I figured I would share part of my journey with Indie, I know many new riders and some more experienced struggle to get their horses moving and Indie, so far, has the most awful walk so it's something we will be working on.
I had noticed in hand he wasn't exactly Speedy-Gonzales, I had to chivvy him up just to keep up with me. Then our first ride out I wasn't too worried that he was a bit on the slow side and looking around quite a lot, and whenever he looked, he slowed to a snails pace, than half snails pace and occasionally stopped! or that after 30 minutes it seemed snail speed was all he had left in the tank, I put this down to new place, new person, and being pretty poor physically.
2nd ride out, we started at snail pace, and then went to half snail pace after 1/4 mile (surely he couldn't be tired already), he was marginally better walking in front, but when behind our companion half snail pace was all he had to offer as they got further and further ahead, I have to admit I resorted to nagging him and even some pony club kicking eventually I started trotting to catch up, which he clocked onto very quickly and started putting even less effort into walking and would then trot without being asked, naughty, naughty.
Our 3rd time out was on our own, he managed to maintain slow walk for the most part, but he did get a flick with my reins on the neck a few times. The funny bit is it's easy to get him to trot, and he has a pretty decent trot, it's just the walk that is appalling. I found insisting on him not gawping here, there and everywhere made a positive change, but it's still not covering the ground. We did a loop that takes me about 45-50 minutes on Jess, it took us 1hr 25 minutes He did have 3 napping fits when he thought he knew the way home, his napping is to go in full reverse (which is actually quicker than his ruddy walk ).
I'm hoping as we do more he will get more confident and start stepping out a bit, but I think realistically he's going to need educating in walking out. He's only ever been ridden western, so has been ridden in spurs but has not had a whip used on him, he also had some eye problems in the past and can be a bit flinchey if things move suddenly (his spook is to stop). I suspect his conformation has a lot to do with his poor walk, he has a very straight hip, interesting though as he does seem to track up pretty well when loose in the field.
I welcome suggestions as we travel this road, what has helped you to teach a horse to walk out better? I have a few tricks up my sleeve that I have used before with success, but that next horse always has something new to teach us
I had noticed in hand he wasn't exactly Speedy-Gonzales, I had to chivvy him up just to keep up with me. Then our first ride out I wasn't too worried that he was a bit on the slow side and looking around quite a lot, and whenever he looked, he slowed to a snails pace, than half snails pace and occasionally stopped! or that after 30 minutes it seemed snail speed was all he had left in the tank, I put this down to new place, new person, and being pretty poor physically.
2nd ride out, we started at snail pace, and then went to half snail pace after 1/4 mile (surely he couldn't be tired already), he was marginally better walking in front, but when behind our companion half snail pace was all he had to offer as they got further and further ahead, I have to admit I resorted to nagging him and even some pony club kicking eventually I started trotting to catch up, which he clocked onto very quickly and started putting even less effort into walking and would then trot without being asked, naughty, naughty.
Our 3rd time out was on our own, he managed to maintain slow walk for the most part, but he did get a flick with my reins on the neck a few times. The funny bit is it's easy to get him to trot, and he has a pretty decent trot, it's just the walk that is appalling. I found insisting on him not gawping here, there and everywhere made a positive change, but it's still not covering the ground. We did a loop that takes me about 45-50 minutes on Jess, it took us 1hr 25 minutes He did have 3 napping fits when he thought he knew the way home, his napping is to go in full reverse (which is actually quicker than his ruddy walk ).
I'm hoping as we do more he will get more confident and start stepping out a bit, but I think realistically he's going to need educating in walking out. He's only ever been ridden western, so has been ridden in spurs but has not had a whip used on him, he also had some eye problems in the past and can be a bit flinchey if things move suddenly (his spook is to stop). I suspect his conformation has a lot to do with his poor walk, he has a very straight hip, interesting though as he does seem to track up pretty well when loose in the field.
I welcome suggestions as we travel this road, what has helped you to teach a horse to walk out better? I have a few tricks up my sleeve that I have used before with success, but that next horse always has something new to teach us