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Expert
Posts: 2685
   
| So I have a gelding that I have not had long that I have had a dressage trainer riding. I rode him on a trail ride for the first time today. He was bored out of his mind. Walking fast, looking around. Just really wanted to be put to work. The boredom almost put him in a bad mood. When I found a flat spot I put him to work a little bit and he turned into a different horse and put on his happy pants and was cheery but getting back to the trail he got all ****y again.
I treated for ulcers when I got him (came from a race home), he's on good feed, preventative care for joints and gastric health, I had the trainer give him preventative dose of gastrogard before big rides and I gave him some before the trail ride.
I just feel like I handled the situation wrong getting flustered with his bad attitude because I was like "I'm trying to give you a relaxing ride you turd!" I'm just not used to a horse that looks for something to do as much as he does. I'm sure he needs more saddle time and that could be part of it but I don't think the antsy crap will ever go away. He is awesome in the arena or being worked. Cool as a cucumber.
Edit to fix my terrible grammar from phone..
Edited by RoaniePonie11 2015-02-07 8:09 PM
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The Advice Guru
Posts: 6419
 
| I'm not sure what trails you go on, but I do work my horses on trails even if the trail is a goat trail.
I stop back up, extend walk collect walk, when I get to a wider part I turn on haunches, reverse arc, etc.
I don't work them all the time, more like a random thing to keep them listening to me.
I also believe if my horse don't like it, they are still going to do it willingly (bad attitude or not. I also don't pay attention/reprimand them for bad attitude if they are doing what I ask |
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  Sock eating dog owner
Posts: 4553
Location: Where the pavement ends and the West begins Utah | get him a bit with a roller in it that will keep him busy while letting you relax. Some call it a cricket. |
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Expert
Posts: 2685
| thanks y'all.
I did not reprimand him for being in a bad mood since he was still technically doing what I asked, I just wish he wasn't so mad about being on a trail. We did lateral movement and worked on our stride. We went under and over and through things. I was with some people so I couldn't just take off and do my own thing but I do think that may have made him happier.
I do ride him in an O-ring with a copper roller. He chewed and played and chewed and played.... |
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| Do things with him that keep his brain busy. The moment he gets a little bit more pep in his step - do something completely random (ex. turn him to the right and stop him, let him stand for 10 seconds and then continue on walking; stop, back up, and rollback and then stand for a few seconds until he takes a breath, and then continue). I have a mare similar to this and all he is doing is anticipating what's coming next. You need to "blow his mind" and keep him listening to you for what's next. I started doing this with my mare after every trail ride we had turned into a battle & i then talked to an awesome trainer who suggested this... and it's been working! |
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Expert
Posts: 2685
| thank you!
Its weird because in an arena setting, or even on flat ground where we are "working" he is a completely different horse. Calm, and responsive and thinking but on the trail today he was fast paced and a little stiff like ok lets get this over with. |
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 Playing the Waiting Game
Posts: 2304
| cheryl makofka - 2015-02-07 8:18 PM I'm not sure what trails you go on, but I do work my horses on trails even if the trail is a goat trail. I stop back up, extend walk collect walk, when I get to a wider part I turn on haunches, reverse arc, etc. I don't work them all the time, more like a random thing to keep them listening to me. I also believe if my horse don't like it, they are still going to do it willingly (bad attitude or not. I also don't pay attention/reprimand them for bad attitude if they are doing what I ask
This. and I was thinking do you just sit up there for the ride on a trail ride. NOT being disrespectful, I have done that on some horses... I DON't RIDE them I'm just sitting up there letting them walk on the trail. Your horse may have just been looking for some direction and was getting none. |
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Expert
Posts: 2685
| To be honest, I tried. Lol. I think you are correct. He would get fussy when I wasn't messing with him asking him to do things but I was thinking don't jack with him today, just let him relax and be a trail horse. Apparently he doesn't want to be a trail horse lol. |
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The Advice Guru
Posts: 6419
| RoaniePonie11 - 2015-02-08 9:40 AM
To be honest, I tried. Lol. I think you are correct. He would get fussy when I wasn't messing with him asking him to do things but I was thinking don't jack with him today, just let him relax and be a trail horse. Apparently he doesn't want to be a trail horse lol.
If you look at this horses history, he has never been able to relax, racing training very intense, dressage, always has direct contact.
The horse is probably insecure, as he has never had the reins thrown at him and said relax and have at er.
As with anything you need to train a trail horse, it doesn't happen overnight. |
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 Balance Beam and more...
Posts: 11493
Location: 31 lengths farms | CC is a horse that also has to have a job. Trail riding is not relaxing to her, unless it's gathering cows. She has a busy brain that never shuts off. She is 11 this year and just last summer finally we got where she can walk two laps of my worked up area on a loose rein and not get hot and bothered that we were not doing something. Trail riding you have to two track or circle a rock or a tree or bush, any thing that gives her that "job". She is the same way in the pasture. She will graze for 10 minutes in a spot, and then she will trot to one end of the pasture, check on things at that end, trot to the other end and check on the horses on that end, walk up the berm and check the cows across the creek. She then goes and rolls and back to grazing. It's almost like she was off the track and has to follow a routine. She is a happier horse that way so we just follow a routine as much as possible with her. |
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 Elite Veteran
Posts: 1119
| I would agree with this. You may think that trail riding should be realizing to him, but all he knows is that he has been told what to do all of his life and now you're not giving him any direction and his frustration and confusion may have shown up as a bad attitude.
Also, depending on what type of trail riding you are doing, it may have just been boring to him. A hilly, narrow trail where he has to pay attention to his feet, would maybe be a better choice than flat open areas. (I have no idea which you were riding, just a thought!). |
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 Expert
Posts: 1482
Location: on my horse | I'm going to go along the lines of what has already been said. If he hasn't been trail ridden a lot and isn't familiar with the process he's probably got some anxiety going on, it takes some horses a while to settle down and be confident on the trail. |
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Expert
Posts: 2685
| hey y'all. Thank you for all of the input. I guess I just didn't think about the fact that he has always been told what to do in the past.
I rode him in a big arena today because I was there to work my barrel mare. He did really well. He walks, trots and lopes on a loose rein fine. He was happy because he had a job to do today. We did lots of "using ourselves" today. Its going to be a long process with him but we will get there. I'm going extra slow as to not screw up lol |
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 Extreme Veteran
Posts: 356
| My gelding is fine on a trail ride with one or two other horses of ours, but loses his ever-loving mind if you get him out with a large group of unfamiliar horses. I think his competitive/dominant side takes over in that "herd" situation, and he HAS to be at the front of the pack. Maybe try taking him out by yourself and see how he does? |
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What to do with a horse that needs to stay busy