Slowing down a young horse.

[Hattiehorse]

Basically, we have a small school which is on a slope (the short sides are on the slope) and it is also just grass and a dirt track, so when it's dry it's rock solid and when it rains it's a bog. I will have to be doing most of the work on my horse while out hacking, which I have no problem with but it does mean I need some ideas from you guys.
His main problem is his speed, he just wants to gallop everywhere

When he first gets into trot he powers along so I have to slow him, but after a bit he'll just speed up again so it's a constant - I wouldn't say battle as he willing slows down - but you get the idea.
Also, when he canters he often goes a bit mental and charges along (basically galloping)
How can I slow him down and improve him in general?
Walk-trot and trot-canter transitions are pretty much all I can think of right now...?
Any ideas appreciated!

Just so you can see my darling pony!

 

[magic14339]

I would try some bending exercises as this can often slow them down and get them thinking. I have a horse who is quite headstrong out hacking and quite often gets sticky in downwards transitions the best trick I have ever been taught is to consciously slow my rising and to play with the bit. Not in a way that would anywhere near resemble sawing! Basically a classical trainer said to gently squeeze each hand alternately but only slightly so it almost creates a vibration and means that there is nothing for the horse to lean on. With mine this instantly slows her and enables me to maintain softness and contact with out getting tanked off with. Hope I described it ok it really is very quick little squeezes alrternatly with each hand. Good Luck

 

[teddyt]

Use your seat as much as possible. You need to teach him in walk first that holding with your seat, keeping your back still and holding (NOT pulling) the contact means slow down. Softening the contact/seat/back means forward. Do transitions within the pace and from walk to halt. Then progress to trot and do the same, with walk to trot transitions and within the pace. Do lots and lots of transitions. Dont even think about cantering until the basics are inplace- you cant run before you can walk!

The horse has to learn to carry himself, which takes time and patience and there are no shortcuts. By cantering too soon you will be tempted to pull and your horse will never learn self carriage and his mouth will get hard.

 

[the watcher]

Relying on speed is often an indicator that he hasn't really learned to balance himself yet so I would concentrate on slow work as much as possible to build him up behind and long reining in the school with plenty of bending.

 

[Rudey]

aaaawwwww what a cheeky chappy!!!

He is so cute! How can you say these things about him lol!

I have a speedy gonzales horse too. I find that by keeping their minds occupied and active helps. A schooling exercise I do to steady him down is when I go around the outside of the school, I pick a random corner and do a 10 metre circle and proceed round the edge of the school. To confuse him, I do it at every other corner, then maybe a lap where I don't bother, sometimes I do one in the middle of a long straight, perhaps get a teeeeny weeeeny figure of eight in, etc.... you get the drift

Increasing and decreasing the size of circles help too. It's a great exercise in any gait.

Another one is to form a square with corners marked out for you to aim to ride at (i.e. cones). You need to make them go around the edge of the square, and not allow them to fall out of the shoulder, trying to maintain a square shape. It's tough going I tell ya!

Another trick I have is by making stopping and slowing down fun fun fun!!!

When he does do as he is told, I really go to town, majorly over exaggerate praising him with patting and good boys, he loves it! just like women do with men, when they rarely do the washing up, over praise them to encourage them to do it again

lol!

Without all of the basic schooling skills, the best thing to use in my opinion is your voice. Constantly talk to him, soothing and quiet. Even when he's being on his toes and you want to kill him, tell him that, but in a niiiiice caaaaalm sooooothing voice lol

!

Works for me .... most of the time anyway lol

xx

 

[Hattiehorse]

Thanks for all the ideas! As soon as it stops chucking it down outside I'll give it all a go.
Oh for an indoor school
lol.