Strong horse!

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TB135

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I have a 17hh , 6yo thoroughbred cross mare (not sure what she is crossed with, but we suspect it might be cleveland bay) who is incredibly strong to ride when she gets excited, mostly when jumping and hacking. She is currently in a loose ring snaffle and crank noseband. She had a few months off because she had problems with her stifle but is now in full work and loving life, unfortunately a bit too much! When jumping we will have a lovely collected canter until 3 strides from the jump where she just takes a hold and goes for it, most of the time taking off very early no matter what the height of the jump! When hacking on bridleways she gets very excited even if we are only waking and will always be jogging on the spot, and if I stand her to make her wait for other people because she has been walking too fast she starts to reverse. If anyone had any tips or suggestions of tack changes that would be great! :)
 
It doesn't sound like you need more brakes - that won't stop her jogging. Can you have some lessons for the jumping issue? And as for the jogging out hacking, is she better in company, better on the roads rather than the tracks? Is she getting plenty of turnout? Maybe drop the sugar beet or move to speedibeet?
 
if you want to change tack i would suggest a myler combination as have found the nose pressure does help joggy horses a bit. However my lad does a similar thing jumping and thats just his attitude but hours of gridwork and pole work has made a difference but needs to be regularly repeated. Personally my first action would be cutting the sugarbeet (either a bit or completely) it often makes horses very whizzy so goodluck
 
Irishbabygirl said:
It doesn't sound like you need more brakes - that won't stop her jogging. Can you have some lessons for the jumping issue? And as for the jogging out hacking, is she better in company, better on the roads rather than the tracks? Is she getting plenty of turnout? Maybe drop the sugar beet or move to speedibeet?
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She probably has the most turnout that is physically possible haha, she is out 24/7 in a huge field and is part of a herd, and she is the most laid back horse ever until you get on her. She is strong on the roads (not as much as when we get onto the bridlepaths though), by herself, and in company, I think she just generally finds hacking exciting. I'd like to get some jumping lessons with her but at the moment I'm a bit tight on money so don't think I will be able to until I save up a bit more. I was advised to try halting her before and after the jump to get it into her head that she did not have to rush things, but despite repeating this exercise a lot she doesn't seem to have learnt anything, and I struggle to stop her anyway. The sugar beet she is on at the moment is speedibeet :)
 
My old mare was exactly the same! She was just an excitable soul bless her!
I found with her a good routine helped, and lots of work - I did something with her six days a week. She had 24/7 turnout and a small amount of Hi-Fi nuts when needed over winter.
Sounds like you are doing all the right things. Maybe save up for those lessons...
 
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