When your horses come out like bats out of hell...

[PonyIAmNotFood]

What are your favourite tactics for handling this? With spring coming and horses appearing to grow 3 hands when you get them out, before bouncing around like loons, thought this would be a good thread for getting a nice collection of new ideas for handling this.

At the moment, my tactic is trot circles while clinging tight and waiting til they're too sweaty to bounce haha, not exactly the most effective

 

[Princess Jess]

I think lungeing before riding is probably the best way to make sure they're not too lively at the start of a session

 

[PonyIAmNotFood]

What if you're of the mind of just getting on with it and riding them through it though? Lunging isn't always possible, and if you want to school for an hour takes a chunk out of your session. I do have further tactics than circles, that was a bit tongue in cheek, was just interested in what others did. Seems a good way of transferring tactics and building up a bit of a collection of stuff to try when one thing isn't working.

 

[ghostie]

If I don't have time or its not practical to lunge I do a lot of trot work focusing on working trot, then collected trot, then a medium trot, then back to collected etc. I find that it gets Spider listening to me whilst burning off some energy and prevents the otherwise predictable bunny hopping we get the minute we canter if he's full of the joys of spring

 

[Amy567]

Our 'Spring grass' isn't exactly amazing, so never really have this problem. But lunging probably best, let them do their bouncing whilst I'm on the ground Or just let them canter around the arena for a bit, had an excitable one do that and calmed down nicely

 

[Tuffles 23]

Hi i also lunge if the pony is a bit fresh but now its lighter in the everning the ponies are getting more work so not really having a problem with them yet i have also found a short hack then schooling works well

 

[Headpiece]

with my youngster, it is avoid any open spaces for a least the first hour of riding Seriously cant be bothered to lunge first, it would take up all my riding time, and doesnt help as she canters around not listening, getting sweaty and excited ie not what the plan is.

 

[dafthoss]

Well if it plays the 'I wont be caught for over an hour' game then it has normally used all of its energy up(and my patience), think cantering until it cant breathe any more . But if not get on, dont touch the sides with your leg and direct the energy forwards some way and try to keep the back end on the floor. If that fails hope I had the thought to put my GP saddle on so I can get out of the way of its springy back end .

If all that fails take it out to the only hill locally (we are in the fens) and let it canter up it and keep it going, we have been doing about 2km of canter after a schooling session recently

 

[TART]

Always had an eager beaver out of the stable in the morning but better for me to ride than turn out!!!! Wonderful hub always does the spring turnout - he kinda 'walks' so much faster keeping everybody happy!!