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Extreme Veteran
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| I just got a mare that is very forward moving. She is sensitive on the sides and will accelerate over the slightest movement or pressure. She also has a problem with holding her gate. When I'm walking she wants to prance, jog or trot. There is no slow trotting or slow loping. When I try to hold her back she sometimes leaps or swings her butt around and throws a fit. Does anyone have any advice? |
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 Bulls Eye
Posts: 6443
  
Location: Oklahoma | lots of circles. Vary the size of them. Also half halts |
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Extreme Veteran
Posts: 306
| TwistedK - 2015-03-10 3:30 PM
lots of circles. Vary the size of them. Also half halts
Yes I thought so. That's what I am doing now. Circles till she is calmly staying in that gait then letting her go straight. If she accelerates more circles. Just want to know everyone's experiences and always open for other techniques.
What exactly are half halts?
Edited by 3KissHit 2015-03-10 3:37 PM
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Bulls Eye
Posts: 6443
Location: Oklahoma | 3KissHit - 2015-03-10 3:36 PM
TwistedK - 2015-03-10 3:30 PM
lots of circles. Vary the size of them. Also half halts
Yes I thought so. That's what I am doing now. Circles till she is calmly staying in that gait then letting her go straight. If she accelerates more circles. Just want to know everyone's experiences and always open for other techniques.
What exactly are half halts?
That is really the best way I have found. You can do figure eights too to bend them. |
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  Twin Sister to Queen Boobie
Posts: 13315
Location: East Tennessee but who knows?! | 3KissHit - 2015-03-10 3:36 PM
TwistedK - 2015-03-10 3:30 PM
lots of circles. Vary the size of them. Also half halts
Yes I thought so. That's what I am doing now. Circles till she is calmly staying in that gait then letting her go straight. If she accelerates more circles. Just want to know everyone's experiences and always open for other techniques.
What exactly are half halts?
I think of Half Halts asking them to halt their stride just enough to slow down but by at the same time keeping them moving forward. Use reins and seat to ask for the slow down, use leg to keep them moving forward, and you adjust your seat as needed to keep them moving.You basically cue with short, quick pressure & release. There's no tugging and hanging on. There's another post on slowing the lope that was posted yesterday that has some good exercises. When horses change gaits it's usually and issue with lack of balance and condition - they can't hold themselves to stay in the same gait. It can also be about relaxation and their anticipation, some of that can be caused by lack of balance as well. Just like we get stressed and scared from feeling off balance they can too. And rider error and not being aware of what your body is really doing can contribute to it too. |
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 Go For It!
Location: Texas | I would let her go...just guide her in a big circle until she relaxes on her own. Could take 3 minutes, could take 3 hours. It'll be harder on you then it will be on her. Keep your body in the whoa position, sitting deep in your saddle. When she relaxes ask her to keep going a few more circles. It doesn't take one long to realize that you're not going to argue with them and it's easier to just relax and lope or trot calmly, lol. You will definitely get a work out in, but if you can stick it out the payoff is worth it.
Good luck!
Edited by grinandbareit 2015-03-11 11:30 PM
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Expert
Posts: 1561
| grinandbareit - 2015-03-11 11:28 PM
I would let her go...just guide her in a big circle until she relaxes on her own. Could take 3 minutes, could take 3 hours. It'll be harder on you then it will be on her. Keep your body in the whoa position, sitting deep in your saddle. When she relaxes ask her to keep going a few more circles. It doesn't take one long to realize that you're not going to argue with them and it's easier to just relax and lope or trot calmly, lol. You will definitely get a work out in, but if you can stick it out the payoff is worth it.
Good luck!
I said this last year and was flamed and stalked... |
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 Expert
Posts: 1229
Location: Royal J Performance Horses, AZ | im definitely not going to flame any one here because we all have our own ways and opinions on doing things.
BUT IMO just letting the horse go to her "crazy place" and running the **** out of her to shes so tired she walks. wont solve the problem. all you did was make her tired.
If someone has anger management issues you dont make them angry and think "There I'll get them REALLY REALLY MAD and then they will get SO MAD, They will calm down..."
