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| Let me just start by saying this is my first race bred and first former race horse. Any tips on getting her to slow down and relax at the lope? She has finally relaxed and slowed on the lounge line but under saddle when you ask for a lope she turbo trots a few strides throws her head up and picks up a rather fast lope and I can't seem to get her to just slow her body and relax. She does have a huge stride so I think that's part of why it feels like she's flying but she is still going to fast to be controlling her body correctly. I have been working on transitions and her stops are beautiful. She rates down from an extended trot to a jog very easily and from a lope to a trot but she just seems to think if she's loping under saddle I want her to be moving fast. When I try to slow her in the lope she breaks down to a trot. She also shapes he body wonderfully around a circle even no where near the rail but go through the middle and she wants to speed up over bend her neck way to the inside. I can ride her body exactly where I want it but her head is cranked way to the inside and I am not asking for that or pulling on her and it's driving me nuts. Looking for advice and ideas! |
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Elite Veteran
Posts: 618
| I've 're started quite a few. You said she is able to lunge quietly at a lope correct? If that's the case, check your own body language in the saddle. Sit on your pockets, relax through the shoulder and drive her forward with your legs into the lope. Keep your circles small until she relaxes. |
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| wishes4kissez - 2016-06-14 11:20 AM
Let me just start by saying this is my first race bred and first former race horse. Any tips on getting her to slow down and relax at the lope? She has finally relaxed and slowed on the lounge line but under saddle when you ask for a lope she turbo trots a few strides throws her head up and picks up a rather fast lope and I can't seem to get her to just slow her body and relax. She does have a huge stride so I think that's part of why it feels like she's flying but she is still going to fast to be controlling her body correctly. I have been working on transitions and her stops are beautiful. She rates down from an extended trot to a jog very easily and from a lope to a trot but she just seems to think if she's loping under saddle I want her to be moving fast. When I try to slow her in the lope she breaks down to a trot. She also shapes he body wonderfully around a circle even no where near the rail but go through the middle and she wants to speed up over bend her neck way to the inside. I can ride her body exactly where I want it but her head is cranked way to the inside and I am not asking for that or pulling on her and it's driving me nuts. Looking for advice and ideas!
You are rushing too many things at one time without knowing what and how to unchange her race training.
Understand that OT horses run thru the bit .. means pressure on the bit they speed up .. the faster lope to you is the race horse's training gallop. To slow the horse down after crossing the finish line ...jockey stands up in his stirrups and gives a small rein pressure to slow the horse down and then makes a sloppy stop to turn around.
Your job now is to teach her to be lazy which is a horses normal attitude. Get out in a large pasture .. trot, gallop, trot gallop trot, gallop when she starts huffing and puffing a little bit ... one rein stop and rest for a couple of minutes. Do this again several times so she is thinking rest time ... and pays attention to the bit more and more. You notice I said gallop above not lope. Once you have her moving up and down from trot to gallop to trot and paying attention to the bit ... you can start stopping more frequently at a trot and changing directions without the rest stops.
You need the larger pasture so you are not nagging on turning the corners and interrupting anything that is going good. When doing all of this ... do not have your brain in training mode ... go ride sloppy, lazy but focused so you don't end up as a dirt dart ... lol
Pick straight up on each rein to move her over OR turning around and no pulling straight back towards your navel ... if you have them switch to split reins and flutter your little finger on the turning rein to get her attention.
GOOD LUCK ... |
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Expert
Posts: 1261
| BARRELHORSE USA - 2016-06-14 5:45 PM
wishes4kissez - 2016-06-14 11:20 AM
Let me just start by saying this is my first race bred and first former race horse. Any tips on getting her to slow down and relax at the lope? She has finally relaxed and slowed on the lounge line but under saddle when you ask for a lope she turbo trots a few strides throws her head up and picks up a rather fast lope and I can't seem to get her to just slow her body and relax. She does have a huge stride so I think that's part of why it feels like she's flying but she is still going to fast to be controlling her body correctly. I have been working on transitions and her stops are beautiful. She rates down from an extended trot to a jog very easily and from a lope to a trot but she just seems to think if she's loping under saddle I want her to be moving fast. When I try to slow her in the lope she breaks down to a trot. She also shapes he body wonderfully around a circle even no where near the rail but go through the middle and she wants to speed up over bend her neck way to the inside. I can ride her body exactly where I want it but her head is cranked way to the inside and I am not asking for that or pulling on her and it's driving me nuts. Looking for advice and ideas!
