[Jai0017]

Hello there. I have a paint mare who is an amazing horse on the ground and amazing at showmanship. But once I get on her back she just wants to trot! I know she’s not in pain because when trail riding in the same saddle, bit, everything she walks perfectly fine. I’ve only had her for about 7 months. But I know she did thing like extreme trail, rodeo queen, flag, drill team etc.
sometimes she will walk for a few seconds then she just starts trotting again. I’ve been teaching her the word walk and it helped a little but she still just wants to go!
any tips of how to get her to walk? Please let me know if you have any ideas on what to do!! Thank you!!!

 

[QtrBel]

As this is the second thread about a horse that won't do what you ask under saddle I am going to ask about your experience as it seems the common denominator is you. Are you in lessons? How long have you been riding? This horse seem to be experienced under saddle. Do you have a trainer or instructor that can get eyes on and help you with your cues or help determine why with you in the saddle this is happening.

 

[TXhorseman]

If a horse trots rather than walking when you are riding, you should focus on what your "body" is telling the horse.

If your muscles are tense, a horse will generally tense its muscles. This often leads to trotting rather than walking.

Release any unnecessary tension in your muscles. Allow them to expand. Allow your muscles to move freely as your body follows the movements of your horse as it walks.

This is a short simple answer to your question. But it requires paying attention to what you are doing and it also takes practice. An observant instructor may be able to help you with this.

 

[My Salty Pony]

Another thing I wanted to ad, could you be griping with your legs more then you think, relax your legs and thigh's and see if that will help. Sometimes we are doing something like gripping with our legs without even knowing and thats sending a mixed signal to our horses to move out more.

 

[PresleysMom]

Another thing I wanted to ad, could you be griping with your legs more then you think, relax your legs and thigh's and see if that will help. Sometimes we are doing something like gripping with our legs without even knowing and thats sending a mixed signal to our horses to move out more.

Yes -- that was the case with me after I took the horse I was riding in a round pen out to the pasture. I was nervous and gripping with my legs which he thought meant to move faster. This of course made me more nervous, and only when my coach pointed out what I was doing with my legs did he finally slow down.

 

[My Salty Pony]

Yes -- that was the case with me after I took the horse I was riding in a round pen out to the pasture. I was nervous and gripping with my legs which he thought meant to move faster. This of course made me more nervous, and only when my coach pointed out what I was doing with my legs did he finally slow down.

Having that second set of eyes does help when we are having a problem.

 

[My Salty Pony]

Having that second set of eyes does help when we are having a problem.

When I use to give ridding lessons that was the main thing/problem alot of riders were gripping with their legs without even knowing they were doing it, once relaxed things fell into place for them.

 

[knightrider]

when trail riding in the same saddle, bit, everything she walks perfectly fine.

Why don't you trail ride her a whole bunch and forget the arena for a while until you and she are used to each other. If she gets used to walking perfectly fine for several months, she probably will continue to do so in the arena . . . but not necessarily. She could just hate the arena. Her former owners could have blown her up in the arena. Extreme trail, rodeo queen, flag, and drill team are all kind of high pressure events that might have made her nervous in an arena. It happens.

 

[Jai0017]

As this is the second thread about a horse that won't do what you ask under saddle I am going to ask about your experience as it seems the common denominator is you. Are you in lessons? How long have you been riding? This horse seem to be experienced under saddle. Do you have a trainer or instructor that can get eyes on and help you with your cues or help determine why with you in the saddle this is happening.

I’ve been riding for 40+ years and I’ve trained many horses of my own I just never encountered something like this. My horse and I are signed up for training in April

 

[Whinnie]

Do you have a Paint mare and a TWH both?

 

[QtrBel]

She has both. The is a video link that works in one of the threads.

 

[Jai0017]

Do you have a Paint mare and a TWH both?

Yes. 2 paints 2 twh and 2 Icelandics😊

 

[Whinnie]

I am assuming this is happening in the arena. Maybe try turning in a smaller circle every time she starts to trot while asking her to walk with voice and seat/rein cues. When she walks, straighten out. Do this every time she trots without being asked. Be sure to work both directions. I think she may be anticipating going fast because of the arena.

 

[beau159]

I’ve been riding for 40+ years and I’ve trained many horses of my own I just never encountered something like this. My horse and I are signed up for training in April

OP, it's going to be really helpful if you are CLEAR and CORRECT with your answers.

On your other thread, you said that "I’m new to riding horses as well, but I’ve had horses all my life ". But now you've ridden horses for 40 years? This makes it extremely confusing for us and makes it really difficult to help you, if your answers are not the same from thread to thread.

I agree with the others that it sounds like you have multiple issues with multiple horses and your best bet is to get some help in person. I am glad you are signed up for training but make sure you carry it through and keep going. There's only so much an online forum can help you with, whereas in-person training can help much much more.


MODERATOR NOTE: Please note OP has previously explained she has a daughter who rides. Comments that refer to being new to riding are regarding her daughter.

 

[Jai0017]

OP, it's going to be really helpful if you are CLEAR and CORRECT with your answers.

On your other thread, you said that "I’m new to riding horses as well, but I’ve had horses all my life ". But now you've ridden horses for 40 years? This makes it extremely confusing for us and makes it really difficult to help you, if your answers are not the same from thread to thread.

I agree with the others that it sounds like you have multiple issues with multiple horses and your best bet is to get some help in person. I am glad you are signed up for training but make sure you carry it through and keep going. There's only so much an online forum can help you with, whereas in-person training can help much much more.

Sorry about that. It’s my daughter who rides the twh and who is new to riding not me.

 

[thesecretpurchase]

I'd try to take it back a step. Just go in the arena and walk around, using the techniques listed above to keep her at a walk. Other things to do are keep her interested in you, walk around patterns with lots of curves, circles in every corner, serpentines, ect. so that she stops thinking about going faster. Only walk, and only until she starts to slow. If she starts walking calmly, let her be done. It may take ten minutes, it may take half an hour, it may take longer, just walk until she stops pulling on you. If you do that constantly, she should learn that slowing down means she gets to leave the arena, and she should eventually slow down.