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Pleease Slow Down!!!!

6K views 35 replies 19 participants last post by  Jubilee Rose 
#1 ·
Sometimes when I ride Jubilee she gets into these moods where she always wants to go fast. She's an ex-racer, just so you know. When I'm walking her, she'll frequently break into a trot, and sometimes when I'm trotting, she'll break into a canter. I notice when I collect my reins, she takes that as a sign to speed up. Other times, she has a perfectly even pace. But when she tries going fast like this, if I sit back and use a lot of leg to sink down, it helps alot. She hates when I pull on her face, so using a lot of rein does not do much. Does anyone have any other tips I can try with her to get her to slow down?? Oh, and also ... she's a lot slower in more contained areas.

Thanks in advance guys!!
 
#4 ·
keeping her entertained will probably help. lots of serpentines and stuff like that. also doing shoulder ins or just leg yielding will help get her listening. i have an ex racehorse too and when he starts going fast i'll do small half halts, sit deep, and say his name to try and get him to listen. if he doesn't then i transition down. he has issues with paying attention sometimes. lol
 
#8 ·
I know I'm late in replying, but thanks guys. I've been working on this lately and Jubilee is doing better. She's respecting me more and learning not to run away with me. And yes circles definitely work. I've been doing a TON of circles ... in both directions, serpentines, figure-eights; with both walk and trot, it works wonders! And she listens! :D
 
#10 ·
Vega can get like that too, and I found that when i'm being spontaeous and changing directions, making her go from point a to point b and then halt for a few seconds, and then have her leg yield to change direction, she gets really into it and doesn't try and go faster.

I also do circles around objects in the arena (cones, mounting blocks, a muddy part, anything really) and also do weaving with the objects too.

It has really calmed her down and she doesn't think it's boring. I would also stop going forward and see how long i could get her to back up, and to back up between 2 objects.

I'm glad things are going better for you!
 
#12 ·
Glad you are already seeing improvement. I was going to say the same as most of the posters. I would disagree with the lunging -- more exercise will give more muscle and you'd just have to lunge longer and longer each time. You need the attention and give from her. Congrats!
 
#13 ·
with ottbs the less pressure you can have with their mouth the better. any one of them will up the pace when you pick up the reins. even my tb does and she never even raced lol

try getting into some groundwork and teaching her voice commands. even though you cant use them in the ring they become a valuable back up when training an ottb IMO.

half halts, 20m circles, trot poles etc lots of work on these will help make her more supple and responsive.
 
#14 ·
in walk try squeezing your bum muscles together to slow her down.
in trot try slowing your rising down and half halting by slowing your rising and keeping your leg there to have the energy there.
circles turns and doing school moveents might help!
it sounds like she is very sensitive in the mouth and responds more to your body more than your reins.
 
#15 ·
Bring her head down.

Ask her to bring her head down and when she does reward her..
this helps with my gelding.. because he can get really forward.
Work on that, long and low and when she brings her head down ask for her to round her back and work from behind more!! She'll get a good work out from it, Also if you are rising fast with her and tensing try to slow your rising down and control her gait with your seat.

=]
 
#16 ·
I haven't read the posts already on here so my apology if this has already been said but lunging might be a good idea. It sounds like that mare is very athletic and getting rid of some of that energy might be a good idea. Keep her busy, throw some trot poles, some little raised poles. Get her working and using that energy into a good training session for the both of you.
 
#17 ·
My2Geldings said:
I haven't read the posts already on here so my apology if this has already been said but lunging might be a good idea. It sounds like that mare is very athletic and getting rid of some of that energy might be a good idea. Keep her busy, throw some trot poles, some little raised poles. Get her working and using that energy into a good training session for the both of you.
I heard lunging horses makes them more 'hyped' or something.
I wouldn't introduce trot poles or anything it might spark her up a bit and make her more go-y and you don't want that.

if you start quiet and relaxed and do the bringing head down there it might work for her, it does for my boy.
 