You are rushing too many things at one time without knowing what and how to unchange her race training.
Understand that OT horses run thru the bit .. means pressure on the bit they speed up .. the faster lope to you is the race horse's training gallop. To slow the horse down after crossing the finish line ...jockey stands up in his stirrups and gives a small rein pressure to slow the horse down and then makes a sloppy stop to turn around.
Your job now is to teach her to be lazy which is a horses normal attitude. Get out in a large pasture .. trot, gallop, trot gallop trot, gallop when she starts huffing and puffing a little bit ... one rein stop and rest for a couple of minutes. Do this again several times so she is thinking rest time ... and pays attention to the bit more and more. You notice I said gallop above not lope. Once you have her moving up and down from trot to gallop to trot and paying attention to the bit ... you can start stopping more frequently at a trot and changing directions without the rest stops.
You need the larger pasture so you are not nagging on turning the corners and interrupting anything that is going good. When doing all of this ... do not have your brain in training mode ... go ride sloppy, lazy but focused so you don't end up as a dirt dart ... lol
Pick straight up on each rein to move her over OR turning around and no pulling straight back towards your navel ... if you have them switch to split reins and flutter your little finger on the turning rein to get her attention.
GOOD LUCK ...
Yes the only reason I felt I could take her on is my barn owner, who has transitioned several from track to barrels, said she would help and it would be no problem. In the four months I have had her she has ponied me on her for ten minutes one time. So I haven't had any help really! I have trained lots but never a track horse. I did 6 weeks of ground work with her before I started riding ( mostly because she had terrible Rain rot and I wanted it healed completely before I got on). She definitely would speed up with rein pressure when I would ground drive her at first. I had heard that was common but it's not something I had experienced definitely different. She also had no stop, and leaped into her leads but that was all sorted out on the ground before I got on. She has a soft mouth and responds to the bit pressure she just breaks into the trot and then picks right back up at speed. She gives nicely vertically and laterally, stops and backs etc. I have been thinking I need to get her in a bigger arena. We have only. 60x 120 and there usually lots of people I have to ride around! There is a pasture I can ride on when hay is done but it's been raining here like mad so who knows when that will be! Thank you for your advice! I appreciate it! |
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Elite Veteran
Posts: 788
| I have a mare right now that did not run on the track but she could have! lol For a while she loped really fast too. She is just now starting to lope instead of run everywhere with me. It just takes a lot of time. I lope a lot of circles. A lot! Big circles, small circles, and when she starts going too fast I do smaller circles because it is more difficult so she will eventually begin to slow down. It took a lot of wet saddle blankets for my mare too. But now she is staying much more collected and easier to control her speed.
What type of bit are you using? once I got this mare "soft" and responding to the snaffle well (after about a month of riding) I had to put something else on her. Im currently riding in a short shank Ed Wright. |
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Expert
Posts: 2122
Location: The Great Northwest | One should know that the track horse is broke to the track, go foreward and wind to a stop. They need to be broke for barrel racing. |
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 Expert
Posts: 5293
| wishes4kissez - 2016-06-14 7:29 PM
BARRELHORSE USA - 2016-06-14 5:45 PM
wishes4kissez - 2016-06-14 11:20 AM
Let me just start by saying this is my first race bred and first former race horse. Any tips on getting her to slow down and relax at the lope? She has finally relaxed and slowed on the lounge line but under saddle when you ask for a lope she turbo trots a few strides throws her head up and picks up a rather fast lope and I can't seem to get her to just slow her body and relax. She does have a huge stride so I think that's part of why it feels like she's flying but she is still going to fast to be controlling her body correctly. I have been working on transitions and her stops are beautiful. She rates down from an extended trot to a jog very easily and from a lope to a trot but she just seems to think if she's loping under saddle I want her to be moving fast. When I try to slow her in the lope she breaks down to a trot. She also shapes he body wonderfully around a circle even no where near the rail but go through the middle and she wants to speed up over bend her neck way to the inside. I can ride her body exactly where I want it but her head is cranked way to the inside and I am not asking for that or pulling on her and it's driving me nuts. Looking for advice and ideas!