Just backwards thinking to me. Keep her calm, relaxed, make sure YOU are relaxed. and i KNOW this wont be easy, but while shes trotting try posting. you will probably bounce around quite a bit while you try to get her to just do her job, and it wont be easy. but it helps them be less sensitive.
I have a mare that WAS like this to a T. and just letting her go psychotic was not the answer.
you have to teach them to be slow and relaxed because they dont know how. Think of it that way.
I agree with the slow work, and half halts. and lots of circles in varying sizes.
Good luck on your horse |
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 Extreme Veteran
Posts: 422
Location: Fort Bragg North Carolina | Letting the horse "go" works for most horses I've owned but depends on WHY they want to go if it's because of energy reasons or a hurry to get to the barn etc its a great drill!! I have one horse that that doesn't work she gets more amped and you cannot win I usually just find the smallest thing to reward and move on. I'd say try the circles usually they will slow down when they realize they r the ones making themselves work lol u can also look into Clinton andersons one rein stop method it helps keep their mind on you in the saddle |
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Married to a Louie Lover
Posts: 3303
| Fancie_That_Chrome_ - 2015-03-12 1:33 AM
im definitely not going to flame any one here because we all have our own ways and opinions on doing things.
BUT IMO just letting the horse go to her "crazy place" and running the **** out of her to shes so tired she walks. wont solve the problem. all you did was make her tired.
If someone has anger management issues you dont make them angry and think "There I'll get them REALLY REALLY MAD and then they will get SO MAD, They will calm down..."
Just backwards thinking to me. Keep her calm, relaxed, make sure YOU are relaxed. and i KNOW this wont be easy, but while shes trotting try posting. you will probably bounce around quite a bit while you try to get her to just do her job, and it wont be easy. but it helps them be less sensitive.
I have a mare that WAS like this to a T. and just letting her go psychotic was not the answer.
you have to teach them to be slow and relaxed because they dont know how. Think of it that way.
I agree with the slow work, and half halts. and lots of circles in varying sizes.
Good luck on your horse
I think there's a difference between letting a horse who has excess energy go "psychotic" and letting them move out until they are in a better mindset. I've always had better luck sending nervous energy forward than trying to relax it away.
My suggestion would be similar to what's been suggested - let her move forward, a nice posting long trot is tiring. Maintain control - just because you're letting her move forward does not mean she gets to run away with you. Inside leg to outside rein to bring her hip under her, throw some nice big circles and changes of direction in to keep her with you instead of just hauling butt around the arena. It's not just running her around the arena to get her tired, it's making her work.
When you feel her start to back off and slow down, push her a little bit more - YOU choose the pace, not her. Don't push her too long, just enough. And let her walk. Keep your contact for a few strides at the walk and keep riding with that hip up under her - the walk is a gait too and it gets neglected when people bring them down and immediately throw them their head. Make her keep working at the walk for a half dozen strides or so and then let her walk on a loose rein and catch her breath. Repeat. Use your judgment on how long to keep her out based on her fitness level and how long it takes. Better yet I think is if you have the ability to put several short rides a day on her.
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 I Chore in Chucks
Posts: 2882
Location: MD | 2 years ago I asked pretty much the same question. Someone suggested serpentine's. The worse he was, the smaller the serpentine got. It helped and got me through the spring fever "hurry feet!" |
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Go For It!
Location: Texas | Fancie_That_Chrome_ - 2015-03-12 1:33 AM
im definitely not going to flame any one here because we all have our own ways and opinions on doing things.
BUT IMO just letting the horse go to her "crazy place" and running the **** out of her to shes so tired she walks. wont solve the problem. all you did was make her tired.
If someone has anger management issues you dont make them angry and think "There I'll get them REALLY REALLY MAD and then they will get SO MAD, They will calm down..."
Just backwards thinking to me. Keep her calm, relaxed, make sure YOU are relaxed. and i KNOW this wont be easy, but while shes trotting try posting. you will probably bounce around quite a bit while you try to get her to just do her job, and it wont be easy. but it helps them be less sensitive.
