Slowing a very forward horse

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Horses 123

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Hello,
I was just wondering if anyone has any tips on slowing down a very keen horse? I am 14 years old and loan a lovely 15.2hh ex-trotter, with the deal if I can manage him for a year I can get my own horse (unless I become so attached I just keep loaning him!). I have been really trying to school him and balance him, to show I can could manage my own horse - but he's just so fast and so unbalanced, in canter especially, and nothing I am doing is really working. However he doesn't do it out of badness, he just has bucketfuls of go and if I could slow him down a bit he would be an absolute star, he tries so hard - so, does anyone have any experience of this? Any tips on getting them balanced and listening?
 
Loads and loads of transitions. Don't keep in canter for long, is only 3/4 strides then back to trot. This will teach him to sit back and wait. Practice in walk/trot transitions, then add a few canter.
 
if you do a search for trotter or pacer you will find a load of threads that are about this issue and exercises people advise. they are gorgeous horses, but they are very different to ride! your riding will come on so much from what you learn from them though.
 
Transitions, pole/cone work and lateral work if you can. Have you got a school or are you schooling out on hacks?
 
Slow your rise in trot as this will slow your horse. If you do lots of circles and changes of rein he won't anticipate the chance to go fast. Also lots of transitions as others have said.
 
Thanks so much for all the replies!
I do have an instructor, but because of Covid-19 all lessons have stopped so I've been using YouTube since December for ideas!
I'll keep working on the transitions, he can be a bit hard to halt so hopefully they will help with that too
tallyho! said:
Transitions, pole/cone work and lateral work if you can. Have you got a school or are you schooling out on hacks?
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The livery where my horse is has a school luckily and poles, I'll try some lateral work and see if that helps, it might be a bit of fun!
Again thanks for all the replies, I will definitely try some of those tips
 
Hello, I'm back again with a small update - the other night Beau (my loan horse) bombed off on me, going a full lap and a bit before I could get him under control again, which was pretty hair-raising especially as I was worried he was going to lose balance at every corner! I'm a bit nervous trying a canter on him again, although I've worked out he's not getting enough exercise so I really need to - any ideas on stopping him if he does this again? Circles aren't working as he doesn't have the strength or balance for any except the very largest circles, but the transitions did help get him listening a bit. Advice would be really appreciated!
 
Horses 123 said:
Hello, I'm back again with a small update - the other night Beau (my loan horse) bombed off on me, going a full lap and a bit before I could get him under control again, which was pretty hair-raising especially as I was worried he was going to lose balance at every corner! I'm a bit nervous trying a canter on him again, although I've worked out he's not getting enough exercise so I really need to - any ideas on stopping him if he does this again? Circles aren't working as he doesn't have the strength or balance for any except the very largest circles, but the transitions did help get him listening a bit. Advice would be really appreciated!
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If he's had his back and teeth check and there is nothing that is making him uncomfortable then I would book lessons as soon as you are able and in the meantime work on your transitions.
You could always try a hackamore. I tried a previous horse in a hackamore but it wasn't effective, but they are all different and some will respond surprisingly well bit-less.

I have even ridden mine in a Dually for a period whilst her mouth recovered from a slight injury and I found that it was very effective and I produced some really nice work out of her. Some horses really go better bit-less, it really surprised me, her paces were lovely. I even jumped and hacked out in the Dually and even now I lunge and long rein with it as I feel it is very effective if fitted right. It works on pressure and release so you have to understand the principle first.

You could experiment but you need to be in an enclosed area and I would suggest having someone with you the first time you use it. If she doesn't respond to you asking her to halt from a walk immediately then I wouldn't even contemplate going any faster. You need to fit it correctly https://www.horseandhound.co.uk/features/dually-halter-work-534917 and you use the reins on the schooling rings either side of the headcollar.
 
I would agree with the above... make sure he’s comfortable first and foremost... its well known the majority of the time it’s tack related, then health related comes a close 2nd along with diet... hope you sort it out but you’re only young and if he’s not right, it’s fine to admit it rather than get injured.
 
Birker2020 said:
If he's had his back and teeth check and there is nothing that is making him uncomfortable then I would book lessons as soon as you are able and in the meantime work on your transitions.
You could always try a hackamore. I tried a previous horse in a hackamore but it wasn't effective, but they are all different and some will respond surprisingly well bit-less.

I have even ridden mine in a Dually for a period whilst her mouth recovered from a slight injury and I found that it was very effective and I produced some really nice work out of her. Some horses really go better bit-less, it really surprised me, her paces were lovely. I even jumped and hacked out in the Dually and even now I lunge and long rein with it as I feel it is very effective if fitted right. It works on pressure and release so you have to understand the principle first.
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Thanks a lot for the reply :) he has been checked so I think it's just high spirits and wilfullness; I never thought of going bitless before - it would definitely be something to consider, I'll wait a bit for now to see if he settles down but I definitely might look into it in the future as the idea appeals - although I'm not sure I would trust him in a dually at this point!
j1ffy said:
You say he needs more exercise - is he getting any turnout?
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Sort of - he is turned out as much as possible, but with this weather he is only out 3-4 days a week due to field conditions, which isn't ideal! I ride him the days he is kept in though, to keep him happy. I had only been riding him 3 days a week for a bit, because of school and homework, but he needs more than that to keep him happy and healthy - I know it probably seems like common sense but I still have a lot to learn about balancing feed and work - I think I have a plan that works now, that is keeping him fit without straining him.
 
Horses 123 said:
Hello, I'm back again with a small update - the other night Beau (my loan horse) bombed off on me, going a full lap and a bit before I could get him under control again, which was pretty hair-raising especially as I was worried he was going to lose balance at every corner! I'm a bit nervous trying a canter on him again
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I know other people have already said this but as he is a trotter, he may genuinely be very unbalanced in canter. When I rode an ex-trotter it took a couple of years before he could canter properly in an arena (I will admit it wouldn't have been this long if I'd been a better rider!) - at first he couldn't even canter, so we had to try it out on hacks and in a big field while he worked out what to do with his legs. So I would maybe leave off cantering in the school for now, until you have some help, because it sounds like he may be bombing off because he's unbalanced and worried. (Just my thoughts, others may disagree)

Where did he come from? Are there lots of trotter tracks where you are? Could you find a trainer who has lots of experience of turning trotters into riding horses? Some experienced eyes on the ground, once restrictions lift, sounds like it would be really helpful. If you can find someone good you could maybe even send them some videos of the two of you in the arena and see what they say.
 
I have a very forward horse (no experience with trotters) and have struggled! Lots of good advice given to me from HHOers and my instructors...

when I got him he could only flat out and took off with me all the time. I worked out eventually that it started off as being unbalanced and then he panicked.

- forget the canter. If horse is green and unbalanced it will bomb off forwards to balance itself. Work on building strength and balance in walk and trot first.

- canter in a straight line (tracks work best for us not open spaces) Ask for a few strides and then back to walk. If a prat, push on then bring back.

- ask for canter on a looser rein and then pick up. Let them balance themselves rather than leaning on you.

- the sticky one....learn to truly ride and slow from your seat. I was like I AM riding from my seat, but I didn’t know how to really slow him down with it. this way easier to keep him steady and balanced without relying on your hands. Get a good instructor to help you work through this!

Would you get a pro to sit on him and work out what the issues are and then help guide you through them?
 
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