pacing and bucking

As many of you know, I have just got my stb back after not being able to see him for 3 months. During this time, he was being looked after by some friends.

Even though he is an ex-pacer, he was retrained before I got him and trotted and cantered exceptionally well. I hopped on him yesterday for the first time since he came home and all he would do was pace. Pace pace pace pace pace until I gave up, did a few jumps with him and unsaddled.

I have never personally trained a horse to trot rather than pace so I need a few pointers on what I need to do to get him to trot instead of this ridiculous pacing. Although it is much more comfortable than a trot, I don't like it.

Also, when I asked him to canter he put his head down and bucked. Each time I asked him to do this he did the same thing. Walking, pacing and jumping he was fine it was just the canter that he had issues with.

When I hopped off I checked his legs, his back and his shoulder as once, a while ago, he had shoulder issues but the chiro fixed that and said there wouldnt be anymore probs with that. Nothing seemed to be a miss but there has to be for him to be bucking and playing up when asked to canter. Anyone have any ideas?

Thanks in advance :)

Were any of your friends riding him?

I once rode a paso for a lady and she was more worried about him pacing lol. I heard if you post they naturally slide into a trot. But not sure, that could harm there back too couldn't it? Posting at a pace.....

he was ridden but only a couple of times as I told them to rest him as much as possible in case he got the flu. I wanted him kept well rested.

Ok. I've never heard about posting making them trot but I have heard that posting on a horse while pacing isnt the best but I hadnt heard why. Hmmmm! Not to mentioned posting at a pace would be quite difficult lol

My horse bucked when moved to canter when I used non-slip saddle pad. She obviously didn't like it (I assume may be it felt bad on her back - who knows...)

I know someone you could contact who would totally be able to help you out with the pacing/trotting thing! David Lichman is a 5-Star Parelli Professional and he's a gaited horse specialist. He's taken so many gaited horses through the Parelli program. I went and audited a gaited horse clinic of his a few years back and, even though I didn't really understand much about gaited horses, he really helped the people in the class. My horse is part Fox Trotter, and he told me what to do to help him build up muscle memory so the gaiting would come more easily and naturally to him (Rango does short spurts of gaiting at random times lol).

We have a standardbred pacer and to teach her to trot, we put her over a ground pole. My daughter has taught her to trot doing this. The other thing is to turn in a small circle and they can not pace that circle so they trot. Reinforce with voice and tell them good when it comes. My feeling is that the horse has forgotten about trotting, because pace is so natural or as in exrace horse, they are reprimanded for trotting or cantering. I know my daughters horse after not being ridden for a while kinda forgot, so back to the pole on the ground. I see our mare is trotting and cantering more on her own after a couple of months of just being a horse. As far a bucking at the canter, I would suspect for some reason she is not comfortable with tack or is hurting in some way. Pacing is actually different muscle developement. It takes a lot different muscles to trot than pace. I would lunge or round pen this horse at the canter to see how it moves and access if it bucks doing that. A lot can be done on the ground with out getting bucked in the saddle. I really work at not having a horse buck under me. Not because I can't stay on, but I just don't want that habbit.

Good advice Horseboundmum..... You took the words outta my mouth. :)

hi, thanks for that :) do I just need one pole or a line up like trotting poles?

I took him out for a ride the other day and let him canter by encouraging him with the kissing sound and he did it without bucking so I tried it by using aids and he bucked again that to me would indicate he was sore where I was squeezing but he seems fine on examination. However I have booked the chiro/massage lady to come out on friday and see if she can find anything. I have to get her out for my mare anyways so ill get her to check him while she is there.

Please keep us posted. So glad you had a good ride!

will def keep you posted ;)