I have a mare that WAS like this to a T. and just letting her go psychotic was not the answer.
you have to teach them to be slow and relaxed because they dont know how. Think of it that way.
I agree with the slow work, and half halts. and lots of circles in varying sizes.
Good luck on your horse
I can appreciate your position... BUT... and there is always that but in there, lol... I have to disagree with your theory. Let's try to keep in mind what the ultimate goal is... To have a calm and relaxed horse - under pressure.
We expect our horses to be able to run full speed, make 3 perfect turns and stop at the end of the alley, turn out a winning time and do it all without becoming an idiot (that's what I expect anyway). You aren't going to teach a hot horse how to relax and RUN barrels WELL, with half halts and lots of slow work. That might work if you never want to GO FAST, but we need to GO FAST.
The key to letting a horse move out on their own, is you. You have to have the CONFIDENCE to stay RELAXED and KNOW that what you're doing is the right thing to do, you have to sit deep in your saddle and don't tip forward. Don't squeeze or pull on them. Just guide them in a circle about the size of an 80 to 100 ft round pen. THIS IS NOT EASY TO DO, YOU HAVE TO BE FIT... I have had to sit like this for an hour, and had saddle sores on my behind! I have never had a horse that this did not work with. Most people can't get a horse to relax because of their body position, some people ride with a lot of energy and it's hard to change that. It won't work correctly if you have all that energy in your seat, legs, and hands. I coach ladies all the time and teach them how to do it correctly and it is amazing how you begin to see the change in the horse and rider in just a short period of time. I would NEVER post on a horse like this... not until they were far enough along to stay relaxed in the post.
I have had some goofy son of a guns off the track and just blown up, that became nice calm relaxed WINNERS, with these exercises. I speak from experience. The proof is in the pudding. Fancie_That_Chrome, how did your mare turn out? I'm curious to hear if your method turned out a nice mare that ran well and was a pleasure to ride around? Because that is the ultimate goal.
Let me say that there is nothing that is said here that is meant to belittle anyone or their training methods... This is how we learn things, it is not meant to stir up controversy but to educate each other in the things that we find that have WORKED WELL FOR US. That is what I love about this forum. Please folks, let's not take things said on here personally. There is nothing wrong with HEALTHY debate, it makes us better.
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Expert
Posts: 1611
| What are your hands like?
Most people think they have light hands. I did too....until I went and rode with a reining guy. He had a filly so light that when he got a hold of her she was ready to work and my "holding" made her prance and be out of control.
It took me 30 mins to get my hands light enough so that I could properly walk, trot, and lope her without her prancing and getting hot. He pulled her outta the stall and rode her around, the little witch was light as a feather! I got on and it took 30 mins for me to lighten up my hands enough to correctly ride her.
It was my hands NOT the horse. Might call who you got her from and see if they will help you?
Really broke horses think your ready to work when you get a hold of them and if you don't have good hands unfortunately ,you don't realize it, but your holding onto them.
If you know she doesn't have a mouth on her and you have good hands, then put one on her. If your confused as to what i'm talking about find a reiner, cutter, or KNOWLEDGEABLE barrel person to take a weekly lesson from. The hardest thing about our industry is finding a professional that doesn't just pattern one but gets them BROKE.
My hands are a work in progress. I'm always trying to remember to keep them light, years of riding like a wild indian makes me revert to a yank in a run. It is a constant struggle to have good hands.
Edited by astreakinchic 2015-03-12 9:35 AM
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I just read the headlines
Posts: 4483
| Sometime the go until they want to slow down doesn't work. I had a BA75 gelding that was always wanting to GO. So I went out in the field and we loped large circles as fast as he wanted. He would not slow down. After I got tired I stopped which was not easy at this point. Why? It was not because I hadn't loped him long enough or that he wasn't tired, because he was. When I got off his legs were trembling and he was blowing hard. I nearly rode him in the ground unintentionally. I cried and cried, praying to God to not let him be ruined. Later I was reading an article in Equus magazine that told why this happened. Horses can get in a rhythm where it is actually easier to keep going than to stop when they are tired. I will never do that again. Next time I got on him, a couple weeks later because I was scared to find out if I had ruined him, he was still strong. I did the half halt thing and eventually he became a dream to ride. These big hearted, gritty horses need you to pay close attention sometimes. I still feel so bad about this and it was 20 years ago or more. |
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Go For It!
