stop trotting down hill!

So I went on an intense 4 hour trail ride today.Gidget won't stop trotting down hill. This BOTHERS me as it's bad for her joints,jars my back and my knees...she will only walk down steep hills. I need to get a bit more control.I don't mind if we trot out if it's flat or up hill..I will encourage it but I can't loose rein her when she goes down cause if I do we trot down hill so I have to tighten the reins but then she gets red marks. I would make her do circles..that kinda worked..any other ideas?

I think it has something to do with balance...my younger mare always wants to trot up hills, while the older one will only trot up the really, really steep ones. The younger mare just shimmies down the hill, while the older one rocks back and takes it very carefully. Maybe your horse just is unsure of how to balance on the hills?

I don't know how to help this but would love to hear. It scares me when my horse does it!

It is easier for a horse to trot or run up a hill. It takes a lot more work on their part to walk up them. When you let them run up a hill, I think, they want to do the same going down. Until you feel you have more control, I would not let the horse run/trot up or down the hill. If the horse wants to run/trot down the hill, stop the horse and go back to the top of the hill. Have the horse take one or two steps then stop and repeat the whole way down the hill. Go back to the top and repeat doing 3 or 4 steps before stopping. If the horse starts to throw a tizzy, make them back up the hill several steps. Having to hold the horse back from running down the hill, the horse isn't listening to you and really, not respecting you, in my opinion.

My horse was either trotting or walking VERY quickly down hills, and sometimes up hills. He was out of balance, and just using momentum to keep going.
I started randomly halting him on the hill, so he was forced to find his balance. The first few times really threw him off, his head would swing almost to the ground (make sure you're firmly planted in the saddle). But it took only a few days, and now he walks up and down hills just fine, and halts smoothly if asked.

Thanks everyone. I will have to do that. If I hold her back as much as possible she has a prance to her step going down hills. I can have her walk up hills no problem,trotting no problem,cantering no problem...my issue is the down hill part. I see it as not respecting me either and I sometimes lose my stirrups O.O Disaster waiting to happen,I know....so I will try these little steps and see how it improves our ride. All the other horses walk down it and we are left behind as I try to make her walk down it...that's the sucky thing as I have to tell my friends to wait up :P hahaa..thank you once again.

You are very right. Your horse needs to listen, but in the meantime, it would sure help if your friends would cooperate and not let their horses get so far away while you are trying to retrain an issue. I would try explaining to them that it is quite possible that by getting ahead it makes your horse feel even more "rushed". Then-there are several options. I have one who has balance issues so he tries to ge faster and faster down the hills. I always zig zag him down. It keeps him thinking and concentrating on what he is doing, and he no longer rushes. If the trail is narrow it may be as little as a step right, then left. That should help. If your horse is "prancing", it sounds like there is some anxiety, which could relate to the balance OR being left by the other horses.....sure sounds like what I call "jigging". On the flat or a small hill I would stop and back up ever time they jigg.

Thank you...her prancing or jigging anxiety I believe and I feel bad as I have to practically rip at her mouth(i use a snaffle). When I tell my friends to wait up they do but Gidget does become a bit nervous if she doesn't see them. I love my horse but I do want her to listen and not me just going with it.

If there are no problems with your equitation or your horse's balance, she is probably just being lazy. It takes a lot of effort to walk down a hill. If she chooses to trot, make that harder than if she chose to walk. If you feel a step of a trot, immediately back her up several steps and proceed at a walk. Repeat when necessary. Most horses will chose to walk down a hill rather then back up one.

Well I'm not the best rider but I don't think I'm horrid. I think I'm pretty balanced for the most part. I,however,tend to lose a stirrup once in awhile..I think I forget to actually put some weight in my stirrups while loping...i need to work on that before I end up getting hurt..maybe someone can help me out?