Stenners
Well-Known Member
I've had my boy for 2 years - he's very anxious and sensitive and can be reactive but however soooooo much better now then when I first got him having had a 5 stage vetting and turned out to need months of rehab as was weak from being over worked at sale livery.
Anyway 2 years on, regular physio and everything checked and given the all clear over a year ago now and then his saddle didn't fit and then I tore ligaments in my ankle but putting that aside now we are hoping to finally get going this year and we are currently having lessons and he's doing super well but recently he's got into a bad habit out hacking, I say recently he's been doing it a few months - mainly with other horses but can do it on his own sometimes as well.
If we are trotting alongside or behind another horse he just sees it as one big race and I think before I got him he was pinned down in draw reins so his go to is to tuck his head in, do a really choppy trot and then try to canter or bronc! He doesn't really ever do it out in front and only occasionally when on his own. Now I put it down on his own to too often trotting up the same hill as he's tends to do it on our regular trot parts it's almost like he anticipates and just wants to get there quicker so I try not to trot him where he expects it now but I went out with a friend last week and he's great in walk (apart from his days where he's very spooky!) but as soon as we go to trot he will be fine for a minute and then revert to his choppy trot and bronc sideways across the road for a few strides and go as fast as he can to catch up and then he will carry on his merry way again. Some days he realises his he can lengthen his stride but still tries to go like the clappers! It's very very frustrating! Now I don't think maybe I help as I probably need to give him a longer rein but I've got hold of him so he doesn't charge off or shoot out into the road into a car (he'd never mean to do it on purpose but just gets silly)
He's very sensitive and doesn't really like you taking a hold and does work better schooling for example if you have a longer rein but I keep wondering - should I push him forwards, bring him back to walk, let go of my rein etc - I'm trying to use my seat and slow my rising. he's not strong but does then lean and if you grab hold he grabs hold more! It's like he's frustrated he can't keep up!
We did a lot of hacking on our own last year so it wasn't that often he did a lot of trotting in company and he used to be fine trotting behind when I first got him and we went out with a horse one day who can be similar and they both thought it was a race and I just need to chill him out a bit and make him realise he needs to slow down and trot behind without broncing! When he's like that even a car splashing in a puddle will make him shoot off and do a couple hops! God help me if I were to canter behind another horse out hacking!
Any tips to help and chill him out would be great! He's not attached to other horses and we can pass horses hacking and he's fine and he'll happily let them go off further down the road when in walk.
Anyway 2 years on, regular physio and everything checked and given the all clear over a year ago now and then his saddle didn't fit and then I tore ligaments in my ankle but putting that aside now we are hoping to finally get going this year and we are currently having lessons and he's doing super well but recently he's got into a bad habit out hacking, I say recently he's been doing it a few months - mainly with other horses but can do it on his own sometimes as well.
If we are trotting alongside or behind another horse he just sees it as one big race and I think before I got him he was pinned down in draw reins so his go to is to tuck his head in, do a really choppy trot and then try to canter or bronc! He doesn't really ever do it out in front and only occasionally when on his own. Now I put it down on his own to too often trotting up the same hill as he's tends to do it on our regular trot parts it's almost like he anticipates and just wants to get there quicker so I try not to trot him where he expects it now but I went out with a friend last week and he's great in walk (apart from his days where he's very spooky!) but as soon as we go to trot he will be fine for a minute and then revert to his choppy trot and bronc sideways across the road for a few strides and go as fast as he can to catch up and then he will carry on his merry way again. Some days he realises his he can lengthen his stride but still tries to go like the clappers! It's very very frustrating! Now I don't think maybe I help as I probably need to give him a longer rein but I've got hold of him so he doesn't charge off or shoot out into the road into a car (he'd never mean to do it on purpose but just gets silly)
He's very sensitive and doesn't really like you taking a hold and does work better schooling for example if you have a longer rein but I keep wondering - should I push him forwards, bring him back to walk, let go of my rein etc - I'm trying to use my seat and slow my rising. he's not strong but does then lean and if you grab hold he grabs hold more! It's like he's frustrated he can't keep up!
We did a lot of hacking on our own last year so it wasn't that often he did a lot of trotting in company and he used to be fine trotting behind when I first got him and we went out with a horse one day who can be similar and they both thought it was a race and I just need to chill him out a bit and make him realise he needs to slow down and trot behind without broncing! When he's like that even a car splashing in a puddle will make him shoot off and do a couple hops! God help me if I were to canter behind another horse out hacking!
Any tips to help and chill him out would be great! He's not attached to other horses and we can pass horses hacking and he's fine and he'll happily let them go off further down the road when in walk.
) . This just my experience of my speedy pony who used to canter behind going uphill and throw her head around going downhill etc. You may have a different feeling from your beasty.