Rushing

[skydancer]

My horse is an ex hunter she is lovely in all aspects apart from when she trots/canters. I will ask for trot and then all of a sudden she will get faster and faster this happens in canter as well. In trot i can slow her down by half halting and using my seat and voice i havent had a canter on her since we moved to the new yard( although we have only been there a week) in case i cant slow her down - any suggestions?

Chocs to all !

 

[much-jittering]

First suggestion is find a good instructor to help you out, eyes on the ground are the best thing

Secondly, you aren't cantering her at all in case you can't stop. This is a crazy situation to be in. What bit is she in? Noseband? How does she evade them when she speeds up? It may be worth putting something more effective in while you get to know each other.

Work a lot in trot. You should be able to get variations within the pace without a battle, ride lots of different figures etc so she never knows where she's going next, so she learns to wait for you. But remember, the more you tense up about it the faster she'll get, which is why you need a good instructor to help you out. Breathe, chill, stop hanging on to her and trot her long and low on a long rein. Then you'll feel ok with picking up canter, once you've got to the stage of happily doing that.

Personally, I'd go for a canter, and keep going until she's got it out her system and is willing to listen to you. I used to work with a mare who some days just came out with that head on and needed 10 canter laps and then she'd work beautifully, but if you tried to stop her after half a 20 metre circle you'd have a battle on your hands.

If she's been a decent hunter she'll have good manners and education somewhere, but a tense rider with tight reins will probably make her look for the hounds! Often on these foreward horses out biggest battle is to stay relaxed and loose ourselves, and then they don't get coiled up either

 

[paddi22]

if my lad rushes we do a circle... i would never let him go down the long side of the arena in a rush. if he rushes we circle and slow and balance. if he rushes and ignores my seat we circle, circle circle till he listens!

 

[skydancer]

thanx guys will try these - chocs to u both