help to balance him downhill

[tetleyteabag]

hiya all

looking for some tips on training exercises I can use with my boy to help him with his balance when going downhill. At the moment as soon as we start heading downhill he grabs hold of the bit, leans heavily onto my hands and goes for it very quickly

I have tried giving him his head on not so steep hills to see if he finds his balance but he went so fast he started stumbling. When going down steep hills I am having to constantly circle him to stop him rushing off which does slow him down but it ends up taking forever to get to the bottom

Any ideas of any exercises I can do to help would be much appreciated!!!

 

[Iron Maiden]

Going downhill is a real rider frightener but doesn't really bother horses that much, so they do have a tendency to just freefall downhill sometimes! I'd try treating it as a schooling exercise & doing transitions to get him listening to you when you go downhill, so as soon as you feel him start to get away from you, sit back, half halt & ask for a downward transition. Only let him increase his pace when you say, if he tries to get away, half halt & down a pace again. One thing that's helped my mare is riding circles in one of the fields at her yard that has quite a slope on it, she always tried to get away when we headed downhill and our circle became a very strange shape but if now I ride her well enough, she will do a nice, rhythmic circle on a slope in trot or canter. It's just a question of practice

 

[inhs]

so you need to get him off the front end....

1. backup on the flat
2. forequarter yield (move those front legs) on the flat
3. sidepass on the flat

all these 3 exercises put more weight on the back end

Then find a VERY small hill. Maybe just two of three steps of a hill.

Go up it, go down it, stop half way down and reverse back up it, etc. Park on it half way up facing down, then do a FQ yield and face up it, then walk up it.

Don't try a big hill, just build things up slowly. Play on little hills. If your horse leans, change to something else - turn, reverse, whatever.

kas (if she's about) has good info on this too somewhere........

 

[wundahoss]

Of course it could well be a training/riding issue, but it can also be due to physical probs, so ensure you rule those out or correct them first & foremost.

IME as a hoof care practitioner, I have often seem this behaviour because of hoof problems. High heeled horses especially can have real probs going down hill - just try doing a steep hill in stilettos! Weak heels/digital cushions or foundered/thin soled toes can also make the horse more uncomfortable when going downhill, so he rushes & stumbles. Often a good trim &/or boots to protect sensitive feet is all it takes to 'correct' the problem.

Another physical prob can be the saddle. Even the best fitting saddle, if used without a crupper or breeching, can shift too far forward over a horse's scapula going down hill. Make sure the saddle fits well & allows enough room for the horse's changing shape in different positions, and use a crupper or such to hold it in place.

 

[Clava]

My ex-racer mare has the same problem, I think she's never done hills before. She just does not know what to do with her legs and opts for rushing it. The exercises alreasy mentioned sound excellent as it is all about the horse getting his/her hind legs under them which they generally find hard as they have to raised and stretch their backs to do it, but a good thing to work on in schooling and going down hill.

 

[tetleyteabag]

Thanx guys some good tips there to get started with!!!

Wundahoss- am pretty sure its not hoof problems as farrier is always saying what good strong feet he has and that he would do well barefoot ( which is something I'm thinking about). Don't think it's rider error as other horses I ride on the same route don't do it so hopefully its not me!!! Training however is very likely, he was originally a driving horse and i feel he was quickly broken to sell as a ride and drive.

We are doing lots of groundwork and schooling to learn voice commands, leg aides etc so I just think this is something else that he hasn't really 'learnt'.