Standardbred Trotter help!

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I have had my trotter for 2 years now, I already knew him when I bought him. I have been working on trot and canter. In trot he is hard to hold behind another horse as he is quicker, but in front or on his own has a nice trot. In canter he needs to go much quicker in order to do it. If holding him back his back legs tend to be all over the place. He took off with me before Christmas and although he wasnt trying to get me off there was a lot of power and no brakes. As he is 17 I am wondering what I should be doing with him now. Do I just accept that I walk and trot? :confused:
 
It sounds to me like he has been used in past for racing hence the fast trot when other horses about. He is probably used to just doing a faster and faster trot and doesnt understand that he can just slip into a canter. Im not really sure how you would go about getting him back to basics. You could maybe try encouraging him to get the hang of trot to canter on the lunge and he might find it easier when ridden. Maybe if you can (easier said than done)try not to allow him to build up too much of a speed in trot so he is more balanced going into canter, difficult if thats what he's used to doing. Really interested to hear how you get on with him :)
 
Sounds a bit like Neddy! Although the only good thing about Ned is he has a fear of going ahead of the ride, so won't tank off with me.
When he was being taught to canter, we made him walk, then asked for canter in walk, if we asked in trot, he'd just go faster and faster until he started pacing! (He does both trotting and pacing, when he's nervous or asked to go too fast he paces, when he's calm and cool he trots)
Let us know how you get on!
 
He has previously been raced in a harness, did so until he was 10. So thats why the faster and faster pace behind. On a lunge he does not want to go into canter. I feel it is because he cant collect himself and jump into it. In the school I am working on trotting a few steps and back into walk again.
I love him and wont get rid of him I just want to make sure I am trying all I can!
Thanks everyone.
 
i've had two ex trotters, one of which is still alive and going strong at 35. My mare, who I'd owned for 14 years was a star, though the trotting to cantering used to be a problem as like your horse she just used to get faster in trot.

I happened to have a very good instructor then (who sadly is no longer with us) and she used to break ex trotters as showjumping horses. One suggestion she asked me to try was rising on the wrong diagonal when the horse was trotting fast - with me it did help collect the horse and make them feel more balanced then we worked on the transition to canter.

My mare got it and was able to to a lovely trot/canter transition however you instead of just asking for the transition - you really had to over exaggerate it almost lift her into the canter. and she done a proper trot too.

The Gelding neer did a proper trot he carried on pacing but became much more collected and steady - and although it never looked pretty - our riding in a pace was much more balanced and controlled. He still used to rush into canter from a pace if he was not balanced so you really had to have your wits about you.

If you are lunging please remember that this reminds them of the harness and can make them think racing instead of listening (it seems to have a different outcome with ex trotters)

Also another thing my instructor taught me was that when these horses are broken to harness they are tought over and over and over again - ie once they get the "pace" they are made to keep doing it until it's second nature.

So once my horse got a proper trot, I was told to keep going round the arena several times in trot before letting her stop - as this was how she was used to learning.

However by far and away the easiest option was ALWAYS to ask walk to canter (exaggerating the transition)

The mare went on to do prelim dressage (I'm not very good but we had fun)

The Gelding was a grade A showjumper - he's the one still on the go at 35 ! He still paces and he's a crabbit old git but I wouldn't change him.
 
The standardbred mare I had didn't pace naturally but was taught too after her legs were tied together for a week so she could only pace. She only does it now when very tense and anxious thankfully. She has an ENORMOUS natural, SB trot though and drops into it from normal trot as a distinct gait change.

What worked for her was teaching her to really slow her trot and collect in it then ask her for quite a collected canter from that. Asking for canter from a flat out Sb trot is always going to be bumpy and they simply cannot engage their pelvis and strike off once they're flying along at 25mph plus.

Walk to canter, as di said, also really helps as does a lot of work spiralling in and out on circles to help them balance, leg yielding into a corner before asking for a strike off and the rider glancing over their outside shoulder as they ask for the strike off as this engages your inside seatbone and helps the horses balance.

I also use clicker training and taught the word 'canter' on the lunge then took it under saddle but if your boy is 17 and been raced he might never really lunge well.

It can take a year or two for them to build enough strength through the back end to transition into canter from trot well but if you regulate the trot speed with your own body and keep him balanced he'll build up slowly. Good luck.
 
I love the standardbreds - they usually have such lovely temperaments. Have you tried using a small jump to get canter? If you jump from a nice balanced, forward trot, he will most likely canter on landing if you keep your leg on. Just a few strides will do then make a big fuss of him. Keep doing this a few times each day and I'm sure he'll get the hang of it, but it will take time and patience.
 
Yes, try the small jump, thats how i got my mare to canter....she loves jumping, so she did not get anxious when i kept asking for the canter.
Also if you have any banks(hills), ask for a canter when going up, they have to get their hindlegs under them, which helps them understand where to put their legs!
 
Hi there. I work for STAGBI (Standardbred and Trotting Horse Association of Great Britain and Ireland) and I'm writing an article for the next newsletter on ex-racehorses that are now being used for riding (jumping/hunting/dressage/endurance), carriage-driving and/or anything else. I'm trying to get people who own ex-racehorses to send me photos and information about what their Standardbred is up to, now that they no longer race. Hopefully, if I receive enough of a response from owners, I can make it a regular feature in the newsletter and people will be able to see where the horses that they bred have ended up.

I would be really grateful if any of you with a Standardbred could contact me, if you would like to see your horse in the newsletter. I can also answer queries on how to become a STAGBI member, and perhaps if your horse featured in the newsletter, we'd be able to uncover some of it's racing history from previous owners who read the article!

My email address is thomassa1989@hotmail.co.uk, feel free to send me photos of your horses demonstrating their versatility and talent off the racetrack and information about what they're up to now.

Thanks for your time,

Sarah
 
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