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Energetic Horse

3K views 13 replies 9 participants last post by  guitar756 
#1 ·
I am currently working wth my boyfriend's mother's horse. Free-a ( Thoroughbred mare chestnut) was ridden regularly about two year ago, and then hasn't been since. She is a big lovebug (excellent ground manners) but has so much energy. She is seven years old, and voice trained. We let her go out into the riding ring, and she gallops around for about five minutes. Then, we lunge her for about another ten, depending how she is that day. Shes fine being tacked up, but as soon as you get on shes ready to go once again. Do you think this is a problem of her not being worked with, or something else. SHe just doesnt want to stop, and gets WAAAY too excited. Any suggestions?
 
#3 ·
Hmm, you could try gaining a bit more respect and responsive exercises, Get her attention listening to you and doing one rein stopping when she starts going too fast.

keep in mind (ruger) is right, they were bred to run.

aslo, find out what feed she is on, make sure she isn't on anything like cracked corn that would make her hot (hyper).

Make sure that there isn't extra energy from the rider asking her to go in anyway.

I hope that all this helped!
 
#7 ·
Lunging a TB for ten minutes usually isn't enough. I lunge mine for a good hour and a half when he's feeling particularly energetic. And it has to be a good fast trot or canter, not a lazy little pitter-patter jog.

Lunging over trot poles or fences are good energy burners, too. It also gives the horse something to think about instead of going in flat, boring circles. Try bringing her into small circles every once in a while, too. It makes it harder for her and teaches balance. She'll be a lot calmer if she gets ample exercise. It also depends on what you feed her and how much pasture time she gets.
 
#8 ·
She is out in a pasture all the time, and is only brought in for some feedings, bad weather, or foor grooming. She is on sweet feed I do know this, and I do believe it has corn in it. I know shes an energetic breed, but my instructor said she shouldnt be so hyper since she is almost 8. Could this also be becuase we take her away from the arabian that shes been in pasture with for her whole life (she was born on this farm).
 
#10 ·
ermove teh sweet feed and replace it with a good vitamin/mineral supplement or ration balancer depending on what you can get in your area..

Part of it could be buddy sour issues but with proper training that can be taken care of
 
#11 · (Edited)
I have a TWH that is very high-strung and he is 9 years old i might add. With him, lunging in circles does not help him to calm down...if anything it makes him more reved up. He will get to the point that he wants to stop, but its more because he's lazy...not because he is calming down. Plus the more you send them in circles, the better they get at it and the longer it will take. The best thing to do instead is ask your horse to go in partial circles and change directions often. that will force your horse to actually think instead of just run around mindlessly. I hope this helps you...cause I know exactly how you feel. Even if I take Major on a walk...I have to give him stuff to do (like go over obstacles, backup etc) because he is so hyper...I have to make him think.

oh yeah...I also wanted to add that everyone is right about the sweet feed. with hyper horses like ours...it makes it 10 times worse. Major acts a lot better when he is just on pellets and hay.
 
#12 ·
Keep in mind a pelleted feed can be and many times is just as high is sugars and starches as a textured feed :)
look for a NON grain based feed
 
#14 ·
I went out to see her again yesterday. Thanks for all your suggestions! The owners didnt want to take her off the sweet feed completely (she wont eat anything else) but is only giving her half as much. She was so much calmer already. I took her out to the long pasture, just let her run, and then lunged her for thirty minutes ( she didnt want to do anymore after that) I got on and it was quite the imrpovement. I just wanted to work on transitions between walk and whoa, and she did fantastic. It made me smile so hard. She diid spook at something, but i pulled her out of a buck and she was fine after that. Im so excited to work with her now. Thanks!
 
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