More go then whoa

VShawnV

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Jan 23, 2020
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Ive had this gelding for about 6 months and I lunge him regularly, working specifically on voice commands. He does great. Then as soon as I'm on him he just wants to trot or canter everywhere.i have to keep the reigns tight just so we aren't running the whole time.
What should I be doing different?
 
If you haven't already it sounds like he needs back and teeth checked to rule out any issues there first. If thats all clear then assess your position and aids to ensure you aren't giving mixed signals and start retraining him to relax under saddle, for a while this will probably mean only walking, flexing, maybe some poles (still at walk) and lateral work until he's totally relaxed.
 
How regularly are you lunging, why. and how long for?

It could be that the lunge work is getting him fairly fit but bored so he sees ridden work as a chance to party. It could be discomfort, like @Jessey says because lunging is hard work on them. Either way until the Covid19 restrictions are lifted I'd be inclined to give him a holiday and then get everything checked - back, teeth, saddle fit - before bringing him back into work. When you do try to get some lessons, or at least someone experienced on the ground, and it might be worth remembering that some horses take a shorter rein as a go signal or fight against the restriction unless you also have very forward feeling hands.

I certainly wouldn't carry on riding him as things are now, and personally I'd stop the lunging. If you feel you absolutely must do something then I'd stick to inhand work.
 
Just a thought, but if you've only had him 6 months, how was he ridden before? Maybe previous owner trotted and cantered everywhere. I've known horses that considered every hack a chance for a "blow out". Do agree with everyone though, have him checked out, and in the meantime perhaps just in hand and low key schooling.
 
half halts, half halts and more half halts. Dont let him rush. A transition, a short distance and then back down to slower transition. Get him listening to you. Do not just go for a blast (two laps of the school in trot) and hope for the best. Try trotting down the long side, coming back to walk around the short side, then trot again. Reward with your voice and let him stretch out every so often. Don't nag, ask nicely. And more half halts.

Did I mention the half halts?
 
This is not a suggestion for now. But when the Corona crisis is over. And is addition to what is posted above.
Horses that recognise verbal cues to walk trot and canter will often respond to those when ridden.

The big question is what any human does when they first get on a horse? Just after your weight goes into the saddle, both human and horse will be stressed. Mark Rashid explains, We may not know that, but it is inevitable. The rider because we have left the security of having our feet on the ground, and the horse because it is suddenly taking the weight of the rider. The tension may show because the horse's head goes up. Soften your hands and breath deeply and the horse will very likely relax too. Just sit there breathing quietly and wait. Eventually the horse's head will come down.

Some of the great riders like Charles Harris have made a point of just sitting still for quite a time after mounting any horse they meet and ride.
It is nice to be able to do this at the mounting block, as that teaches the horse not to move on after it has been mounted. But often where there is a shared block at a riding centre, one cant do this. At the place where I now ride I have to move away - I circle the horse so she is not facing the gate and can see the other horses lined up at the hitching rail -I know that will relax her. And then I just sit. And breath. Yu should eventually feel the horse relax under you too.

There is a practical purpose for teaching a horse to stand after one has mounted. One may need to tighten the girth or adjust one's stirrups. Even if you dont need to do this, it is a good idea to accustom the horse to standing still while you bend over or lift up one leg then the other as if you were making those adjustments. If the horse insists on moving control the direction of the movement by allowing it to move only in small circles. Again dont tense up nor have tight reins.
 


Just after your weight goes into the saddle, both human and horse will be stressed. Mark Rashid explains, We may not know that, but it is inevitable.

Sorry Skib I cannot agree with that statement - neither horse nor rider should be in anyway stressed when the rider's weight touches the saddle. A well educated horse with no gaps in its education will NOT be stressed by the weight of the rider going into the saddle - perhaps with some horses it would depend on if that rider is equally well schooled and confident in the horse they are riding.

Of course uneducated horses and riders might well be stressed at that point, or a young horse being newly backed, and some of us who might have lost our nerve for whatever reason. But as a blanket statement of something that is inevitable I think is extremely misleading.
 
Sorry Skib I cannot agree with that statement - neither horse nor rider should be in anyway stressed when the rider's weight touches the saddle. A well educated horse with no gaps in its education will NOT be stressed by the weight of the rider going into the saddle - perhaps with some horses it would depend on if that rider is equally well schooled and confident in the horse they are riding.

Of course uneducated horses and riders might well be stressed at that point, or a young horse being newly backed, and some of us who might have lost our nerve for whatever reason. But as a blanket statement of something that is inevitable I think is extremely misleading.

This was Rashid. His explanation was that it was all unconscious. In ur genes. Nothing to do with experience or bad riding. That when the human body changes its weight bearing from feet on steady ground to a saddle on the back of a living creature, there is a resulting effect and ditto on the horse as it adjusts to the weight of the human. It doesnt mean the horse moves.