You are rushing too many things at one time without knowing what and how to unchange her race training.
Understand that OT horses run thru the bit .. means pressure on the bit they speed up .. the faster lope to you is the race horse's training gallop. To slow the horse down after crossing the finish line ...jockey stands up in his stirrups and gives a small rein pressure to slow the horse down and then makes a sloppy stop to turn around.
Your job now is to teach her to be lazy which is a horses normal attitude. Get out in a large pasture .. trot, gallop, trot gallop trot, gallop when she starts huffing and puffing a little bit ... one rein stop and rest for a couple of minutes. Do this again several times so she is thinking rest time ... and pays attention to the bit more and more. You notice I said gallop above not lope. Once you have her moving up and down from trot to gallop to trot and paying attention to the bit ... you can start stopping more frequently at a trot and changing directions without the rest stops.
You need the larger pasture so you are not nagging on turning the corners and interrupting anything that is going good. When doing all of this ... do not have your brain in training mode ... go ride sloppy, lazy but focused so you don't end up as a dirt dart ... lol
Pick straight up on each rein to move her over OR turning around and no pulling straight back towards your navel ... if you have them switch to split reins and flutter your little finger on the turning rein to get her attention.
GOOD LUCK ...
Yes the only reason I felt I could take her on is my barn owner, who has transitioned several from track to barrels, said she would help and it would be no problem. In the four months I have had her she has ponied me on her for ten minutes one time. So I haven't had any help really! I have trained lots but never a track horse. I did 6 weeks of ground work with her before I started riding ( mostly because she had terrible Rain rot and I wanted it healed completely before I got on ). She definitely would speed up with rein pressure when I would ground drive her at first. I had heard that was common but it's not something I had experienced definitely different. She also had no stop, and leaped into her leads but that was all sorted out on the ground before I got on. She has a soft mouth and responds to the bit pressure she just breaks into the trot and then picks right back up at speed. She gives nicely vertically and laterally, stops and backs etc. I have been thinking I need to get her in a bigger arena. We have only. 60x 120 and there usually lots of people I have to ride around! There is a pasture I can ride on when hay is done but it's been raining here like mad so who knows when that will be! Thank you for your advice! I appreciate it!
Luckily my track baby was trained and BROKE before going to the track. I literally picked him up on a saturday afternoon after he ran a race and drove him home. I rode next day in a big huge open field and he had a nice stop, flex, bend, and broke at the Poll. I was really happy and LUCKY. Started his barrel training and it went perfect. He was competing in no time and one of those miracle colts that just wanted to do it. Fast forward to his 5 year old year and we started adding LOTS of speed. He kid of became track broke again. lol SO we are working through that right now and he is coming along nicely. |
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Expert
Posts: 1261
| horsiace1025 - 2016-06-15 5:41 AM
I have a mare right now that did not run on the track but she could have! lol For a while she loped really fast too. She is just now starting to lope instead of run everywhere with me. It just takes a lot of time. I lope a lot of circles. A lot! Big circles, small circles, and when she starts going too fast I do smaller circles because it is more difficult so she will eventually begin to slow down. It took a lot of wet saddle blankets for my mare too. But now she is staying much more collected and easier to control her speed.
What type of bit are you using? once I got this mare "soft" and responding to the snaffle well (after about a month of riding) I had to put something else on her. Im currently riding in a short shank Ed Wright.
I am riding is a snaffle sometimes and a JR cow horse other times. I do figure she just needs more ride time I just want to be the most effective in putting those rides on her. She's super smart and willing. It feels like her body is right under me and tracks me well but her head wants to do its own thing at times and her legs feel like they are all over the place lol. I have been riding a cowy, ratey horse and doing very well with her so I am kinda of doubting myself for having chosen a race bred. I am worried I won't ride her style as well. But I guess I can't assume what her style will be. My cow bred could do anything like it was no big deal at all right away so that makes me worry this one maybe isn't going to take to barrels as well. She has surprised me by doing a sliding stop a few times though. |
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 Scorpions R Us
Posts: 9586
Location: So. Cali. | horsiace1025 - 2016-06-15 5:41 AM I have a mare right now that did not run on the track but she could have! lol For a while she loped really fast too. She is just now starting to lope instead of run everywhere with me. It just takes a lot of time. I lope a lot of circles. A lot! Big circles, small circles, and when she starts going too fast I do smaller circles because it is more difficult so she will eventually begin to slow down. It took a lot of wet saddle blankets for my mare too. But now she is staying much more collected and easier to control her speed. What type of bit are you using? once I got this mare "soft" and responding to the snaffle well (after about a month of riding) I had to put something else on her. Im currently riding in a short shank Ed Wright.
