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 Expert
Posts: 1631
   
Location: Somewhere around here | I've owned two horses that if you work them in the pasture, or while you're out on trail, then they start getting antsy then next time or two you're out there. Didn't matter if I work on just walking/trotting, loping exercises, or whatever, they just expect it next time. So for these two particular horses I've just made the pasture or trail ride a place to relax and just walk. No, I am not working the horse to death out there nor an I putting the horse away hot and firey. Now for all the other horses I've had it didn't matter, I could gallop one day then the next they would be calm and just walk. Now I'm not having a problem or trying to fix this, but I'm asking is there anyone else out there who has had horses like this? |
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Extreme Veteran
Posts: 534
Location: Ohio girl moved to PA | i have one that does this. Hes too smart for his own good and thinks hes knows what were doing everytime. I just have to keep changing things up on him lol
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  Neat Freak
Posts: 11216
Location: Wonderful Wyoming | We've had a lot come in when we were training back in the day. How much time are you spending out there? We'll pick a trail and take a fast long trot. If they want to lope right off the bat, we let them. If that is the case we'll pick a trail that goes up some hills. A young inexperienced horse will peter out in about 30 minutes of this and a veteran will know the day could be long and will chill out after about 15 minutes. Repitition over and over and they figure out they better conserve their energy. It also builds endurance and lung capacity. I feel it is the best thing to get one in shape mentally and physically. We never do circles until we get back to the barn. Again it keeps them from hurrying back to the barn, they are smart and know the day isn't over. When they are loping correct circles on a loose rein both ways. I'll get off away from the barn, loosen the cinch and lead to the barn. |
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Expert
Posts: 1631
Location: Somewhere around here | Well with the first horse I could've loped anywhere and we had all the land in the world to use, but her previous owner who lived in that same area used to run this horse back home. Created an awful bad habit of prancing on trail rides and it took me almost two years for her to walk on a loose rein on a trail ride. Happiest day of my life lol! After that I was just happy to walk with her. With the second horse I lived more in farm and ranching country where I can't go onto others property without messing up their furrows and I don't want to accidentally hurt my horse with a misstep. And with the ranching country I'd love to just go out and ride the whole day but if you're not part of their family then you're not exactly welcome to ride your horse on their land. Other than that there's drainage ditch roads but you can only go a mile maybe before you have to go back to a walk to cross a main road.
So I don't mind walking on my trails and having that a relaxing time or a time to work out things at a walk. |
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 Off the Wall Wacky
Posts: 2981
Location: Louisiana | cecollins0811 - 2017-12-27 7:58 AM
I've owned two horses that if you work them in the pasture, or while you're out on trail, then they start getting antsy then next time or two you're out there. Didn't matter if I work on just walking/trotting, loping exercises, or whatever, they just expect it next time. So for these two particular horses I've just made the pasture or trail ride a place to relax and just walk. No, I am not working the horse to death out there nor an I putting the horse away hot and firey. Now for all the other horses I've had it didn't matter, I could gallop one day then the next they would be calm and just walk. Now I'm not having a problem or trying to fix this, but I'm asking is there anyone else out there who has had horses like this?
Mine used to think the pasture was for breezing LOL.
That was an issue when I got married and moved and only had a pasture to ride in...he was ridiculous.
It just took time. And me not getting too annoyed with him, I'd just quietly hold him back and make him go my speed and did my best to ignore his antics without overly fussing him-bc that would make him worse. Over time, he settled down and realized that the pasture was our new normal.
Now I can walk, trot, breeze, work the pattern and he's a good boy, he knows that our new arena and it's a normal day, not a special place we go to RUN haha. |
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 Undercover Amish Mafia Member
Posts: 9991
Location: Kansas | I have one that is a complete A$$hole at home, yet haul her to another location, and she's an angel and will work her butt off. |
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 The best bad guy on the internet
Posts: 3519
Location: Arizona | Trail horses aren't made over night. It takes time to make a good one. You have to just keep at it, keep them calm let them know this is the time to just relax and just go for a ride. Once you got them walking and walking out all the time, no prancing, then ask them to trot. I always do my conditioning going away from the barn, we always walk back. I had purchased an older barrel horse for my daughter, poor thing I don't think she ever went out on the trails. She was a hot mess, wanted to run all the time. It took a good 6 months to get her to just relax and drop her head. It did her wonders. Really made her an even nicer horse. |
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Working a horse on the trail/pasture