schooling tips needed to get better control out hacking

[Firehorse]

my boy is generally a saint in the school or hacking on the roads, but once we step out of this safe territory and into the countryside, he totally changes his attitude. he is fwd going naturally and loves to work. but we have had so many blips of late in the country. he gets over excited as soon as we get onto grass. he did tank off with me twice last year after a bit change, but hasnt done so since going back in his original one. he is stoppable after a blast. but if we see other horses or if there is a dog bothering us, he will get so stupid. today, we'd had a calm, controlled canter on my say so, with a few steps of trot first and i was really pleased with him as i'd taken him somewhere he hadnt been for a while. then a horse appeared on the scene and he lost his head. its like he cant contain his excitement and doesnt know what to do!!! the other horse overtook us at walk, and mine started tossing his head about, prancing and reversing into a barbed wire fence. eeekk! he simply wudnt listen to me. in the end i jumped off and lead him for about 2 minutes until he calmed down a bit. then i jumped on again, he was prancing the whole way home and was totally soaked, even tho the other horse was long gone.

i hve access to a schooling paddock and need some suggestions of things i can do which will hopefully help. i'm jst a happy hacker and kinda get lost in a school unless there is someone in there telling me what to do!!! and as i cant really afford lessons at the mo, thats not an option!

many thx!

 

[BobbyMondeo]

Id try just practicing transitions with him and just getting him really listening to you so he knows exactly what all the aids mean. also when your out on a hack if he sees something too exciting try turning him away from untill he calms down then start going back the way you came.

It will take time, i had problems like this with my youngster and turning him round whenever he started to get too worked up was the only thing that stopped him in the end. Hes good as gold now.

 

[GGRider]

I should try and work your horse to death so he is so chilled and tierd that he can hardly muster the energy to be frisky. Of course, if Arab or TB this will probably not work!!! Cut feed, increase turn out and increase work and if he gets giddy send him up a steep hill in your best leaning back seat to slow him down!

 

[Firehorse]

thanks GGRider! he is a pony tb type. He can gallop up a steep hill, be puffing and blowing at the top and still find the energy to fizz if a dog comes near us!!! He only gets molichaff calmer, he lives out 24/7. i work him as much as i can, which isnt probably enough, so cud really do with a sharer. when i got him he was tip top fit, as had been pony clubbed and competed regularly. he was better behaved in the first few months i had him, than he is now, so i think that might be the answer. thx!

 

[Weezy]

Some horses just find other horses/dog ridiculously exciting/scary (who knows which it really is!) - we have one that has been like it for the 4 years I have known him. He isn't dangerous, just gets wound up, so you need to sit quietly, leg on and try and ignore. You could try and ensure that you are riding your horse every step of your hack - flex, shoulder in, leg yield, etc, keep him thinking and keep his attention on you.