Location: Texas | GLP - 2015-03-12 9:50 AM
Sometime the go until they want to slow down doesn't work. I had a BA75 gelding that was always wanting to GO. So I went out in the field and we loped large circles as fast as he wanted. He would not slow down. After I got tired I stopped which was not easy at this point. Why? It was not because I hadn't loped him long enough or that he wasn't tired, because he was. When I got off his legs were trembling and he was blowing hard. I nearly rode him in the ground unintentionally. I cried and cried, praying to God to not let him be ruined. Later I was reading an article in Equus magazine that told why this happened. Horses can get in a rhythm where it is actually easier to keep going than to stop when they are tired. I will never do that again. Next time I got on him, a couple weeks later because I was scared to find out if I had ruined him, he was still strong. I did the half halt thing and eventually he became a dream to ride. These big hearted, gritty horses need you to pay close attention sometimes. I still feel so bad about this and it was 20 years ago or more.
Don't carry it with you GLP... we do what we can with the information we have and when we learn more we do better. There was a time in my life when I wasn't confident enough to do these things and they wouldn't work for me back then either. As the years go by we gain more and more experience and we get to be better horsemen.
I think the biggest mistake people make is not getting GOOD QUALIFIED help. I know how hard it is to find, but it is so worth it in the long run. I LOVE being a coach! It helps me to be a better horseman. That rhythm that you mentioned is where runners go during marathons (or so I've heard, lol). :)
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Expert
Posts: 2121
Location: The Great Northwest | The adage lope them tell they drop doesn't teach relax and slow! A lot of circles with a lot of inside and outside rolls. I will do one-rein stops too. The more you ask with those exercises will show them to pay attention to you not go amped. They are soon waiting for you to say where and how fast. |
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 Expert
Posts: 1857
| grinandbareit - 2015-03-11 11:28 PM
I would let her go...just guide her in a big circle until she relaxes on her own. Could take 3 minutes, could take 3 hours. It'll be harder on you then it will be on her. Keep your body in the whoa position, sitting deep in your saddle. When she relaxes ask her to keep going a few more circles. It doesn't take one long to realize that you're not going to argue with them and it's easier to just relax and lope or trot calmly, lol. You will definitely get a work out in, but if you can stick it out the payoff is worth it.
Good luck!
This is what I do... but you have to keep asking for what you want so when she does give it to you she will understand. Keep bumping and asking her to "easy", riding her from the hind end and into your hands. If she breaks into a trot squeeze her back into a lope. Once she can go a few strides into your hands at the speed you want, start to open your hands up and loosen, she picks speed up then gather her back up until she is the desired speed. I find straight lines are easy, we have a big field I will start one across or large circles. Once they can go a few strides on a loose rein stop and walk it out, end the day there.
Edited by FlyingJT 2015-03-12 11:17 AM
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I AM being nice
Posts: 4396
Location: MD | I think that what some of you are missing is that it's not a matter of "making them tired". Often, these horses get hot and cagey from being held back so much. They start to fight against the confinement and just get hotter. By allowing them to go and guiding them on a path of your choosing, we take away that apprehension for them. There is nothing to fight against and they figure that out rather well, normally. I have fixed a ton of runaways this way. |
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Expert
Posts: 1611
| WrapSnap - 2015-03-12 12:22 PM I think that what some of you are missing is that it's not a matter of "making them tired". Often, these horses get hot and cagey from being held back so much. They start to fight against the confinement and just get hotter. By allowing them to go and guiding them on a path of your choosing, we take away that apprehension for them. There is nothing to fight against and they figure that out rather well, normally. I have fixed a ton of runaways this way.
ding ding ding
Relxed horses are never held.
