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need help with bouncy gaits!

4K views 15 replies 7 participants last post by  hisangelonly 
#1 ·
okay i have an arabian gelding named Zahir. He is a great horse. He was trained in dressage long before I got him. he is 14 now. He would need refreshers lol. I am getting people to give me lessons for correct seat and everything. But his gaits are so uncomfortable!!! He has a bouncy trot and his canter is near impossible to sit in! He is completely sound. i had him checked. it is just the way he moves. He has a lot of action in his trot. it is like he hops with every step. his canter isn't fast. it is just not pleasant lol. pretty, but not pleasant since i am the one on his back. he is the bounciest horse i have ever been on. i have had him for over 2 years. he has always been like this. is there any way to make his gaits smoother? someone told me to put weights on his legs, but i cant find any. i would love to go out on the trail and just enjoy a nice trot and canter with my friends. plus i really want to get him in shape but it is hard to trot and canter for long periods of time. is there anything i can do???
 
#2 ·
When a horse is moving correctly over his back, from the hind end his gaits will become easier to sit. It is likely his prior Dressage training was not entirely correct and he has been pulled into a frame with weighted front legs for action and his hind legs are trailing. Often this encourages the horse to bounce with his front end and provides an uncomfortable ride.
I would advise going back to basics and encouraging the horse to stretch his neck low into the contact in a simple trot. Lunging in side reins (in some cases using the German bungee reins cab also help but I al reluctant to recommend these without seeing the horse) can help this, as well as Dressage lessons with a qualified instructor outside of the breed show circuit.

Good luck!
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#3 ·
that makes sense lol. i am looking for a surcingle and side reins. He came from El Camino ranch in California and I know their horses are lunged with surcingles and side reins. So I guess the person who had him afterwards didnt train him too well :(
 
#4 ·
For many horses and inexperienced trainers, traditional side reins can do more damage than good. Unless they reach for the contact it can just encourage them to further hollow out.

I'd look into a system like running reins that encourages the horse to stretch down.
 
#6 ·
In agreement with anebel. Try to get him moving forwards more to counteract the upwards movement by encouraging him to stretch his neck long and low and by doing lots of quick transitions to get him using his quarters more, but be careful not to push him too much otherwise he'll fall onto his forehand. Little and often should do the trick because you're asking him to use muscles he obviously hasn't been using or using properly.

My mare also has a bouncy trot and canter so when I rise to the trot I have to ensure I rise, then push my pelvis forwards before coming back down otherwise I could easily 'bump' back into the saddle. Trying to sit and ride 'lightly' also helps and allows her to use her quarters and when warming up I spend a bit of time in the forward seat in both trot and canter to allow her to move freely and loosen up her back and shoulders.

Good luck with Zahir. He sounds lovely and what a great project to work on! :)
 
#7 ·
that makes sense too. okay i will definitely try that too. anything to make riding more enjoyable for the both of us :) lol. any tips on how to get him to make contact? he is pretty upright in his movement but I think he really needs more exercise too. He hasnt been worked consistently. would that help loosen him up?
 
#8 ·
To achieve the contact you will first have to get him working from behind and then take up a contact which doesn't either allow the energy to escape through the front end nor restrict his forwards movement. Not an easy one! lol. It's a case of doing little experiments to find just the right amount of contact that will get him seeking the bit, at which point he should then start to stretch a little.
 
#9 ·
okay so i will basically have to find out just how much contact he needs. lol. some tinkering. he really is a fun horse. just bouncy haha. i am trying to ride everyday at least
 
#11 ·
Along with above advice on getting him to work down and forward, when you are cantering and he is doing that kind of "pronk" that some arabs do (I assume this is what you are talking about) , ask him for MORE forward, faster. If he is doing what I assume he is, then the canter becomes more of a two beat gait than a three beat. Pushing him faster might knock him out of that tight, little "pronk" and into a proper canter or hand gallop.

Lots of hill work , if you have access.
 
#12 ·
yeah it is like he is pushing me forward and up in a canter. he canters slowly and is very controllable so trying that would actually be easy :) thank you very much. I will try it today. if i had a digital camera i would take a video :(
 
#13 ·
Some Arabians, though not all, have 5 lumbar vertebrae instead of the usual 6, and 17 pairs of ribs rather than 18, (quote from Wikipedia.)
That can make them "bouncier." Having your horse relax his topline and stretch towards the bit should help smooth out his gait somewhat. Keep your hands soft and "inviting" to encourage that.
 
#15 ·
I don't know anything about dressage training so I'll leave those types of suggestions to Anabel and the like.

However, I would like to say that some horses just travel wonky...and often, they aren't pleasant. As frustrating as it may be to try to learn to ride properly on him, once you get it down, you'll have a seat to make many other folks jealous. If you can learn to sit a bumpy trot/canter and make it look good, then you'll be able to ride anything and make it look good.
 
#16 ·
yep that is what i am trying to accomplish :). maybe one day i will be able to stay on him bareback. I can stay on my little mustangx bareback but not Zahir! he just has so much action
 
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