Too much energy!!!!

[erin92]

Hi everyone!
I have a problem with my 12 years old OTTB.
He is very good at everything, the only problem we have is that after he gallops he gets full of energy (too much!!!!!! >.<).
He does that only after he gallops, if he just trots he is very calm and quiet.
When he gets full of energy like that I litterally struggle to work him back into trot beacuse he gets also very havey on the bit and nervous.
A full vet check exam has been done and there are no physical issues.
The horse lives in the paddock during the day, in the stall at nights and I ride him 4 times per week (1 h training each time, dressage and show jumping).
He is ridden with a simple ring snaffle bit. I have tried to use a heavier bit only once and he was much better but I don' t want to choose this way, I want to solve the problem and keep on riding him with the lightest bit possible.

Any advice or similar experience? Thank you
ps: Sorry for my Englsh, I am not mother tongue.

 

[Sossigpoker]

So this sounds like he is full of adrenaline after he gallops. How long does it take for him to calm back down ?
And do you mean gallop , as in going flat out at full speed in an open space or a track , or do you mean canter ?

 

[Pearlsacarolsinger]

Unless the heavier bit is harsher, which it need not be, I would use it to train him to behave in a mannerly fashion at all times. Different bits suit different horses and sometimes what the human thinks of as kinder, actually isn't. It maybe that the 'light' bit feels uncomfortable in his mouth, which he can cope with until his adrenalinelevel is higher.

 

[erin92]

Sorry you' r right, I meant canter not gallop (I would say canter at slow/medium speed) and this is never enough for him.
Unfortunately we don' t have a track, we just have 2 outdoor arenas (one of them is very big) and the indoor that is quite small.
After canter, it takes even 20 mins to calm him down a bit but he is still full of energy (he has more energy at the end of the lesson than at the beginning).

I have been riding this horse for 9 years (I bought him when he was only 3) and I have never had this problem before because we were used to do just easy flat work 1-2 a week and long strolls in the wood.
One year ago I decided to train him more seriously (4 times a week of proper training) and since he exercised more, he developed much more muscles and lots of energy.....
The vet checked also the feeding and she said it' s not too much.
Don' t really know how to cope with it....my trainer doesn' t give it a lot of attention, she just says "it is a thoroughbred and you have to deal with this".

I tought someone else could ride him those days I can' t ride him beacuse looks like when he is in the field doesn' t move that much...but I would keep this as the last option.

 

[Birker2020]

It seems weird that since you upped his level of work he has been harder to cope with. I'd say he's either very fit or he's got a physical issue that the vet who gave him a full examination couldn't find.

 

[erin92]

Thank you for your reply
Looks more like something related to his fitness/excess of energy.
For example, if I lunge him (at least 30 even 40 mins) before riding him, he doesn' show that behaviour so I guess if it would be a physical problem, that the vet did not identify, he would show that anyway cause in pain.

I was just wondering if for a thoroughbred is enough or not working 4 times per week in terms of energy.
My lesson usually is like this: 15 mins walk, 30 mins trot with one break (poles/exercises at trot), 5 or max 10 mins canter (poles/exercise at canter), 10 mins jump, 5 mins trot and then 10 mins walk.
Bear in mind that I jump only once a week.

Could be not enought time at canter? Looks like he needs much more....

 

[mini_b]

Don' t really know how to cope with it....my trainer doesn' t give it a lot of attention, she just says "it is a thoroughbred and you have to deal with this".

feeling like you can’t cope will add to your horses whizziness, it’s an awful feeling to have.

providing that there is no physical cause for this behaviour; why can’t your trainer sit on him to gain an understanding of what you’re going through rather than just writing it off as a breed stereotype.
Not all TBs are nutters, far from it.

 

[Ouch05]

Are you lunging every time before you ride? if your are What you are what you are essentially doing is making him fitter and fitter then trying to ride in a calm manner on a very fit horse. I would look at what your end game is as in what are you wanting to achieve with him is it local fun stuff or are you aiming at working up the ladder in certain area? you need a horse that is fit enough to do the work you want it to do easily not one that is too fit as it came become frustrating for both of you. He wants to go go go you want a steady calm lesson. You just need to find the balance.

As for the canter, less is more, asking for a good calm transition up and down only once in a lesson is better that allowing the boy to get worked up doing it again and again.

 

[erin92]

Yes I agree! Unfortunately he is the only Tb in the stable and some people still have bad preconceptions about him because of the breed
I hate stereoptypes about OTTB as well because they are amazing horses and, in my opinion, they' r even better than other breeds.

Before this OTTB, I had two show jumpers but to be honest I have never developed with them such a strong bond, TBs can do everything and they r so loyal....

 

[erin92]

Anyway thank you for you replies and advice

 

[erin92]

Are you lunging every time before you ride? if your are What you are what you are essentially doing is making him fitter and fitter then trying to ride in a calm manner on a very fit horse. I would look at what your end game is as in what are you wanting to achieve with him is it local fun stuff or are you aiming at working up the ladder in certain area? you need a horse that is fit enough to do the work you want it to do easily not one that is too fit as it came become frustrating for both of you. He wants to go go go you want a steady calm lesson. You just need to find the balance.

As for the canter, less is more, asking for a good calm transition up and down only once in a lesson is better that allowing the boy to get worked up doing it again and again.

No, I do not lunge him every time I ride, I lunge him very rarely I don' t want him to get overworked.
I just lunge him when he has some days completely off. I' ll try to find this balance

 

[southerncomfort]

Are you riding out at all now or just in the school?

Could he be a bit bored and longing for a good gallop in the woods? I wonder if he just needs to let off steam every now and then.

 

[The Irish Draft 2022]

How long have you owned him for.

 

[J&S]

As above: you might find if you do the " strolls in the woods " again that he will settle better to his work in the school.

 

[Pearlsacarolsinger]

Yes I agree! Unfortunately he is the only Tb in the stable and some people still have bad preconceptions about him because of the breed
I hate stereoptypes about OTTB as well because they are amazing horses and, in my opinion, they' r even better than other breeds.

Before this OTTB, I had two show jumpers but to be honest I have never developed with them such a strong bond, TBs can do everything and they r so loyal....

To be fair (tbf) you are only talking about 1 OTTB, you can't generalise, either.

 

[Birker2020]

No, I do not lunge him every time I ride, I lunge him very rarely I don' t want him to get overworked.
I just lunge him when he has some days completely off. I' ll try to find this balance

I wouldn't be lunging for 30 or 40 mins when you do lunge him as it is incredibly wearing on the joints going round in a constant circle. You should aim for 20 mins a couple of times a week as an ideal. Also make sure you lunge on as bigger circle as you can, tighter circles will put more strain on the joints.

Just so you know they reckon that 30 mins lunging is equal to 90 mins riding.