Walk to jog?

My horse knows how to jog, but I have to bring him down to it from the trot. How can I get him to do it from the walk with no trotting between?
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My horse knows how to get into a jog, but when he wants to pick up a working trot or he gives me a little "hop" into the trot, I simply stop him, ask him to walk, and ask him sloooowly and softly into a jog again. We can do this several times if he's in a mood, but eventually he'll get it and give in.

I think the biggest thing is teaching that slow and soft requests should be met with slow and soft answers. Hope that helps!

I would advise against stopping your horse when he doesn't give you the desired gait. All your doing is rewarding him for doing the wrong thing because the things horses love to do most is nothing well most next to eating.
If he doesn't give you the gait you want slow to the next gait down in this case walk and ask for it again and repeat this until he gets the idea.

I would actually work him down from the trot to the jog. Eventually he will get the idea that you want a jog. Also make sure your cue is as soft as possible. If your cue is too heavy he is going to think you want to trot and you will start confusing him.

Good luck. I have a horse that Im working with on this myself. If I ask for a trot he tends to want to extended trot and not just jog.

Also remember that as soon as he gives you that jog drop your hands and if he goes to speed up gather up again until he cruises into that gait that you want. He will get the idea soon enough that you want him staying at speed until you ask for more or less speed.

One other thing to add that I forgot. If its necessary to stop to get what your looking for then instead of stopping immediately start backing them up and then ask them to go forward again. If they are allowed to stop it will take much much longer to get through to them.

I think it depends on the horse. :) My boy loves to gogogo and so stopping him mid-trot as soon as we pick it up means that he did something wrong, and he needs to relax and focus on me if he wants to move forward. I can see, however, with other horses who aren't as ... "spirited" (haha) would be quite happy to stop over and over!

I do frequently drop to the walk again, as well. It depends on the situation.

My mare, her transition from the walk always goes to the jog before the extended jog unless I immediately start out posting.

If I am sitting down, relaxed, she will jog. If she goes too fast, half halting and squeezing with your seat, providing some resistance until she slows down works. Then when she does get to the jog you want, relax, loosen your body and hand, and give her the release.

Mine also learn that posting or being just slightly more forward in the saddle means the jog should be extended or picked up to a strong trot, depending on how much I push them. In the western horsemanship class, the extended jog comes from just a tiny forward movement in your hand and body, so if I don't come forward my mare knows we are NOT doing that.

Lots of halt halts and softening should do the trick for you.

OP...if your horse is scooting into the jog, and then you have to bring your horse back down to jog...you have let it go on to far. By that I mean, softly ask for the jog with slow soft bumps from your calves. If your horse scoots forward, then immediately set her down, and back her up....then ask for the jog again. I would not let a horse ever go faster than what I ask for, and that is what is happening here. She is setting the pace right off the bat and not you...so that needs to be remedied. It's a mind game....she "thinks" she's getting somewhere and you need to stop that thinking.

My horse only jogs when she feels like it (mainly when she is in a hurry and knows I don't want to trot) lol :)
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Hold him up with the reins, drive him foward with your legs and seat, and push him into the jog with a small cluck and by using your seat the most. It creates a quiet transition that way. Just make sure you keep holding him up until you get going, then start to release the pressure little by little and keeping him in check the whole time. This should hopefully work:)

I'll try that next time I ride :) ....if the weather here gets any better :P
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