#18 ·
*ArabianPrincess* said:
My2Geldings said:
I haven't read the posts already on here so my apology if this has already been said but lunging might be a good idea. It sounds like that mare is very athletic and getting rid of some of that energy might be a good idea. Keep her busy, throw some trot poles, some little raised poles. Get her working and using that energy into a good training session for the both of you.
I heard lunging horses makes them more 'hyped' or something.
I wouldn't introduce trot poles or anything it might spark her up a bit and make her more go-y and you don't want that.

if you start quiet and relaxed and do the bringing head down there it might work for her, it does for my boy.
never have i heard that lunging horses hypes them up more. its widely used as both a training and settling tool. many valuable things can also be learnt from lunging type groundwork.

i also dont believe that trot poles are going to hype them up either. when im having trouble with my wb i run him over the poles for a while. he has to concentrate and focus so he puts his head down and listens more intently. it also slows him down when he is one of those 'ive got my head up in the air and im NOT listening' type of moods. did the same thing with my arab years ago and it only gets good results.

to the OP - you do need to get her quiet and relaxed but i think at this stage doing it in the saddle isnt the best way. work with her on the ground, lunging with side reins, lunging with a training type device like the pessoa, ground driving, yielding etc etc working from the ground will get you more leverage in the saddle. its also a good way to bond with your horse. what she learns on the ground can then be transferred over to the saddle. im not saying do only groundwork but i would make it a major part of her training regime at the moment

also, she is an ex-racehorse so she wont really have been broken in very well. its nothing against her its just that breaking a horse to race is a lot different to 'finishing' a pleasure/english/western or whatever horse. hence why i suggested going back to basics and start from the ground up :)
 
#19 ·
i agree with the former post. and this is just a tip if nothing else works... lol it sounds ridiculous, but if you make a little nose bag thingy out of pantyhose and use it when you ride it might help. I know a trainer who owns an ex-racer who's a school horse and she tried everything for him to stay calm and this random man told her to try a stocking... so she did and he's great. It sure makes him look silly, but i dunno... if you're desperate enough? lol
 
#20 ·
I was just going on how my horse is and some of the others i have worked with.

Trot poles Make them more Excited, not tired.
Lunging hypes the horses I WORKED with up.. So just doing some ground work before you ride helps A LOT.. It has with me.

But these are my methods i don't go on what other 'trainers' use most the time.

Let us know how you go.
 
#21 ·
as i work with my own but there are some things that are standards no matter who you are

i didnt say trot poles made them tired i said it makes them pay attention more. maybe you should read the post properly before you reply :roll:
 
#22 ·
i never heard of trot poles reving horse up, lunging does, until the horse gets over it and calms itself down, it just needs to b given enough time.
I also dont know if ground work/lunging would help anyway, the OP seems to be haing trouble with her horse breaking into the above gait/jig jogging.. and ground work in this situation will i doubt solve this riding issue. it needs ridden work and i stan by my former post
 
#23 ·
Thanks for the suggestions guys. I find lunging her before I ride is really helpful. It doesn't get her excited, it helps let out all her excess energy. She's been doing better though. :)
 
#25 ·
jeddah31 said:
i never heard of trot poles reving horse up, lunging does, until the horse gets over it and calms itself down, it just needs to b given enough time.
I also dont know if ground work/lunging would help anyway, the OP seems to be haing trouble with her horse breaking into the above gait/jig jogging.. and ground work in this situation will i doubt solve this riding issue. it needs ridden work and i stan by my former post
as ive mentioned in earlier posts, race horses are not 'finished' when they are broken in. if further training isnt provided these problems will continue. working from the ground, as you would when breaking a horse is the most effective way of combating these problems. if you spend all your time in the saddle you spend all your time fighting with your horse and thats hardly getting anyone anywhere

i never said not to ride at all but 75% of the work should be done from the ground for now. ive had tb's off the track before and have figured out how to deal with them and thats by basically re-breaking them from the ground up. you cant expect to get on a ottb and half halt it til it slows down. they dont responds to half halts or anything else because they simply dont know what you are asking them so unless you teach them properly you will get nowhere quick.

groundwork builds a solid foundation along with training. so even though the horse is jig jogging its because its programmed to go fast...thats it. thats where re-breaking/training comes into it. a lot of problems require going back to basics even if it doesnt seem to fit
 
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