I agree it is sweeping - and since I am only one person, I can only say that it made sense to me. But another horseman who influenced me, Charles Harris who trained in Vienna did the same. Just sat after mounting.

Cavalry mount and make off in a split second and so do your and your Irish hunting friends no doubt. I csant imagine my grandfather sitting around on his horse. But I was replying to someone whose horse was more forward than she wished.
 
@Cortrasna I totally agree, and if a horse was stressed by me mounting then I'd firstly want physical problems ruled out and then be looking at doing a lot of work to solve the problem. I'd also be wondering if the work it was being asked to do was too much for it and the stress it exhibited on being mounted was due to anticipation.

I would also say that often one of the worst things you can do with a stressed horse is make it stand still.
 
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and so do your and your Irish hunting friends no doubt. I csant imagine my grandfather sitting around on his horse. But I was replying to someone whose horse was more forward than she wished.


Well now yes I have to admit back in the day, a very long way back in the day, I might well have leapt into the saddle and rushed off out the yard to do whatever...however, not sure about other Irish trained riders, I can only speak for myself. Each and everyone one of the Irish trained horses i rode back then could and would stand stock still after mounting until told to move off IF that was required for some particular reason. Not just as some sort of arbitrary fanciful control over the horse - ever. - unless in early stages of training.

Trouble is when you are young and fearless who wants to waste valuable riding time sitting about daydreaming at the mounting block? For the past 30 odd years I have not owned a single horse that would not stand at the mounting block until told to move off...yes some came to me over eager to get on with the job, but very little effort required to spell out the rules to them or merely remind them of the basics.

You do have a rather jaundiced view of Irish trained horses and riders Skib. :rolleyes::) Like everywhere you will always find the ignorant uneducated riders who give not a damn for their horses manners and their own safety. I was actually taught (amongst others) by an ex officer in the Irish Guards, as many Irish children of my generation were. I think with your extensive knowledge of styles of training and riding will agree a far cry from the Irish tinkers 'throw yourself on a horse with a bit of blue rope and go' method of equitation.
 
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Turnout more unless they are our already, reduce /remove hard feed. Spring grass is coming through now.
Do a check that after six months your saddle is still OK.

How much work is he is in now verses what he was when viewed? was he described as forward going?

As for the rushing off description once mounted, I have never rushed or raced off once mounted, nothing I get on is that concerned about any movement!!
If I line up the cob to get on she will wait for me to put my foot in the stirrup and get on. She will walk on as my bottom touches the seat.
But trust me she's not in a rush. :D
 
I agree with Skibs post about standing still after the rider has mounted. I always take a few minutes to simply sit in the saddle and adapt to sitting on my horse before we move. I actually really enjoy those moments of feeling him breathe and being connected to him. I need to make sure I am balanced and in tune with him before we move, plus I alway need to do my girth you and I insist he always stands still for this. Among other things it is about creating the right mindset, if the rider is calm, relaxed and in no hurry to move off, this will be communicated to the horse.
 
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My grandfather was killed on the Somme and his horse too when my mother was 6. But for him Ireland was paradise . He had in laws there. He was acting master of a pack there. And bought horses there. Very oddly my regular horses have all been Irish.
 
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Among other things it is about creating the right mindset, if the rider is calm, relaxed and in no hurry to move off, this will be communicated to the horse.
^^I agree with this.

I actually need to retrain Billy to stand for longer. Ive been getting on him and hes walking straight off before my feet are in the stirrups. Its bad practice. Ive allowed him to get away with it.
Original poster i think you need to go back to basics. Starting with standing at the mounting block.
Lots of half halts as has been said. Try to stick to some road work for a while with walk to trot transitions and more half halts. I find if mine gets his feet on the grass he wants to canter. I deliberately put mine onto the grass verge the other day to ask for a trot and as soon as i asked he did a coulple of trot strides then broke into canter and i found myself hanging on his mouth to stop him. I headed back onto the road and he immediately went back to trot and walk.
If your horse breaks into trot without you asking, ask for a walk and if he doesnt do as you ask. Make him stop and stand for a few seconds, then ask for a walk again, if he then tries to trot straight away again without you asking, stop him and immediately ask him to back up several paces, then ask for a stop and stand to let him think what has just happened. They find it uncomfortable to change to the backing up from a forward motion as it uses different muscles. I find with mine he will almost submit and admit that he was wrong for trying to get cocky with me. You might have to repeat this exercise loads to start with but it should get less.
So if you are going out for a hack dont think of trying to get round a long hack quickly. You need to take your time for a while and just do pootle hacks. This may involve only going a couple of miles with lots of reverse and half halts if you want to beat your issues.
 
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