my horse rushs when behind another horse out hacking! HELP

N

Nicolle89

New Member
Apr 9, 2018
2
0
1
34
Hi All,

I have a fab piebald cob called Gizmo, he's a legend and fantastic!

When we are out on our own he's great and has given me so much confidence, however when we are in company and are trotting or cantering behind another horse he rushes to keep up rather doing a nice steady pace, which of course we end having an argument about, if he is in front he’s totally chilled in any pace, we have been hacking in company about 4 times a week for about 2 months now and he no longer rushes in walk thankfully but cant seem to break the trot and cantering rushing! He’s brill in the school and doesn’t rush at all here

Any hints tips advice or exercises to try and break this habitat would be great,

Thank you Nic & Giz xx
 
My Ziggy is just the same, and I'm afraid that for us there's been no easy answer. He has to respect you and go at the speed you want, whatever the circumstances. That means you have to be able to slow him down even when there's another horse in front.

The answer is training. Ideally, go out with a friend who will support what you're trying to do. If he rushes to catch up with the horse in front, stop him and back up a step. Once you allow him to go forward, if he doesn't go nicely, stop and back up again. You can see that your friend will need patience!

My RI has been helping me train Ziggy for 6 months now and he is so much better, even though he only gets ridden once a week at most. You should be able to get through to Gizmo, but you have to be strict. Don't tell him off 3 times and let him get away with it on the 4th!
 
Jane&Ziggy said:
My Ziggy is just the same, and I'm afraid that for us there's been no easy answer. He has to respect you and go at the speed you want, whatever the circumstances. That means you have to be able to slow him down even when there's another horse in front.

The answer is training. Ideally, go out with a friend who will support what you're trying to do. If he rushes to catch up with the horse in front, stop him and back up a step. Once you allow him to go forward, if he doesn't go nicely, stop and back up again. You can see that your friend will need patience!

My RI has been helping me train Ziggy for 6 months now and he is so much better, even though he only gets ridden once a week at most. You should be able to get through to Gizmo, but you have to be strict. Don't tell him off 3 times and let him get away with it on the 4th!
Click to expand...


Thank you! we have been at this for year and a half now and I will need be more strict I think!
Keep hoping there's an easy solution but there never is with horses lol! I keep telling Giz if it was easy everyone would do it lol!
 
If you've cracked it in walk, chances are you will in the other paces with perseverance and determination! I used to firmly half halt Raf (my horse) and the minute he complied I would release him again, if he started rushing it was an immediate half halt, repeat etc. The key was to not hang onto his mouth to stop him rushing, just correct and release until he got the idea that if he went at the correct pace he could proceed in a normal contact (ie washing lines in my case :oops: ) The other thing that I'm sure helped was going to so many endurance pleasure rides with a companion, because they get used to seeing other horses dashing about in front or behind but as they have a companion they don't get freaked out and think they have to catch up. It's harder on your own but they do get the hang of it. You could also try the game that @Skib suggested to me, which is the overtaking game - so if your horse rushes to catch up instead of letting him stop when you get to the horse in front you make him continue and go past. This may have the desired effect of getting him to listen to you instead of focusing on the leading horse, although if his aim is to get to the front anyway it probably won't do you any good!

Good luck. Love the name Gizmo ... pictures would be nice :D
 
I should have mentioned the importance of releasing when he complies, thank you @Bodshi. Otherwise he'll just think "Oh what the hell, she is always tugging at me" and set his jaw and ignore you.

I've only just realised how important it is not to let my little bugger get away with anything. He's a pony, and he thinks that if it works once, it will work again!
 
newrider.com
Top Bottom
Back