I wanted to second this. I've started them from straight off the track, being turned out for years after only the track, and even one who went to an inexperienced family to be a trail horse from the track. They are work-a-holics. Like, want, need a job. Takes them a while to accept it doesnt all have to be fast. Agree with loping alot of circles, always double check you body language, make sure u're giving all relaxed signals. Takes a long while and some will still warm up fast and eventually settle at races. Long process but very very rewarding! |
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Expert
Posts: 1261
| Three*C*Champs - 2016-06-16 4:30 PM
horsiace1025 - 2016-06-15 5:41 AM I have a mare right now that did not run on the track but she could have! lol For a while she loped really fast too. She is just now starting to lope instead of run everywhere with me. It just takes a lot of time. I lope a lot of circles. A lot! Big circles, small circles, and when she starts going too fast I do smaller circles because it is more difficult so she will eventually begin to slow down. It took a lot of wet saddle blankets for my mare too. But now she is staying much more collected and easier to control her speed. What type of bit are you using? once I got this mare "soft" and responding to the snaffle well (after about a month of riding) I had to put something else on her. Im currently riding in a short shank Ed Wright.
I wanted to second this. I've started them from straight off the track, being turned out for years after only the track, and even one who went to an inexperienced family to be a trail horse from the track. They are work-a-holics. Like, want, need a job. Takes them a while to accept it doesnt all have to be fast. Agree with loping alot of circles, always double check you body language, make sure u're giving all relaxed signals. Takes a long while and some will still warm up fast and eventually settle at races. Long process but very very rewarding!
Thank you. I have noticed its a lot harder to sit back on her than my other horse. My other one I guess I take for granted that her hips are always way up under her ready to stop at the slightest indication. I mean I have to sit down well on her because she stops hard and fast and would slide me off over her if I didn't but it's easy to sit on her. This race bred I feel like I sit and she's got such commotion my hips are all over the place in no time. There's so much movement it's really hard to sit on my butt and cue her with my body to slow! Maybe I need to be floppier or something I don't know lol! But it's encouraging to read others have had similar experiences and it will just take time. |
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Extreme Veteran
Posts: 489
| I find loping squares helps horses like this. I let them go straight, ask for a rounded 90 degree turn and then straight again. Not a rough or jerking turn, but as they figure it out, it can become sharper and quicker. I'm never holding them back, and there is nothing to lean into. They become responsible for holding their frame and pretty soon they are holding the speed on their own. Two or three strides of too fast, I'm asking for the turn. I do this with all my babies before I trot and lope circles (although I give them a lot more leeway since they are learning how to carry someone) - helps stop that natural lugging out. |
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 Own It and Move On
Location: The edge of no where | I lope & trot tons of squares, spirals, figure 8s, set up the poles - LOTS of transitions... quiet transitions. Lope - trot - lope - walk - lope - trot - walk. Get them to really rate off of your body. It's a process, but I enjoy it. I let them lengthen their stride down the arena, sit deep - collect - and small circle in each corner. Change it up a lot. Don't pull on her, if she's going too fast then move to a smaller circle - she'll get tired and slow up.
Get a equine dentist to check her teeth and jaw alignment - most likely an old bad habit - but I'd make sure she didn't have a reason for holding her head like this.
Edited by MS2011 2016-06-17 10:47 AM
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 Expert
Posts: 2097
Location: Deep South | I think you have gotten some really great advice so far. I just wanted to add that most horses off the track need to be treated for ulcers. If she does have ulcers, they are definitely contributing to your issues under saddle. |
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Training an OTQH to relax and slow down?