When you pick up on a BROKE horse it thinks its GO time. |
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Location: texas | Anytime she start speeding up without you asking stop her and then back her up then go forward to the rate you want. fallon taylor has a great video on rates on youtube! |
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Veteran
Posts: 133
Location: texas | Fancie_That_Chrome_ - 2015-03-12 1:33 AM
im definitely not going to flame any one here because we all have our own ways and opinions on doing things.
BUT IMO just letting the horse go to her "crazy place" and running the **** out of her to shes so tired she walks. wont solve the problem. all you did was make her tired.
If someone has anger management issues you dont make them angry and think "There I'll get them REALLY REALLY MAD and then they will get SO MAD, They will calm down..."
Just backwards thinking to me. Keep her calm, relaxed, make sure YOU are relaxed. and i KNOW this wont be easy, but while shes trotting try posting. you will probably bounce around quite a bit while you try to get her to just do her job, and it wont be easy. but it helps them be less sensitive.
I have a mare that WAS like this to a T. and just letting her go psychotic was not the answer.
you have to teach them to be slow and relaxed because they dont know how. Think of it that way.
I agree with the slow work, and half halts. and lots of circles in varying sizes.
Good luck on your horse
COMPLETELY AGREE WITH HER YOU!! |
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Expert
Posts: 1561
| Ashlen1515 - 2015-03-12 8:02 PM
Fancie_That_Chrome_ - 2015-03-12 1:33 AM
im definitely not going to flame any one here because we all have our own ways and opinions on doing things.
BUT IMO just letting the horse go to her "crazy place" and running the **** out of her to shes so tired she walks. wont solve the problem. all you did was make her tired.
If someone has anger management issues you dont make them angry and think "There I'll get them REALLY REALLY MAD and then they will get SO MAD, They will calm down..."
Just backwards thinking to me. Keep her calm, relaxed, make sure YOU are relaxed. and i KNOW this wont be easy, but while shes trotting try posting. you will probably bounce around quite a bit while you try to get her to just do her job, and it wont be easy. but it helps them be less sensitive.
I have a mare that WAS like this to a T. and just letting her go psychotic was not the answer.
you have to teach them to be slow and relaxed because they dont know how. Think of it that way.
I agree with the slow work, and half halts. and lots of circles in varying sizes.
Good luck on your horse
COMPLETELY AGREE WITH HER YOU!!
That Clinton Anderson guy you are bragging about on the other thread doesnt agree... |
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 Money Eating Baggage Owner
Posts: 9586
Location: Phoenix | FlyingJT - 2015-03-12 9:14 AM grinandbareit - 2015-03-11 11:28 PM I would let her go...just guide her in a big circle until she relaxes on her own. Could take 3 minutes, could take 3 hours. It'll be harder on you then it will be on her. Keep your body in the whoa position, sitting deep in your saddle. When she relaxes ask her to keep going a few more circles. It doesn't take one long to realize that you're not going to argue with them and it's easier to just relax and lope or trot calmly, lol. You will definitely get a work out in, but if you can stick it out the payoff is worth it. Good luck! This is what I do... but you have to keep asking for what you want so when she does give it to you she will understand. Keep bumping and asking her to "easy", riding her from the hind end and into your hands. If she breaks into a trot squeeze her back into a lope. Once she can go a few strides into your hands at the speed you want, start to open your hands up and loosen, she picks speed up then gather her back up until she is the desired speed. I find straight lines are easy, we have a big field I will start one across or large circles. Once they can go a few strides on a loose rein stop and walk it out, end the day there.
This this this!!!!!!!!! And what Wrap Snap said.
You need to lightly guide them, and sit deep and relaxed, kind of like you do not care anymore. Almost like a sack of potatoes, but holding it together. Really loosen up your legs. Sit there like you have allllll the time in the world.....you just need to ride with them until they get their head straight. Some can't handle all that nitpicking.
If mine has a lot of energy and is going to be a handful, I just go along with it. After a couple of minutes I can really sit deep and he comes back to reality. He will always jig. Not every ride, but I will never cure him of that and I've accepted it--he's 16. |
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Training to stay in their gate...