help on loping,trotting,flexing

I need help on my t walker/quarter horse mix mare,she always tries to gallop when I try and lope her.and also she always has a rough short trot with her head up really high.is there a way that I can make her let her head down a little and get her to slow down when I try to work with her?i would really like to have her be a western pleasure horse.what a bout peanut rollers?flexing?ive heard about but I've never used it a lot I sometimes stretch her legs a lil when I start to ride her but I can't make her strecth her neck from side to side.she always turns her whole body not her neck.she is really stiff.how can I soffen her up and get her to be wetsern pleasure horse?any help would be great.

When you say flexing do you mean vertical flexion or horizontal? I'm assuming you mean vertical, because you want the western pleasure headset.

First of all, I would recommend you do a lot of stopping and circling to get her to go the speed you want. Also, you want to master horizontal flexion before vertical flexion. Horizontal flexion is the stopping power and vertical flexion is forward power. You wouldn't want to put the extra gas on before you install the break would you?

Because you say she moves with her head up high, I would say you need to work on horizontal flexion. This will calm her down and make her easier to stop. Also, everytime she goes faster than you want, you can flex her to the side (one rein stop) and she'll quickly learn to go the gait you want her to.

Once she's mastered horizontal flexion then you can move onto vertical flexion. Vertical flexion will give you the headset you want and the nice smooth slow gaits if done right.

Hopefully that helped. Feel free to ask questions of PM me

First off is this a younger horse? If she may not be balanced yet, the 'gallop' you describe is indicative of an unbalanced horse. You also need to work on a lot more before you start to worry about her head. You need to first work on getting her to work through her back and her headset will follow. If she is still fairly green there a lot of things to work on before you can start doing collection. Such as refining her gaits. Also keep in mind your horse (I don't know how she's built) may not be structurally built for WP and may never have a low headset unless your force it. Also have you checked saddle fit? The rough trot and high head sometimes mean an ill fitting saddle.

tennesse walker?

You may have a lot of issues. If the horse is trying to gait and not built for it the trot will especially be hard for the horse.

Any photos?

Mls brought up the same thing I was going to.

If she's trying to gait...She may be having real issues...

Any more info on her?

She looks like she is trying to gait sometimes when someone else is riding her.she is 4 years old and has been broke for 2 years.she has a body build what looks to me like a warmblood.not a big hindquarter like a quarter but has a deep shoulder like a tn walker.her sire was a big black tn walker,i don't know a bout her mother but I know it was a quarter horse.she isnt gaited,but she looks like she is trying to sometime.ill try to flex her horizontally tommorow.how do I get her to do it?also should I work with her more in a lounge line to get her to be more balanced?

She isn't gaited but she looks like she is trying to gait?

Idk what I mean.its just that she was sopposed to be gaited but she wwasnt.i don't know the proccess of getting them to flex.can anyone give me simple step by step instructions?

We had a really stiff mare that wouldn't flex just because she had never been taught too.. So to loosen you're horse you want to start on the ground. If you pull on the side you are standing on and hold their shoulder in place the horse should bend its head towards you. Even if its very slight give release back. Then try it again and each time you do it ask for more, always do the same to the other side.
Then try it when on its back. To hold the shoulder in place put pressure with you're foot infront of the cinch on the same side you are asking. Its ok if the horse moves it hind end the first couple of times just hang in there. If you keep the pressure on and the horse moves in a small circle just keep that pressure till you see its head give to the pressure, not its body. As soon as this happens give the horse release. Do this to each side everytime you get on.

This should help her loosen up a bit. Let us know when you have got that then we can send you off to the next step.

Have you ever lunged her before riding? It might help with the energy level before you ride. Make sure that when you're lunging you start off her at a walk then trot then lope.
You're horse has to learn how to give to the bit before you ask for collection, or it'll never happen.

Lunging a gaited horse can be difficult too. They are simply not built to go round and round in 60 foot circles.

I really think the first order of business is to find out if the mare is physically able to do some of the things the OP wants her to. Photos would be very helpful.