Posted 2015-08-17 8:17 PM Subject: Trouble breaking into a lope
A Gopher's Worst Nightmare
Posts: 5094 Location: Southern Oregon
I have a super neat buckskin gelding. He has TONS of potential. He is 7 years old, before I bought/rescued him a few years back he had been ridden by a lady that just trail rides. She also likes to race down the trails so all of her horses are whack jobs. Anyways, when I first started riding him he wanted to throw his head up when I asked for a lope and trot as fast and out of control as he could and then barely break into a lope and when he did his poor legs were going every where but where they needed to go. He seemed like his brain and his legs where on two different horses and was totally out of control. I slowed him down and have done tons of slow work and collection. He is great at a walk and trot and even extended trot. Collected, driving forward from behind ect. but even with all of the work I have put into him he is still doing the same thing rushing into a lope. I have had him vetted and his teeth done. I have even tried taking him to the beach and out on the trails and just letting him lope and getting use to himself. He is better then he was, but not where he needs to be, I still can work circles at a lope or in the small indoor. Are there any other drills, exercises or tricks to get him loping with out rushing.
Posted 2015-08-17 8:49 PM Subject: RE: Trouble breaking into a lope
Warmblood with Wings
Posts: 27846 Location: Florida..
Assuming his hocks are not sore.. have you tried just loping off from a standstill ? jard to explain but Ill try something easy to do.. if you ask from a slow trot Id ask with your leg , but Id also do small halfhalts to get him back on hind and sit tall and ask and dont allow him to get faster.. keep him at a slow pace walk or trot and ask and if he trys to get fast half halt, and slow and ask.. its alot to do with your body language as well.. Id never allow horse to rush into a lope or canter.. only the youngsters since they are not strong or balanced enough yet ..
Trouble breaking into a lope
