poles)
- trot out hacking (not yet tried as no off-road until next week)
- lunge in trot (not yet tried as no area until next week)
- not much canter at all (although did think maybe tiring horse out might work?)

Does anyone have any other ideas as to how to get a steady trot? Any guesses as to how long it will take (seeing this horse twice per week)?

Lunch-time treats in advance!

 

[[59668]]

Hmm interesting one! How on earth did he get this far without ever trotting!

Anyway, here's an idea. I got this idea from someone else and used it on my cob who had a very rushy runny trot. And it worked. I still use it sometimes.

Put him onto a circle, and everytime you feel him steady and come more into a rythem and stop rushing, no matter where you are, come straight off the circle and go straight.

The second he starts to rush again, back onto a circle, even if you only got 2 straight paces.

Make the circle small enough that it is difficult for him to rush on it.

The idea is that it is harder for him to rush on the circle, and he learns that to make it easier on himself and go straight, he has to not rush. Just keep on and on doing that. On both reins and just keep circling up and down the school.

 

[Tickles]

Thank you, that makes sense, I'll give it a try next time we're in the school. I'd not thought of coming off incomplete circles but the immediate response should be much easier for horse to learn from.

I think the history is some jumping and happy hacking (walk on roads/canter in fields) after an early season or two hunting so horse has just never been asked to trot for sustained periods.